NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — King tides are pushing water farther up New Smyrna Beach, washing away sand and leaving seawalls exposed to the waves.
Channel 9’s Chloe Morrissey found exposed sections of seawall Tuesday where sand had provided a buffer between the ocean and beachfront properties.
The erosion comes months after Volusia County completed its South Berm Construction Project in May, reinforcing more than four miles of shoreline.
Sand intended to absorb wave impacts
The approximately $25 million project placed about 550,000 cubic yards of sand along the beach.
County officials say that sand is designed to act as a buffer, absorbing wave impacts before they reach seawalls and beachfront properties.
Although sand has washed away from sections of the shoreline, county officials say displaced sand is expected to naturally work its way back onto the beach over time.
The county told Channel 9 it will not have a full picture of the latest impacts until conditions improve.
Shoreline faced erosion earlier this fall
This is not the first time high tides have reshaped the beach since the project’s completion.
Channel 9 reported in September that king tides carved four- to five-foot sand cliffs along parts of New Smyrna Beach, including near 27th Avenue Beach Park.
At that time, county officials said the added sand had performed its intended protective function by absorbing wave energy. That assessment concerned September’s conditions; the extent of the current erosion remains under review.
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