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Army Corps Surveys Florida Beaches After Storm Erosion

Federal surveyors assess four beach-nourishment sites along Florida's coast following a nor'easter and high king tides.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Current Conditions

A freshly eroded sand dune with exposed roots and a bare wooden survey stake, with the Atlantic beyond under overcast daylight.
Federal surveyors are assessing four Florida beach-nourishment sites after a nor'easter and high king tides stripped sand from protective dunes along the Treasure Coast. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sent surveyors to four federal beach-nourishment project sites after a nor'easter and king tides battered Florida's coast. The agency is reviewing before-and-after photographs to determine whether further technical evaluation is warranted.

Why it matters

Florida's Treasure Coast has spent heavily on repeated sand placement to protect shorelines and dunes, so storm-driven losses put recent investments at risk. Officials are now measuring how much sand has been stripped from the beach to decide what comes next.

Field teams are comparing before-and-after photographs of the beach and dune to gauge storm damage, and St. Lucie County has yet to finish its post-storm survey to quantify losses. Sand pulled offshore is expected to return to the beach over coming days and weeks, but the net outcome remains unmeasured.

The players

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

The federal agency that builds and maintains coastal protection projects, including the beach-nourishment work along Florida's Treasure Coast.

The details

Surveyors from the Corps' Jacksonville District visited four shore-protection sites after the nor'easter and high king tides, and the king tides took a bite out of dunes at Tracking Station Beach Park. Indian River County expects erosion to push dunes back 4-6 feet at Wabasso Beach, while St. Lucie County is preparing its own post-storm surveys.

Timeline

  1. In March, the county completed dune restoration at Tracking Station Beach Park, adding 115,900 cubic yards of sand.

  2. In May, the Army Corps placed about 400,000 cubic yards of sand south of the Fort Pierce Inlet.

  3. On October 31, the county dumped eight truckloads of sand at Indian River Side Park.

  4. In January, the county plans to move 650,000 cubic yards of sand from a sand impoundment to area beaches.

Seasonal Patterns

The Treasure Coast's renourishment effort has cost about $190 million since 1971, reflecting a long pattern of repeated sand placement to offset erosion. This latest storm damage follows the same cycle, with recent federal and county projects now being tested by high king tides and a nor'easter.

Beachgoers on the Treasure Coast should expect narrower beaches and reduced dune protection at sites like Wabasso Beach while erosion is assessed. Residents near eroded shorelines should watch for county survey results and sand-replenishment schedules before planning beach access.

The takeaway

Storm-driven sand loss on Florida's Treasure Coast is a recurring cost, and repeated renourishment is the region's main defense against it. Watching county and Army Corps survey results will show how much of the recent investment has held.

What happens next

In January, St. Lucie County plans to move 650,000 cubic yards of sand from a sand impoundment to area beaches.

Further reading

For more on how storms are affecting coastlines right now, see Current Conditions in Florida.

Source note: This article includes information reported by Tcpalm.

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