Dennis - official notices and info

[JB]

It depends on where you dredge and how deep. The State identifies pockets of white sand that are suitable, like underwater sandpits. Also, you can be dredging in a good spot, bringing up white sand, and a wave trough can cause your barge and therefore your intake tube to go to deep and you can get the brown stuff.

Any manmade item like rip rap placed within reach of a storm (which is a very long reach we are finding) will eventually be uncovered. Imagine 26 miles of rocks, concrete, aluminum, etc. uncovered at once and you get an ugly picture.

When I speak of rip-rap, I am thinking of the gray boulders, no less than 12 inches in diameter - uniform, clean and easy to transport. The kind you see used on jetties. Use them to shore up the dune line in critical areas, completely cover them with white sand and then plant sea oats. Even if another storm hits, the rip rap ain't going anywhere. It would make future restoration projects more manageble and conserve replacement sand.

I am admittely far from an environmental engineer, but it just makes good sense to me.

 

[Kurt]

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection, through consultation with other state and federal agencies, has granted Walton County permission to perform beach scraping along all 26 miles of Walton County beaches.

This permit only grants Walton County permission and NOT individual home
and property owners. Walton County is mobilizing crews to begin beach
scraping by Monday morning, July 18.

This action is a tribute to the ongoing support and assistance of our
state and federal partners, primarily the Bureau of Beaches and Coastal
Systems of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

In other Hurricane Dennis events, the Federal Emergency Management
Agency will open a Disaster Recovery Center in south Walton County on
Monday, July 18. This center will be located at the Coastal Branch
Library in the South Walton Government and Education complex.

Walton County has been declared a federal disaster area because of
Hurricane Dennis. Citizens are eligible to apply for individual
assistance from FEMA. This may be done in person at the Disaster
Recover Center, or by phone at (800) 621-3362.

 

[nolda]

When I speak of rip-rap, I am thinking of the gray boulders, no less than 12 inches in diameter - uniform, clean and easy to transport. The kind you see used on jetties. Use them to shore up the dune line in critical areas, completely cover them with white sand and then plant sea oats. Even if another storm hits, the rip rap ain't going anywhere. It would make future restoration projects more manageble and conserve replacement sand.

I am admittely far from an environmental engineer, but it just makes good sense to me.

I couldn't agree with you more JB. :idea: That makes the most sense and not sure why anyone hasn't done it before. As a person from a family in the boulder industry, I do know that the cost to ship all the rock in is expensive but I can't imagine that it would be more than the cost of the damage to the beaches and homes from every hurricane that comes in.

 

[Beach Runner]

When I speak of rip-rap, I am thinking of the gray boulders, no less than 12 inches in diameter - uniform, clean and easy to transport. The kind you see used on jetties. Use them to shore up the dune line in critical areas, completely cover them with white sand and then plant sea oats. Even if another storm hits, the rip rap ain't going anywhere. It would make future restoration projects more manageble and conserve replacement sand.

I am admittely far from an environmental engineer, but it just makes good sense to me.

That must be what I was speaking of in the erosion thread regarding Fripp Island, SC. The last time I was there, the boulders were not covered with sand. Not a pretty sight, but if I had beachfront property, pretty wouldn't be foremost on my mind. Like I said, no matter what the powers that be decide (and I guess they decided on beach scraping), there will be some who will strongly disagree.

 

[JB]

That must be what I was speaking of in the erosion thread regarding Fripp Island, SC. The last time I was there, the boulders were not covered with sand. Not a pretty sight, but if I had beachfront property, pretty wouldn't be foremost on my mind. Like I said, no matter what the powers that be decide (and I guess they decided on beach scraping), there will be some who will strongly disagree.

I wouldn't be opposed to scraping, provided there was something to scrape. If folks think the exposed peat was bad after the Ivan scraping, just wait until this one. The beaches will look absolutely horrific.

Color me shocked that the TDC has elected to go this route. IMO, they will live to regret it.

 

[Beach Runner]

I wouldn't be opposed to scraping, provided there was something to scrape. If folks think the exposed peat was bad after the Ivan scraping, just wait until this one. The beaches will look absolutely horrific.

Color me shocked that the TDC has elected to go this route. IMO, they will live to regret it.

Who *is* in favor of beach scraping? It seems that the conventional wisdom is that not only did it not help the beaches in dealing with Dennis, but it might have actually hurt them. If the decision has been made not to let Mother Nature take her course, then should something more substantial be done? I'm just asking questions because I'm concerned - I have no expertise in this area and thus am not trying to make any suggestions.

 

[wetwilly]

I would expect that the scraping just approved is for the immediate situation to just get something in place for the remainder of the summer and early fall season. It would seem to be the "quickest, easiest and cheapest" way to do something (my guess).

Like others that have posted, I hope they don't make any bad short term decisions that compromise their ability to preserve as well as restore. I just hope that they know what they are doing and look at the risks/rewards of their short term decisions along with their long term decisions.

What is the "advertised", described, or desired results of scraping? In other words, what do they expect to accomplish by scraping?

 

[Miss Kitty]

I would expect that the scraping just approved is for the immediate situation to just get something in place for the remainder of the summer and early fall season. It would seem to be the "quickest, easiest and cheapest" way to do something (my guess).

Like others that have posted, I hope they don't make any bad short term decisions that compromise their ability to preserve as well as restore. I just hope that they know what they are doing and look at the risks/rewards of their short term decisions along with their long term decisions.

What is the "advertised", described, or desired results of scraping? In other words, what do they expect to accomplish by scraping?

Great question! I am having a hard time visualizing this process. Are there any photos out there?

 

[Kurt]

Great question! I am having a hard time visualizing this process. Are there any photos out there?

A search of the gallery for "scraping" turns up 10 photos.

 

[OhioBeachBum]

A search of the gallery for "scraping" turns up 10 photos.

So, looks like heavy equip comes in at low tide, skims off wave action beach deposits, and move that up more or less to dune line?