Monday, January 27, 2014

News Release: Corps hosts Flagler County draft shoreline study public meeting (UNCLASSIFIED)

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Corps hosts Flagler County draft shoreline study public meeting

Jacksonville, Fla. - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District invites the public to attend a meeting and comment on the Flagler County, Fla., Hurricane and Storm Damage Reduction Project Draft Integrated Feasibility Study and Environmental Assessment.  An open comment period started January 17th and will end February 17th. The February 5th public meeting starts at the Flagler County Emergency Operations Training Room, 1769 E. Moody Buildinlg (Bldg. #3), Bunnell, Florida.

The study team, consisting of federal, state and local agency officials, assessed the feasibility of providing federal hurricane and storm damage reduction measures to portions of Flagler County's shoreline. Shoreline erosion currently threatens oceanfront infrastructure, including National Scenic Highway SR A1A and both public and private structures. As the only north-south hurricane evacuation route for communities along the coastline, SR A1A is an integral part of the county's infrastructure and is essential for public safety during evacuation events.

Opportunities to reduce the risk of coastal damages and improve conditions were examined and approximately 9.7 miles of coastline were investigated during the feasibility study process.
The Corps' tentatively selected plan (TSP) will provide additional armoring and protection of SR A1A.  The TSP consists of a 10-foot seaward extension of the existing dune along 2.6 miles between Florida Department of Environmental Protection monuments R80 and R94 (7th to 28th streets) in central Flagler Beach. Construction of the dune extension will extend the existing berm and the entire active profile seaward.

"After construction, we anticipate renourishement events would occur every 11 years to fix eroded areas," said Corps Project Manager Jason Harrah.  "We look forward to a continued partnership with the county to provide a project that benefits and protects the citizens of Flagler Beach."

To build the berm, the Corps anticipates dredging sand from an offshore borrow site and pumping it onto the adjacent beach.  "We anticipate that initial construction will cover some vegetation, but new vegetation, similar to the existing foliage, will be planted following construction completion," Harrah said.

"This is our tentatively selected plan, but we also want to hear from the public, and other federal, state and local agencies," he said.

The study team evaluated numerous alternatives, including no action; non-structural measures such as flood proofing, relocation, land acquisition, etc.; shore protection with hard structures such as seawalls, revetments, groins, etc.; shore protection with soft structures like beach nourishment, geotubes, etc.; combinations; and others.

For more detailed information on the draft study and environmental assessment, please visit the Flagler Beach or Flagler County Main libraries or go online to http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Missions/CivilWorks/ShoreProtection/FlaglerCounty.aspx. Flagler County's main branch library is located at 2500 Palm Coast Parkway, N.W., Palm Coast, and the Flagler Beach library is located at 315 South 7th Street.

The public can also send comments by email to Flagler.HSDRComments@usace.army.mil or via mail to: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, Attn: Kathleen McConnell (CESAJ-PD-EC), 701 San Marco Boulevard, Jacksonville, FL 32207.

Susan J Jackson
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Jacksonville District
Corporate Communications Office
701 San Marco Blvd
Jacksonville, FL 32207