Project Description
In 2000, Martin County retained Taylor Engineering as its consulting coastal engineer for assistance with a scheduled nourishment of the federal Martin County Shore Protection Project (SPP) on Hutchinson Island. In addition to seeing that project to its successful conclusion in 2002, the company has worked with the County to resolve a variety of engineering issues. The description that follows focuses solely on projects related to beach nourishment and shore protection. These projects cover the full range of coastal engineering services.
For the 2000 federal beach nourishment project, Taylor Engineering assumed the lead in all major facets of project development. Project tasks included design and permitting for the 3.75-mile shoreline and the 0.5-mile locally preferred project extension. As liaison between all regulatory agencies and the County, Taylor Engineering worked with state and federal officials to assess coastal processes within the project area and the immediate vicinity; modify the federal beach design; define the sand source; reach local, state, and federal governmental consensus on responsibilities, funding, and cost-sharing levels; and minimize environmental effects, including possible damage to sensitive hardbottom. The project placed 300,000 cubic yards of sand dredged from the offshore Gilbert Shoal. Following project construction, Taylor Engineering completed the required annual physical and biological monitoring reports on behalf of the County.
In response to severe beach erosion incurred during the 2004 hurricane season, Taylor Engineering assisted the County with restoration of its beaches. Company staff worked with regulatory staff to fast track nourishment of the SPP before the start of the 2005 turtle-nesting season. Project elements included borrow area design, project design, construction observation, contract administration, and permit compliance, including turbidity and post-project monitoring. The nourish project placed over 880,000 cubic yards of sand dredged from Gilbert Shoal. Additionally, Taylor Engineering assisted the County with design, permitting, and construction administration of a FEMA-approved emergency fill project that restored the beach via truck haul of beach quality material from an upland source.
In 2009, Taylor Engineering submitted joint coastal permit (JCP) applications for three nourishment projects including another anticipated nourishment of the federal project, a small-scale nourishment project at Bathtub Beach, and for beach fill on Jupiter Island south of the St. Lucie Inlet in conjunction with the offloading of a Florida Inland Navigation District dredge material management area. Following submittal of the applications, Taylor Engineering coordinated with state and federal regulatory and commenting agencies as necessary and ultimately obtained each JCP. The federal nourishment project, completed in April 2013, placed 613,000 cubic yards from an offshore borrow area located in federal waters. This project represents the first major implementation of the experimental “turtle-friendly” beach design, which consists of alternating cells of the traditional construction template and a modified template with shallower slopes. An extensive post-construction monitoring effort has been designed to help determine the overall effectiveness of the “turtle-friendly” design on sea turtle nesting success.
Ancillary projects to these major nourishment efforts include permit assistance, project monitoring, contract administration, and beach design services such as preparation of plans and specifications for dune restoration and vegetation. Taylor Engineering continues to conduct physical and biological monitoring of the beach fill performance in anticipation of future nourishment cycles.
