Crews re-building sand dunes in Flagler County

FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. (FOX 35 WOFL) - Crews in Flagler County are busy re-building their sand dunes.

Trucks outfitted with special tires to drive on the beach hauled in load after load of new sand to replace the dunes that were completely wiped out from Hurricane Matthew, then exacerbated by Irma, and the following noreaster also added to the problem.

That trio left the dunes badly battery. It got to the point where it was just a vertical wall of sand and when the waves hit the bottom, the dunes would collapse. It just kept going and Matthew took out 25 to 30 feet of dune.

Federal, state, local, and private money have now paid $25 million for the first 12-mile stretch of this dune renourishment project. 

629,000 tons of sand are being used to bolster these berms. 

The dunes have to be protected because the dunes protect the people and businesses along A1A. Without them, the dunes people will be flooded again.

The second phase of this project will include shoring up the dunes along the part of A1A that crumbled into the sea during Matthew. That will come some time after the Florida Department of Transportation completes their permanent fix to that stretch of road. 

With Hurricane Florence expected to kick up 9-foot seas along this beach, the dunes are being watched closely.