At its May meeting, the Key Biscayne Village Council discussed a possible barrier reef to dissipate high-energy wave action toward the Key, a feasibility study application that could return for approval around September.
The project would entail placing 3-D printed structures offshore, said Resiliency and Sustainability Chief Dr. Roland Samimy.
“The intent of the study would be to understand how to design something effective enough that won’t cause more harm than good,” he said, referring to sediment transport and the need to keep natural seagrass in place.
The seagrass issue is one Miami Beach doesn’t face with its 7-mile Reefline art-coral hybrid project, which runs parallel to the beach 600 feet offshore.
A barrier reef – not part of any Army Corps of Engineers project – also would extend the time between beach re-nourishments on Key Biscayne, Village Manager Steve Williamson said. That cycle has run every three years, with the next scheduled in 2027, at a cost of roughly $2 million to $3 million each time. The Village covers 55% of that cost; the state pays 45%.
One added benefit, should the study application be accepted: the Department of Environmental Resources Management (DERM) “wants to be a part of it,” Dr. Samimy said.