When Mother Nature strikes, schedules can — and will — change.
Work on the Duval County Shore Protection Project will stop Sunday and be resumed in May.
That’s due to the additional dune restoration work added to the project by the city after Hurricane Matthew caused extensive shoreline damage.
Another factor is prior contractual obligations on the part of the dredging company, said U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spokeswoman Susan Jackson.
The original $13.6 million project in Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach and a portion of Atlantic Beach began in September and was scheduled to be completed by Dec. 6.
But the city’s decision to add $6.5 million worth of dunes restoration to the project after Hurricane Matthew changed that plan, said Jackson.
Project Manager Jason Harrah said it was hoped work could continue through the winter, but the contractor’s dredge schedule was fully booked.
The dredge will return in May with the goal to complete the project before hurricane season begins June 1.
He said by reinstating the project in May, erosion along the southern end of the project can be repaired while at the same time pumping additional sand onshore to restore the dunes.
The Duval County project was initially constructed in 1978-80 and since then, five principal renourishments have occurred (1985-87, 1991, 1995, 2005, and 2011) in addition to periodic placement of sand dredged from navigation projects.
Beach renourishment is scheduled about every five to six years in Northeast Florida to maintain the beaches.
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