Weeks Marine began pumping sand on the Gasparilla Island beach at around 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 4, at the Banyan Street location, informs the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District.
According to the Corps, they worked through the night and placed material up to near the 3rd St. beach access.
As of 2 p.m. Wednesday, they were about 150 feet beyond the 3rd St access. They are working 24-hr a day and expect to move an average of 600 feet per day, reported the Corps.
The $6.4 million Gasparilla Island beach contract will renourish approximately 1.4 miles of shoreline on the north reach and approximately 0.4 mile of shoreline on the south reach.
Under the plan, Weeks Marine will dredge and place approx. 320,000 cubic yards of sand on the eroded beach.
Beach material is being dredged from a borrow area located in the shoal to the north of Boca Grande Pass and piped onto the beach.