December 14, 2023 – The tides and the onshore winds on Thursday mean that the Atlantic Ocean is rough, and its large waves are taking its toll on the recently built 11.4 miles of dunes in northern Flagler County. The good news is that the sacrificial dunes are serving their purpose and protecting improved property, namely homes and infrastructure.
“I was out there today and there are some areas where you can see some erosion, and I expect this will continue for the next two days around high tide,” said Coastal Engineering Administrator Ansley Wren-Key. “Think about what the flooding might be like had we not built this emergency berm as a sacrificial barrier to protect the improved property along the coastline. We are fortunate that we were able to complete the project just a few short weeks ago in its entirety so that everyone has the protection from these weather conditions that we are experiencing right now.”
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) refers to Category B projects like the one it funded after Hurricane Nicole. A similar project of the same size built in areas that were ineligible for FEMA funding were funded by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) that, combined, make up the 11.4 miles.
“The purpose is to build a continuous barrier to serve as a buffer to protect the homes, properties, and infrastructure from this type of event that we are experiencing,” Wren-Key said. “The time and money were well spent. We’ve had several events of this nature during the construction of these emergency berms since January 2023 and each time we’ve been protected.”
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