September 17, 2019
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District has awarded a $15,577,450.00 contract to the Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company for the next scheduled maintenance dredging of U.S. Naval Station Kings Bay Entrance Channel and sand placement at Fernandina Beach.
The project includes maintenance dredging of the entrance channel and parts of the inner channel, returning the project to its authorized depths. It also includes escarpment removal at Fort Clinch State Park and beneficial placement of beach compatible sand on the northern portion of Fernandina Beach in Nassau County. Regionally managing sediment results in significant cost savings and environmental benefits.
The awarded beach placement area starts near Fort Clinch State Park’s coastal boundary near Kimberly Street and will go as far south as near Dolphin Avenue. The Corps estimates the contractor will place about 300,000 cubic yards at Fernandina Beach. The contractor will disperse about 900,000 cubic yards of non-beach compatible sand between the approved nearshore disposal area and an offshore disposal site.
Construction is expected to begin in December and will last for approximately three months. Dredging will end before March 31, which is the end of the environmental turtle window allowing hopper dredging.
Project updates will be available at www.saj.usace.army.mil and our social media pages – facebook.com/JacksonvilleDistrict and twitter.com/JaxStrong.
Our much underappreciated benefactor.
10-4…Over the years, since Kings Bay became a major Sub Base, the routine maintenance dredging of the St. Mary’s River entrance and channel has resulted in much needed renourishment to our beaches. The beach compatible sand placed on he North end of Amelia Island takes a slow predominate littoral drift South along our beautiful beaches and shore line.