Sand dredging restoring Brevard County beaches

INDIALANTIC BEACH, Fla. (FOX 35 WOFL) - Ever since Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Irma, the East coast has suffered from beach erosion. 

Since February, the Army Corps of engineers has been working to dredge the sand in an effort to restore the beaches. The News Station’s s looked into how the project is coming along now that the deadline has passed.

No doubt the sun, sand and surf continue to draw beachgoers to the East coast this time of year.

“A lot of families,” Jeremie Guglielmi said. “Spring Break is still on.”

But one thing that sticks out like a sore thumb on the Indiatlantic Beach is a 1000 foot stretch of weathered pipe.

“When we came in, it was a big shock,” Guglielmi said. “We were like woah, what is that?”

It’s part of the Brevard County Shore Protection Project. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is spending $17.5 million to renourish 13.4 miles of shoreline from Cape Canaveral to Melbourne Beach. 

“I noticed that the sand is coming back,” Jason Nance said. 

Nance and his family have been coming to Indiatlantic Beach to stay at their condo since 2012. He says after Hurricane Irma, there wasn’t much beach left to enjoy.

“Before the water looked like a lake,” he said. 

As the sea is dredged and more sand is pumped onto the shore, the beach is slowly growing again.

“It’s giving us more beach and more area for our kids to play in.”

The project is running behind schedule, but officials say that the work is almost done and will restore the shoreline just in time for hurricane season. All in an effort to help protect homes and wildlife from future erosion.