FORT PIERCE, Fla. — Fort Pierce conducted an emergency sand drop Tuesday afternoon as the city continues to battle severe beach erosion threatening coastal properties.
City Commissioner Michael Broderick explained how persistent high tides have significantly challenged ongoing beach renourishment efforts along the shoreline.
"It took two tide cycles to knock all this stuff down and basically took all that work that went into it for not," Broderick said. "We're fighting the clock, because we need six weeks of time."
Additional sand will be dropped Wednesday, and in the coming days, as part of continued efforts to protect homes and properties in the most vulnerable areas along Fort Pierce's shoreline.
"So the plan is, ultimately, keep our material loaded here with the excavator, hit this spot, cut in, right next to this house over here, up to the embankment, so we can dump sand there and have my three sensitive areas covered," Broderick said. "We're going to have to dump sand every day."
The emergency measures come as the city works to address ongoing erosion concerns that have put coastal infrastructure at risk.
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