INDIAN ROCKS BEACH, Fla. — Pinellas County officials say recently completed beach nourishment work would help provide a buffer as Hurricane Isaias brought waves and some erosion to local beaches.
The Tampa Bay area was largely spared from Hurricane Isaias, but Pinellas County officials said they were prepared. In Indian Rocks Beach, some sand was washed away by waves early Saturday morning, though the storm did not put too much stress on the beaches.
The county completed a $125 million beach nourishment project in February. Officials say the work is meant to help protect beaches, properties and infrastructure when storms bring wave action to the coast.
“That’s what beach nourishment is for, is to have a buffer so that when we get that wave action from storms, it’s pulling off that sand instead of eroding back into our infrastructure,” said Ashley J. Giovannetti, communications projects coordinator for Pinellas County Communications.
Giovannetti said dunes serve as a last line of defense during storms. Plants on the dunes help catch sand and anchor the dunes in place.
“They are protected not only by county ordinance but state,” Giovannetti said. “So we asked people to stay off of them because they essentially protect our properties and our infrastructure.”
For Indian Rocks Beach resident Bart Osborne, the added sand has meant more beach to walk and search with his metal detector. Osborne said he has long visited the beach with his family and now continues going there after losing his wife to cancer.
“I come down here with my wife and my kids, and then with my wife and I. And then now it’s just me,” Osborne said. “I lost her to cancer. So now it’s just me here and just trying to carry on.”
Osborne said he noticed the added sand earlier this year.
“They nourished it and brought sand,” he said.
Although the latest nourishment project wrapped up earlier this year, the county is already reaching out to property owners along the beach for the next round. Before the county can nourish dunes along the beach, property owners must sign an easement giving the county permission.