Though Flagler County is being spared most of the effects of Hurricane Debby, the Atlantic Ocean is churning and creating a scarp – or small “cliff” in the sand – as a result. The sand is in a normal process of the beach profile equilibrating (adjusting) with the wave conditions.
“The beach construction operation is on hold due to high seas,” said Coastal Engineering Administrator Ansley Wren-Key. “The dredge will return later this week when wave heights decrease to less than 5 feet. We hope it will be Wednesday, but it all depends on Hurricane Debby and the wave and weather conditions.”
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) will be de-scarping these areas as soon as wave conditions and inclement weather subsides.
The sand will be returned to the beach during fair weather conditions.
“As the waves are larger and more erosive along the coast, the sand will be transported slightly offshore to break the waves further away from the coastline,” Wren-Key said. “It is a natural process of how the beach protects the dunes and infrastructure behind it.”
“The USACE will do post-storm surveys to see how much sand volume was removed from the template,” Wren-Key said. “We just need to remember that the sand is not lost, and it just moved slightly offshore (as seen in the below graphic).”
