Beach Renourishment

[SFLDiver]

Geepers, went to check on my usual beach webcam site,
but due to the sand pumping operations, you can't even see the shoreline anymore.

Weah.

http://evsboca.netfirms.com/default.htm

 

[CBulla]

As far as politics is concerned the all mighty dollar is all that counts. The fact that critters and reefs are being killed off doesn't matter. Water quality doesn't matter much either as long as its not toxic to humans. 80% of them won't even snorkel on the beach anyway, all they do is go to the beach to BBQ, apply envionmentally harmful sunscreens, drink copeous amounts of alcohol, and in some cases, find places to breed and create more lemmings of the same mind set.

The dollar drives economic development which creates economy. Economy provides a 'measure' for success. With an economy that is very lucrative, it means that there is funds to supprt government projects, provide jobs, and most of all, tax payers who continue to feed the economy in various ways.

Thats what beach renourishment does. I'm not justifying it, just stating the underlying cause. If I had my way, beaches and islands would NOT ever be built on and renourishment would be a thing of the past. Watch how the economy shifts if an epicenter of economics such as Miami or Tampa get swatted with a Cat 5 like what Wilma did in Mexico for 5 days.

 

[diverhead.com]

If I had my way, beaches and islands would NOT ever be built on and renourishment would be a thing of the past.

I understand at least half of your point on renourishment, but are you suggesting that there shouldn't be a single bit of development on any beaches and/or islands? Not a single building, covered shelter, or hut? :06: There are many examples of how people can exist in an environment without destroying the environment.

IMHO it is about balance, and a healthy marine environment can be a driving force behind the economy. Why can't we find a cost effective and environmentally friendly method of renourisihing the beaches? After all, there is a lot of revenue to be lost of FL loses even more reef habitat and there is even more revenue to be lost if the majority of the beaches are eroded.

 

[kensuguro]

my question is, how were the shorelines/reefs originally? I mean, the keys don't really have beaches so most of that is man made anyhow.. and the reefs seem well preserved because of the pennecamp thing.

For Miami/KeyBiscayne, I'm not sure about reefs up there.. I mean, they look pretty dead to me so I'd wonder if there was a time that they were thriving in the first place.. And the beaches.. are all the beaches natural breaches? Or were they man made in the first place?

I'm no specialist in this.. but here's my line. Building beaches I think is okay. It creates sure money and that's important for Miami. But, these things have to be contained so we can keep the wildlife in the deeper parts (or just away from the manmade beaches) safe. I'm not sure how you can contain the effects, but if that's possible, it'll be good for both ends. I mean, think about it.

Because of global warming, Florida's going to be pounded with cat 3,4,5 hurricanes every year, or atleast couple of years in a row. You gotta admit it, we've pulled the lever up just past a serious point. And considering the amount of beach damage we're going to get every year, you'd better fix it fas and efficiently because you're going to loose the beach if you don't. What's probably more important is to make better public transportation so not everyone needs a car. That's US #1 environmental problem I think.. And no one will admit to it because car sales and gas sales is such a big part of the national economy.

 

[moneysavr]

I was diving Boynton Beach when they were doing the project near the inlet this past November,At the dive shop they had a photo taken by air of the last hole they cut to pump the sand on the beach=WOW! I wonder what it looks like now, it must screw with the reefs up stream, The sand has a course feel and I am sure it dose not lock up like natural fine beach sand.
We do bluff stablization on the Great lakes and as the years pass mother nature wins and takes back and more of what we try to save.
In Florida beaches do make money and I see the need to do something but at what cost?
Dive safe
Brad

 

[Former FLL Now MSP Diver]

all they do is go to the beach to BBQ, apply envionmentally harmful sunscreens, drink copeous amounts of alcohol, and in some cases, find places to breed and create more lemmings of the same mind set.

Sounds like a typical Conch Diver get together to me.

Marc

 

[SFLDiver]

FYI, we need everyone's help on this one.
From Ed Tichenor, Director Palm Beach County Reef Rescue

The state of Florida is finalizing plans to begin a dredge and fill AKA beach renourishment project in north Boca Raton. The contractor has requested the turbidity standards for this project be weakened to allow for a silt plume 3 times larger than normally allowed.

I'm sure you recall the silting mess made by the recent Phipps project to Horseshoe, Paul's and Breakers reefs. The new Boca project with weakened standards has potential to cause even greater damage to all down current reefs.

What you can do to help:

The contractor has applied for a turbidity variance, but the state of Florida has not yet approved it. It is important we not allow this to happen.

Please send an email today to: Lizbeth.childs@dep.state.fl.us and Bernard.Appleman@dep.state.fl.us

Ask them for a 90 day extension of the public comment period (which ends today).
And ask them for a public hearing to allow an opportunity for stakeholders to voice their concerns. Use: North Boca Raton, Beach Renourishment, 0261499-002-EV in your reference line.

Even if you can't send your email today, send one tomorrow or the first chance you get, it is important to let them know the public is involved and watching the process.

If you're getting tired of emails from me, know I am getting tired of sending them. Unfortunately, it seems every week there is a new assault to our already degraded coral reefs. It is important to know we are making progress, they wouldn't be asking for more lenient standards if we hadn't caught them on the last two projects.

Attached as a pdf file to this email is the letter we sent to the state objecting to the variance and requesting an extension of the comment period.

If you have any questions, give me a call and pass this email on to anyone you think has an interest in this issue.

Thanks,

Ed
Palm Beach County Reef Rescue
PO Box 207
Boynton Beach, FL 33425
www.reef-rescue.org
fax: (561) 364-5951
phone: (561) 699-8559