Jupiter/Carlin Beach Restoration: Habitat Restoration for Sea Turtles and Beachgoers Alike

About the Program

Category: County Resiliency (Best in Category)

Year: 2016

The Jupiter/Carlin Shore Protection Project is located immediately south of Jupiter Inlet along the South Florida coastline (Figure 1). Two County beach parks constitute 75% of the 1.1 mile project length. Resort and residential properties account for the remaining beachfront. The project beach was initially constructed in 1995 and renourished in 2002 using sand dredged from offshore. A third beach restoration was planned for Winter 2014. However, construction bids exceeded the engineers’ estimate and allocated funding. Palm Beach County (PBC) adapted quickly, and within three months, had revised the project design to include a reduced sand volume, acquired a permit modification, and utilized an existing annual contract to truck haul the sand from an upland mine. The County project was supplemented by a US Army Corps of Engineers (COE) Flood Control and Coastal Emergency project and a Jupiter Inlet District (JID) Inlet Maintenance Dredging within the same fill template. Together these projects represent a comprehensive effort that required extensive coordination and collaboration. Collaborative effort by PBC, COE, and JID included 3 separate contractors, 3 distinct sand sources, and 3 different placement methodologies to complete the project. From November 2014 to April 2015, 282,000 cubic yards of sand (over 14,700 truckloads) was truck-hauled from an upland sand mine, 140,000 cubic yards of sand was dredged from an offshore borrow area with a hopper dredge and 45,000 cubic yards of sand was dredged from the inlet sand trap with a suction cutter head dredge. In total 467,000 cubic yards of sand widened the beach an average of 52 feet. The restored beach and dune system provides nesting habitat for endangered sea turtles, storm protection, and recreational space. Adaptive management, interagency coordination, and innovation made the project a success.