Wave of sand projects to bolster county beaches | www.mypalmbeachpost.com

Tons of money being spent countywide to renourish beaches north and south in the coming years. Renourishment cannot go on during turtle nesting season, which makes up most of the warmer months of the year. Click title for link to the Palm Beach Post article. Here is summary of the pros and cons of beach renourishment:

Opponents of beach renourishment say hauling sand isn’t the only way to build up beaches. They contend that permanent and mobile groins, breakwaters and even strategically placed fishing piers can slow down the natural north-to-south movement of sand on the county’s coast.
Proponents counter that the money is well spent.
Beaches bring tourists, who drive the South Florida economy. Beaches provide habitat protection for sea turtles, birds and other wildlife. If beaches wash away, so do State Road A1A hurricane evacuation routes at the Juno Beach Pier, Sloan’s Curve in Palm Beach and on both sides of Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach.
Not to mention protecting the county’s billions of dollars worth of oceanfront property.
“If a road has a pothole, you would not dream of just leaving it there. It’s the same with our beaches. When we renourish our beaches, we maintain our infrastructure,” said Leanne Welch, the county’s environmental program supervisor for the dredging project.