NAVARRE, Fla. (WKRG) – Crews have been working around the clock at Navarre Beach, moving the beach restoration project forward.
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Crews pumped in sand from about five miles offshore and spread it on the beach. Work was conducted in phases from the Gulf Islands National Seashore to approximately 900 feet east of the Navarre Beach fishing pier.
“You can hear the noise coming through the big pipe,” said Betty Busch, a beachgoer.
When Hurricane Sally made landfall in 2020, Navarre Beach lost about 250,000 cubic yards of sand. However, the Board of County Commissioners voted to restore Navarre Beach to its original 2006 profile.
“That means we would repair the dune, that means we would repair everything the way it was originally allowed in 2006,” said Michael Schmidt, director of public works and environment for Santa Rosa County. “And that meant putting an additional 250,000 to 300,000 cubic meters of sand on the beach.”
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Schmidt said the project extends the beach by about 150 feet.
“Sea turtles, shorebirds, you know, tourists, it’s good for everyone and for property protection,” Schmidt said.
The project is expected to be completed by the end of February, just in time for spring break.
“We're very lucky that they were able to do this recreationally because it's difficult and very inconvenient when you close the beach during tourist season,” Schmidt said.
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The roughly $11.5 million project will be funded largely through FEMA and state grants, with the county contributing about $3.8 million.
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