$5.2 Million Beach Re-nourishment Underway in Treasure Island

Sand & Water Being Pumped Onto Beach
Over the course of time, a natural erosion takes place on all beach areas. The thing that so impresses us along the beach communities of Tampa Bay is how stringent they are about their re-nourishment programs.

Survey teams have a strict routine in which they measure the beaches at various tide levels to see how the erosion process is proceeding. They have specific points along the dune level of the beaches... from there they measure to certain marked points.

Currently, Treasure Island is undergoing this replenishment of sand along Sunshine Beach at the north end and Sunset Beach on the southern end. Both areas have recently experienced a great deal of erosion and the communities have prioritized both for re-nourishment. The process takes place by dredging a mix of sand and water from the gulf floor... then piping it along the beach to the areas affected. It is an amazing process to watch and within a short time, we will see 200 feet of beach replaced at Sunset Beach!

The normal cycle is to see the process occur about every 5-7 years, depending on the natural course of erosion. Living in the area, we are continually please at how serious Florida is about preserving its beaches to the pristine level that they are. Even the tractor that shows up weekly to rake the beach and keep it clean is something to appreciate and not take for granted.