beach restoration update

[SoWalSally]

From Walton Sun:

Walton County and Destin have entered into an agreement to jointly hire the same contractor and pay for beach restoration.
The five mile stretch of beach to be restored is from Topsail Hill State Park in Walton County west to Henderson State Park in Destin, Brad Pickel, director of beach management for Walton County, said.
“The key element here is that the payment arrangements will be directly proportional to the amount of beach in Walton County and Destin. Sixty nine percent of the beach is in Walton County and the remaining 31 percent is in Destin,” County Attorney David Hallman said.
The contract is expected to be awarded the week of Nov. 28 and county officials expect to have work started by the first of the year.
Beach scraping has been suspended since Oct. 7 when the Department of Environment Protection permit for beach scraping ran out. Since Hurricane Katrina, beach scraping hasn’t been conducted because not enough sand was washing up on the beaches. Too many calm water days and impacts from Hurricane Rita are to blame, Pickel said.
After Hurricane Ivan, in 2004 11.9 miles of beach were declared “critically eroded,” Pickel said. He added with the storm activity since Ivan, those areas designated “critically eroded” most likely will increase, up to between 15 to 20 miles.
The county is in the process of locating suitable sites offshore to dredge sand to place on the beach. Sonar will be used to find deposits of sand and then core samples will be taken to ensure the area contains the white sand matching the beaches, Pickel said.
Because of a lengthy permitting process for dredging, the project probably won’t begin until next summer, Pickel added.

[Wastin Away]

Do you by any chance have any information on when they are going to complete the county accesses that have been started or a website to go to to find this information.

[Smiling JOe]

Do you by any chance have any information on when they are going to complete the county accesses that have been started or a website to go to to find this information. My understanding is that the County would not begin reconstruction of the walkovers until Hurricane Season ends, Nov 30.

[kurt]

This page tells you which are open:

http://www.partners.beachesofsouthwalton.com/Open_Beach_Access.asp

[Wastin Away]

Thanks,

I have some friends coming in during Thanksgiving and the walkover at Ramsgate has some ramp to it and the pillars up and some wood delivered and it looks like sand put under but no activitiy in a couple of weeks. I am just wondering why they don't come and finish it.

[SGB]

The accesses at Live Oak and Thyme in Seagrove had just the posts for the longest time. The walkovers were finally finished a few weeks ago. So maybe there is hope that yours will get done soon.

[SoWalSally]

The restoration of 7.1 miles of beaches in Walton County and the City of Destin will begin by early January.
The $23 million to fix the beaches will be split by the two governing bodies proportional to the percent of beach in each one’s jurisdiction. With 69 percent of the project in Walton County, the county will pay nearly $16 million, said Bill Imfeld, Walton County finance director.
The Walton Board of County Commissioners voted to approve the restoration at a special meeting on Nov. 28 at the South Walton Annex.
Overall, the project will extend the beach 75 — 125 feet, and raise the existing beach by 3-5 feet. It will build a dune that will offer protection against storm surge, Brad Pickel, director of beach management for Walton County, said.
“We will dump 80 cubic yards of sand per foot on the beaches,” Pickel said at the Monday’s BCC meeting. “We are looking at putting around three million yards of sand on the beaches.”
The area of beach to be restored is from Topsail Hill Preserve State Park in Walton County west to Henderson State Park in Destin.
Only four companies in the world are capable to do this job and the county received bids from two of them. Great Lakes Dredge and Dock, of Oak Park, Ill. was the winning bidder and will have the project completed in about 150 days after starting, Pickel said.
To accomplish the restructuring of the each, a boat will suck up the sand like a big vacuum cleaner from the borrow site off shore from the East Pass. It then will be taken and pumped back onto the beaches via an under water pipeline.
About 100 — 300 feet of beach will be replenished a day. Inspectors will be on the beaches to ensure that the proper color and size sand is going onto the beach. If a pocket of bad sand is mistakenly put onto the beach it will be bulldozed into the ocean and replaced with the proper sand, Pickel said.
Bulldozers and front-end loaders will shape the beaches and dunes into a natural shape.
Pickel added that small winter storms will help shape the beaches back into their natural shape.

[seagrovelover]

That is very interesting, thanks for the info. :biggrin:

[Miss Kitty]

That should be something to see! I hope SJ or Kurt gets down there with a camera.

[dbuck]

I am so glad to hear this is going to be done. :clap_1: I wondered from the very beginning why this wasn't being considered. This was done on Panama City Beach and it made a hugh difference quickly. Looks like insurance companies would ante-up some money on this, since it will save them millions in the long run. It would just take 12 houses or 1 condo building collapsing to equal $23 million.

[katie blue]

Those statements on restoration are worded so vaguely. I just hope if they decide to restore some, they restore all the walton beaches and not leave big gaping holes in between. I suppose it wouldn't surprise me if that happened though because some areas of 30a don't have the same $political $influence that other areas do.. :idontno:

[southof30A]

"[I]The area of beach to be restored is from Topsail Hill Preserve State Park in Walton County west to Henderson State Park in Destin. "

Too bad eastern SoWal gets left out...

[kurt]

"[I]The area of beach to be restored is from Topsail Hill Preserve State Park in Walton County west to Henderson State Park in Destin. "

Too bad eastern SoWal gets left out...

It was not considered critically eroded when this project was started.

Eastern SoWal project application process has started and will take a minimum of 18 months for approval.

[aquaticbiology]

finish covering the retaining/seawall structres with the dune they're going to build - also, that's a lot of sand - theres going to be a really big hole somewhere

[SoWalSally]

Representatives from Walton County, Destin, and state and federal agencies met with Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company in a pre-construction meeting Monday to discuss the parameters of the upcoming project.
Beginning in January, the dual county re-nourishment project will pump more than 3 million cubic yards of sand onto a 7-mile span beach proceeding westward from Four Mile Village.
Sand quality and environmental regulations were the main points of discussion.
Taylor engineering representative Rajesh Srinivas assured the group that Great Lakes would adhere to permit standards concerning sand. No less than an 8.1, out of ten on the Munsell color scale, would be used.
“Everyone loves the sugar white sand here,” he said.
Representatives from the Department of Environmental Protection and Florida Fish and Wildlife Services were concerned about the project’s environmental implications for wildlife, including manatees, sea turtles, beach mice, Gulf sturgeon and shorebirds.
Lorna Patrick with FWS explained that 30 turtles had already been relocated in Panama City.
To accommodate the wildlife, Great Lakes must observe quiet periods in the East Pass for the Gulf sturgeon to migrate. In addition, they are to be cognizant of shorebird and turtle nesting seasons.
“It’s the guy on the bulldozer that has to know what he’s doing,” Robbin Trindell with FWS said. “Walton County and Destin did a good job planning and implementing.”
The project is slated for completion by May 19, 2006, in time for Memorial Day weekend.

[SoWalSally]

From Walton Sun

Environmental issues may slow the Walton County and Destin joint beach renourishment project.
Originally slated for completion by Memorial Day weekend, Grants and Project Manager for the City of Destin Lindey Chabot said contractors are now estimating public beaches completion by June 1 and the entire project by July.
“We’re going according to the contractor’s conservative estimates,” Chabot said.
Initially, contractors were going to be on the beach by January. According to Chabot, the timeline has been pushed back to February.
In addition, the Walton- Destin project will have to coordinate with an Army Corps of Engineer’s upcoming project. Due to sand blocking the pathway of larger vessels, Congress asked the Corps to clear East Pass. The Corps is executing its project around the same time as the renourishment project.
According to Florida Fish and Wildlife Service mandates, dredging for both projects have to work around the Gulf sturgeon’s migratory season.
“(The project) will be slower at first because of the sturgeon,” Chabot said. “After April, there are not as many environmental concerns.”
In addition to environmental issues, the Save Our Beaches organizations in Destin and Walton County continue to pose obstacles.
“They are still doing everything they can to stop the project,” Chabot said. “But there is nothing so far that has stopped the program.”
Brad Pickel, director of beach management for the Walton County Tourist Development Council, said the project can be disconnected if Walton County or Destin have separate litigation problems.
“Our project can be split off from a constructabilty standpoint,” he said.
A small number of individual property owners, many who are not full-time residents, continue to lobby against the project, explained Chabot.
“There are one or two that are really pressing it. They really don’t understand the issue,” she said.
Chabot said the group’s main contention with the project is violation of their property rights.
“It’s all beyond me because it doesn’t involve private property,” she said. “The construction is done on sovereign land.”
Pickel said the project should continue as intended.
“Our goal is to build a continuous project. All indicators show that (Destin) is going to work right there with us,” he said.

[SoWalSally]

From Walton Sun

Finding enough white sand to fix Walton County’s beaches is the major obstacle in future beach nourishment projects.
Nourishment of nearly five miles of beach in western Walton County is scheduled to begin on Jan. 23. Suitable sand was found off the East Pass to extend those beaches 75 - 125 feet.
The other 15 miles of beaches under the Tourist Development Council’s watch will need an estimated 10 million cubic yards of sand and cost $45 million, said Brad Pickel, director of beach management for Walton County.
Finding sand of the same size, color and composition that residents and tourists are used to will be an on going process.
“We are going to be looking for sand forever,” Pickel said before about 60 attendees at a TDC meeting at the Baytowne Conference Center on Jan. 9. Borrow sites offshore are being looked at to find sand.
Many in the audience had concerns about the upcoming beach nourishment project in the western end of the county. The project is scheduled to finish in June and July.
Residents who rent out their homes wanted to know when the project will be in their area so they could notify potential renters. A timetable for the restoration will be available by next week, Pickel said.
The $23 million project will dredge up 3 million cubic yards of sand off the East Pass and pump it back onto seven miles of beaches in Destin and Walton County.
Part of the delay is attributable to the gulf sturgeon. The sturgeon migrates through the East Pass and for every hour of dredging done there has to be three hours of quiet time to ensure dredging won’t interfere with the gulf sturgeon, Pickel said.
The quiet time restriction will last until June. After that two dredges will be able to operate around the clock.
Equipment is scheduled to be on the beaches next week, with sand being pumped onto the beach by Jan. 23, Pickel said.


>>>>

keep up with the schedule and other info at http://www.protectwaltoncountybeaches.com

[SoWalSally]

From Walton Sun - Walkovers

With tourist season right around the corner, Walton County continues to restore beaches to pre-Dennis conditions.
“It’s going very well,” Director for the Walton County Tourist Development Council Kriss Titus said.
Twenty-five of 29 flagpoles have been replaced on area beaches. According to Titus, two more will be replaced by the end of the week.
Twenty-one of the 56 boardwalks destroyed during Hurricane Dennis have been replaced. The TDC is moving into the second phase of dune walkover construction, which calls for the replacement of 18 additional boardwalks.
There are a couple of areas Titus anticipates reinstalling boardwalks in the future. However, the construction of seawalls and beach nourishment is delaying the process.
“We want to get all the boardwalks up but we can’t until construction is completed,” she said.
The TDC is also looking into experimental methods of restoring beach accesses. The Board of County Commissioners approved a motion that would allow the TDC to develop a request for proposal for the construction of a retractable dune walkover at the Greenwood Street access.
It would be the first time the county has used retractable walkovers. Space, weather and dismantling time are all factors that have to be taken into consideration, explained Titus.
“We’re really limited to how many retractable boardwalks we can have on the beach,” she said.
Titus said that the TDC continues to pursue improved methods of beach infrastructure restoration.
“(After recent hurricanes), we learned a valuable lesson,” she said.

[Miss Kitty]

How many seawalls are being constructed?

[kurt]

How many seawalls are being constructed?

170 temporary permits were issued by the county up until the dealine in October. Not nearly that many have been started. On a side note, I was just reading about how in a couple of places, homeowners built seawalls between properties right across public accesses. This is better than leaving a gap I suppose but may delay the rebuild of walkovers at those locations.

[Smiling JOe]

Using Kurt's figure of 170 permits, multiply that times an average lot size of 75' (Gulf-front)(this is probably conservative since it will include condos on larger parcels) and you get 12,750 linear feet, which equates to 2.414772727272727 miles of seawalls, at a minimum. The real number is probably closer to four miles. I bet the owners to whom Kurt refers regarding extending the seawalls beyond their own property line, pull only one permit.

[John R]

but aren't the seawalls only a 90 day temporary fix? or, am i getting my seawalls/retaining walls mixed up?


jr

[Smiling JOe]

but aren't the seawalls only a 90 day temporary fix? or, am i getting my seawalls/retaining walls mixed up?


jrThe seawalls/retaining walls are one in the same. The permits issued are temporary permits which will be overlooked, and the walls will remain after the permits expire.

[John R]

The seawalls/retaining walls are one in the same. The permits issued are temporary permits which will be overlooked, and the walls will remain after the permits expire.

was that the plan from the begining, or it it just business as usual in sowal? seems kind of ludicrous to me.

[Smiling JOe]

was that the plan from the begining, or it it just business as usual in sowal? seems kind of ludicrous to me.I guess it depends on who you ask. My understanding is that the temporary permits for the seawalls was to prevent homes from collapsing - an emergency type situation. For those issued the temp. permits, they would have to apply for a permanant permit from the DEP in order to keep them. To my knowledge, no one has been issued a perm. permit, and the temps expire at the end of May '06 (I think). I am not as knowledgeable as I would like to be regarding the seawalls and permits.

[John R]

thanks joe, that's what i thought.

jr

[kurt]

SJ is right - they were emergency and temporary permits for structures that were in danger of collapsing. It seems that was interpreted loosely to mean "properties that would be in danger from another storm". The owner was to apply to the state within 60 days of the original permit if a permanent wall was desired.

The county is working on a blanket take permit to allow all walls to be declared permanent. This may involve some type of mitigation of habitat loss. Although I don't know how you can create alternative habitat for dune-dwelling critters. I guess it doesn't have to be like-kind habitat.

Seawall, beach structures, and sand rules. (http://www.co.walton.fl.us/citizen_services/Hurricane%20Dennis%20Recovery%20Information%20for% 20beach%20property%20owners.pdf)

[Smiling JOe]

One of the requirements of the "emergency seawalls" should have been that the property owners should be required to weld the parcel ID onto every piece of the seawalls, so that they could bill the homeowners for the clean-up that is sure to come. It will look worse than the beaches of Normandy. You just thought there was a lot to clean up after Hurricane Ivan ripped apart and scattered the walkovers. You ain't seen nothin' yet.

[John R]

thanks for the link kurt, interesting read. i'm sure county code enforcement is right on top of compliance. :banging:

joe, great idea, you know some of that stuff will eventually end up in LA and Texas. be good if owners were to be responsible for their own 'stuff'.


jr

[SoWalSally]

Western Walton County beach restoration project timetable

The Western Walton County Beach Restoration Project is entering the construction phase of the project. After more than six years of studies and permitting, the project has been awarded to Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company. More specific information will be provided as the project continues and beach construction can be better estimated.
Week of Jan. 23

• Delivery of equipment to project site

• Installment of submerged pipeline leading to the beach
Week of Jan. 30

• Dredge Liberty Island arrives

• Construction is expected to begin at the Sandestin Resort approximately 1,000 feet west of Finz restaurant. The project will be moving eastward toward the Sandestin Hilton
Week of Feb. 6

• Construction is expected to continue eastward within the vicinity of the Sandestin Hilton and Tops’L Resort
Week of Feb. 13

• Construction is expected to continue eastward within the vicinity of Tops’L Resort and the western portion of Four Mile Village For continually updated information visit www.protectwaltoncountybeaches.com, the Web site will be updated weekly beginning Jan. 23.

[JB]

There is a awful lot of seawall and dune restoration work going on. My question is this: would all this work not have to be completed, or either halted, in time for turtle nesting season?

[kurt]

There is a awful lot of seawall and dune restoration work going on. My question is this: would all this work not have to be completed, or either halted, in time for turtle nesting season?

You would think so.

Here's a photo from today at Emerald Hill condos in Seagrove Beach.

http://sowal.com/bb/gallery/files/1/emerraldhill.jpg

[jdarg]

Yikes. Hard to disguise the color of that sand. :(

[Miss Kitty]

Is that the new garden???? SHAME!

[SHELLY]

You would think so.

Here's a photo from today at Emerald Hill condos in Seagrove Beach.


We used to jump through hoops in the "olden daze" marking turtle nests and keeping the lights turned off to give the little 'ins a chance at survival....from the looks of things, turtle season will no longer be an issue. :idontno:

[Miss Kitty]

We used to jump through hoops in the "olden daze" marking turtle nests and keeping the lights turned off to give the little 'ins a chance at survival....from the looks of things, turtle season will no longer be an issue. :idontno:

Looks like the turtles need you now more than ever, SHELLY.

HELLO...is this sand color/grade not an issue?

[aquaticbiology]

turtles are not that dumb - after one failed season of nesting in an area, they will move to a less messed with place - but you're bound to see the broken or 'laid as best she could' turte eggs this year and all the whoop-ti-doo that will go along with that - protect and serve as best you can, and as is possible with today's 'go ahead foul the nest 'cause it don't matter - we're all gonna get Raptured' mentality - just do what you can and let mother nature handle it, she's a big girl and she's been doing her job for millions of years - it just sad, that's all.

[Beachlover2]

You would think so.

Here's a photo from today at Emerald Hill condos in Seagrove Beach.

http://sowal.com/bb/gallery/files/1/emerraldhill.jpg

That looks like seawall sections stacked over to the right.

[kathydwells]

it just sad, that's all.

I agree. :(

[lost in sowal]

Did anyone see the Daily News today? It looks like there is going to be a discussion of seawalls at the February 14th Commission meeting to discuss seawalls, turtles and permits. I wonder if there will be any love for the turtles on Valentines Day. Also, I've heard rumors that the temporary permits are being extended if work is underway. Does that mean they will be going over this summer too? Anyone know? :shock:

[JB]

One would think there has to be a cutoff date for this seawall construction. Not only because of turtle issues, but as the tourist season begins, people paying thousands of dollars per week for gulf front accommodations are simply not going to put up with heavy equipment and noise just a few feet from where they are trying to enjoy their vacations.

I think most property owners are shooting for April 1 as a "soft deadline" for completing their work. If it goes much longer than that, there are going to be some pissed-off renters. Can't say I would blame them. Make that kind of investment in a vacation, only to have a backhoe and pile driver working ten feet from your children's sandcastle.

[SoWalSally]

The Western Walton County Beach Restoration Project is underway with the delivery of equipment to the project area. The first delivery of a D7 bulldozer occurred on Monday and additional equipment and pipeline for the project will continue through Jan. 29. As equipment arrives, it will be moved to the construction area and assembled as needed. The following outlines activities that should be occurring in the next three weeks.

Week of Jan. 30

• Completion of pipeline installation and other items necessary for construction to begin

• Dredge Liberty Island arrives and commences construction

• Construction is expected to begin at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort approximately 1,000 feet west of the Finz restaurant. The project will be moving eastward toward the Sandestin Hilton Beach, Golf Resort & Spa

Week of Feb. 6

• Construction is expected to continue eastward within the vicinity of the Sandestin Hilton Beach, Golf Resort & Spa and Tops’L Beach and Racquet Resort

Week of Feb. 13

• Construction is expected to continue eastward toward the western boundary of the Topsail Hill State Preserve

• Construction is expected to continue eastward within the vicinity of Tops’L Resort and the western portion of Four Mile Village

For continually updated information visit the project website www.protectwaltoncountybeaches.com.

[Lady D]

:idontno: Is this Phillips Inlet Access at the end of Walton Lakeshore Drive? I am not familiar with just Lakeshore Drive. We rent off of Walton Lakeshore Drive on Walton Magnolia Ln. and there isn't a public walkover there even though there is an access. Does Walton County rebuild the dunes that are destroyed in front of privately owned beach houses and townhouses like the one we rent? That walkover was half gone back last September. He says he cannot build it back until his dunes are restored.

[kurt]

:idontno: Is this Phillips Inlet Access at the end of Walton Lakeshore Drive? I am not familiar with just Lakeshore Drive. We rent off of Walton Lakeshore Drive on Walton Magnolia Ln. and there isn't a public walkover there even though there is an access. Does Walton County rebuild the dunes that are destroyed in front of privately owned beach houses and townhouses like the one we rent? That walkover was half gone back last September. He says he cannot build it back until his dunes are restored.

No, the renourishment is on the other end of the county. He might have meant the scraping where they pushed sand up against the dune line, but there will be no actual government dune restoration other than that.

[Lady D]

Thanks for the info. No matter what the area looks like as to dunes we still enjoy the stay! Hope the water is back to the pretty emerald green color we were accustomed to seeing!

[CastlesOfSand]

Yikes. Hard to disguise the color of that sand. :(

Is that sand? Looks like dirt. :bang:

[SoWalSally]

From Walton Sun

After years of hold ups and delays the Western Walton County beach nourishment project will finally get under way next week.
“We are all excited. We’ve been waiting to see sand pumped back onto the beaches,” Brad Pickel, director of beach management for the Walton County Tourist Development Council.
Sand will be dredged from a borrow site off the East Pass in Destin then barged over to the construction site. An underwater pipe will then pump the sand onto the beaches from the barge.
The pipe has been delivered and the dredge will be in place next week, Pickel said. Construction is set to begin at Sandestin Beach and Golf Resort and will be completed in10,000 sections. The project will extend 5,000 feet east and west. The entire pipe will then be pulled up and the operation will move 10,000 feet west and started again, Pickel said.
“The pipe’s maximum pump distance is about 5,000 feet (in either direction of the construction site),” Pickel said.
“It’s kind of like building a house and we’ve got the lot cleared now,” Pickel said.
The nourishment project will restore 7.1 miles of beaches from Topsail Hill State Preserve in Walton County to Henderson State Park in Destin. The cost is being split by Walton County and the city of Destin. Walton County will shell out $16 million for the project.

[SoWalSally]

Beach officials are “pumped” at the arrival of restoration equipment. High winds kept the tugboat carrying the pipeline needed for dredging and the dredge boat from arriving on time. However, both did arrive midweek and will be in place to finally begin pumping sand onto the beach on this week. “We’re excited to finally get started,” said Brad Pickel, director of beach management for the Walton County Tourist Development Council.

Next week

• The pipeline is expected to be put into place and construction to start at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort.
For continually updated information visit the project website www.protectwaltoncountybeaches.com.

[SoWalSally]

Rough seas hindered the laying of a 2,000-foot offshore pipe used to transfer sand from a barge to the beach this past week. “We’re in a holding pattern until the waves come down,” said Brad Pickel, director of beach management for the Walton County Tourist Development Council. Sand was scheduled to be pumped onto the beaches Thursday morning in the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort area. The start of the beach nourishment could begin this weekend if the weather improves. Calm gulf waters will help speed along the project, Pickel said. “Two fronts converged on the area this past week and it wrecked havoc with the sea,” Pickel said. Dunes were constructed this past week out of existing sand on the beaches, said Pickel. When construction begins it will move east toward the boundary of Topsail Hill State Preserve.

[kurt]

Got word this afternoon that dredging has begun.

[SGB]

I saw a short news clip last night that showed sand (looked white to me!) that had been pumped on the beach at Sandestin and was being moved around by bulldozers. There were stakes out in the water with flags on them that showed where the sand would end up. That's a LOT of sand! I can't wait to go see it in person.

[dsilvar]

I saw a short news clip last night that showed sand (looked white to me!) that had been pumped on the beach at Sandestin and was being moved around by bulldozers. There were stakes out in the water with flags on them that showed where the sand would end up. That's a LOT of sand! I can't wait to go see it in person.
Any pics of the progress?
From the project construction design maps, starting with dunes 8' above sea level with a 5:1 slope ther should be 125' of white sand beach at a 100:1 slope extending to the water line. From there several thousand feet of fill at a 15:1 slope into the gulf. Should be nice especially after nourishment is complete.

[Smiling JOe]

Any pics of the progress?
From the project construction design maps, starting with dunes 8' above sea level with a 5:1 slope ther should be 125' of white sand beach at a 100:1 slope extending to the water line. From there several thousand feet of fill at a 15:1 slope into the gulf. Should be nice especially after nourishment is complete.

Go here (http://www.wmbb.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WMBB%2FMGArticle%2FMBB_BasicArt icle&c=MGArticle&cid=1137834248233&path=%21news%21archives)and click on the video clip to see the Ch 13 news story from this morning. It shows Brad Pickel in action.

[Beachlover2]

Looks like white sand to me thank God

[SGB]

Go here (http://www.wmbb.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WMBB%2FMGArticle%2FMBB_BasicArt icle&c=MGArticle&cid=1137834248233&path=%21news%21archives)and click on the video clip to see the Ch 13 news story from this morning. It shows Brad Pickel in action.

Brad has had to deal with a lot of irate and upset people in the last year and handle some very difficult situations and I think he does a great job. He knows how to handle a crowd and is an expert in his field.

[Smiling JOe]

Brad has had to deal with a lot of irate and upset people in the last year and handle some very difficult situations and I think he does a great job. He knows how to handle a crowd and is an expert in his field.I have nothing negative to say about Brad. Sorry if it seems like I was going in that direction.

[SGB]

I have nothing negative to say about Brad. Sorry if it seems like I was going in that direction.

Didn't think you were, just wanted to give Brad some recognition.

[kurt]

Brad and TDC Director Kris Titus were kind enough to show me around the project today and it was impressive. The sand looks very good and it is hard to imagine how much they are bringing ashore until you see it. I will post some photos tomorrow but they won't convey the magnitude.

...edit...

Here is the link to photos:
http://www.sowal.com/photos-022206.html

[SoWalSally]

Walton Sun:

Yellow hard hats, neonorange construction vests, emerald-green waters and new sugar-white sand are part of the rainbow of colors in the beach nourishment project that began Sunday near the Sandestin Hilton.
The first load of sand was shot from a couple of two-foot wide steel pipes around 9 p.m. Each 4,300-cubic-yard load of sand takes about 45 minutes to pump onto the beaches by way of an underwater pipe, said Brand Pickel, director of beach management for the Walton County Tourist Development Council.
“It’s the equivalent of 210 large dump trucks full of sand,” he said. Crews work around the clock, day and night, delivering five loads of sand a day.
The slurry pumped onto the beach is two-thirds water and one-third sand, Pickel said. Sand is dredged from the East Pass in Destin and transported to the construction site by the 315-foot Liberty Island dredge ship.
“We’re excited to finally get the project underway,” said Pickel.
It has taken nearly seven years of planning, permitting, finding sand and legal wrestling, he said.
Large mustard yellow tractors sculpt and contour the beach before and after the sand is delivered.
Dozens of thin metal poles dot the construction area. On each pole are three different colored ribbons tied 6 inches apart. The neon green, pink and blue ribbons guide surveyors to hit the correct height of sand in a certain area. The bottom green ribbon is the “pay grade”, Pickel said. Sand has to hit that mark in order for Great Lakes Dredge and Dock and its subcontractors to get paid.
Work will continue if the seas cooperate.
“They can dredge in rougher waters than they can pump out,” Pickel said. “Once the waves reach about 5 feet they can’t put sand on the beach.”
A crowd of curious spectators gathered on decks, balconies, walkovers and the beach to watch the construction.
“It’s giving us something to do. We’ve been taking pictures,” said Elaine Person from Indiana. “When we got here there was no beach, now there is. It’s amazing how fast they do this.”
The nourishment project will raise the beach 7 to 8 feet and extend it 100 to 125 feet. A total of three million cubic yards of sand will be used to restore the beaches, Pickel said.
Person was surprised about how quiet the construction is. She had no problem sleeping during construction in front of her Sandestin room, she said.
The nourishment will also help bring in more tourist money to the county, said Stuart Slicis, a real estate agent with 21 Century Beach Realty.
“Quicker we get it down the more money we are going to get (from tourist dollars going into the bed tax) and we can then fix the rest of the beaches (in Walton County),” Slicis said. “It will be fantastic for the (real estate) market.”

[aquaticbiology]

as so, finally, south walton county joins the rest of the world in protecting its beaches - the turtles will be extatic

i hope the ones who blocked it so long don't get any

[kurt]

www.protectwaltoncountybeaches.com (http://recp.rm05.net/ctt?kn=3&m=188528&r=MTM0MDI3Mzg1MgS2&b=0&j=NTgyNDE0ODkS1&mt=1)



The Western Walton County/Destin Beach Restoration Project is moving smoothly as the first month of construction has come to an end.

At the first landing, the offshore submerged pipeline came onshore approximately 1,000 feet west of Finz Restaurant in the Sandestin Beach and Golf Resort. Work quickly began on the eastern segment of the first landing, which includes the beach area between Beachside II Condominium in Sandestin and Topsail Hill State Preserve. Approximately 4,800 feet of beach was restored by March 18 after the completion of this eastern segment. Attention was then turned to the western segment of the project between the Southwinds Condominiums in Sandestin and Sandtrap Road. The western segment of the first landing is scheduled for completion by the first week of April. At the completion of the two segments, approximately 9,000 feet or 24 percent of the total project area will be restored.

After completion of the first two segments, construction will move approximately 8,000 feet to the western border of the Crescent Condominium. The offshore submerged pipeline was installed the week of March 13th, allowing the project to continue much like the first landing point. Initially, the project will move eastward for roughly 4,000 feet tying into the existing project near Sandtrap Road. At the completion of the eastern segment, the beach will be constructed in a westward direction for approximately 4,500 - 4,700 feet in the vicinity of the Whale's Tail restaurant at Seascape. The eastern segment is scheduled for completion by the week of April 17th and the western segment should be completed by the week of May 15th.

[SHELLY]

as so, finally, south walton county joins the rest of the world in protecting its beaches - the turtles will be extatic


There was another confirmed turtle kill today at the beach restoration out west near Pensacola--restoration out there has stopped until further notice.

[yippie]

There was another confirmed turtle kill today at the beach restoration out west near Pensacola--restoration out there has stopped until further notice.

Yes, that was in Navarre. The restoration project in Western South Walton and Destin have trollers and divers surrounding the dredging boat when they are pulling sand to prevent another Turtle death on this project. Out company seems to be very cautious and professional.

I have been following the project in Navarre and very glad that we didn't hire that company. They seem to have an unique set of problems including drivers who are not familiar with equipment and turn it over on the beach several times.

[SHELLY]

Yes, that was in Navarre. The restoration project in Western South Walton and Destin have trollers and divers surrounding the dredging boat when they are pulling sand to prevent another Turtle death on this project. Out company seems to be very cautious and professional.


From what I understand, in Navarre they hired a "turtle trawler" at an added cost of $300,000 to make sure these things don't happen--maybe they'll just ask for a partial refund (what a pathetic situation). Mother Nature must certainly be pizzed off at this point.

[OnMackBayou]

Judging by the number of really happy people at the beach in front of Sandestin, the beach restoration is a home run.