by SC Reporter Emilie Alfino
Sanibel City Council approved contract change orders totaling $2,269,786 for the Sanibel Lighthouse Protection Project component of the Post-Hurricane Ian Emergency Berm/Beach Recovery Project. They also approved expanded hours of construction from 6 a.mm. to 6 p.m. seven days a week if necessary to expedite project completion.
The cost of sand is $8.23 per ton, and the cost to place the sand is $35.07 per ton.
This project was added to the Sanibel Island Post Hurricane Ian Emergency Berm/Beach Recovery Project to include the placement of approximately 75,000 tons of beach-compatible sand above and below mean high water along with approximately 2,853 feet of shoreline at Lighthouse Beach Park.
Work took place in April 2024, with approximately 22,420 tons of sand placed. Work ceased from May 1 to October 31, 2024 for sea turtle nesting season, with the expectation that work would resume on or around November 1, 2024 to place the remaining 52,580 tons of sand.
The pre-construction project survey conducted in mid-October 2024 documented significant changes in the existing beach profile due to the cumulative impacts of tropical systems during the summer of 2024 (Tropical Storm Debby, Hurricane Helene, and Hurricane Milton).
As a result of those changes plus pending approval from the United States Army Corps of Engineers to expand the fill template to include the area from the fishing pier to the bay side boundary of Lighthouse Beach Park, the estimated quantity of sand to complete the project has increased from 75,000 to approximately 105,000 tons, which amounts to 190 loads per day.
This increase in the estimated quantity of sand results in the need to the execute change orders listed above to the existing contracts with Vulcan Materials for sand purchase and Eastman Aggregates for sand placement.
A survey has been completed post-Multon of gullies. Approximately 23 major gullies were discovered concentrated on the East End with a fill volume of approximately 22,000 tons of sand.
At Clam Bayou, the recovery of about 8,400 cubic yards of overwashed sand from Clam Bayou is to restore the beach dune. This requires state and federal permits.
Additional beach recovery actions include the placement of overwashed sand. No state or local government permit or other authorization is required for a public or private property owner to return clean sand back onto the beach that has been deposited on the property owner’s property by a storm. “Clean sand” is defined as sand that does not have stains or odors and that is similar to the pre-hurricane beach sand in both coloration and grain size. It must be free of debris, rocks, clay, or other foreign matter. Clean sand can be collected and placed above the high tide line (or mean high water line) on the beach and dune system.
Sand may not be placed over any existing native vegetation or storm-generated debris on the beach. Sand shall be returned to the beach in a manner that emulates grade and slope of the beach prior to hurricanes Milton & Helene.
They can take at least a ton of sand from across the street from our house at 4472 Waters Edge Lane. The sand is on our street and the vacant lot. That would save some $$.
Visiting the island, it appears the sand is light and easily washed into the protected areas, condos, streets etc. The shell beach we enjoy seems more resistant to flowing with the water in a surge. In addition, the soft sands in the panhandle result in riptides as the sand washes out quickly. Will the soft sand impact the turtle nests? I would like to see an article by the engineering and environmental groups to see why they recommended bringing so much sand to the beach. Filling the scour’s improves safety, however, making resilient paths for water to flow onto and off the island with little damage protects the island and homes. The first pass by Milton seems to have created significant problems around the island.