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Duval County Shore Protection Project12 October 2016 Tom Fallin, P.E. City of Jacksonville Chief, Engineering & Construction Management Division 214 N. Hogan Street Jacksonville, FL 32202 Re: Duval County Shore Protection Project Emergency Post -Storm Funds Required for Beach & Dune Restoration olsen associates, inc. Coastal Engineering Dear Tom: The following summarizes the practicalrequirements uirements for timely dune restoration along q the Jacksonville pursuant Beaches,ursuant to Hurricane Matthew. As you know, since the storm, we with the Corps of Engineers to identify the magnitude of beach have been working closely g erosion and meansrepairit, preferably to through the ongoing beach renourishment project ct that was interrupted by the storm. The values presented below are based upon the post -storm beach survey data collected to -date. nourishment projectperformed extremely well — protecting the The dunes and the beach overwash and substantial damage. In the process, at least half the uplands from storm flooding, dunes'sand nd volume and sea -oats were eroded. So, our beach protection is now greatly compromised. Prompt restoration of the dunes is important to prevent damage from the next g we are at the be inning of nor' easter season, when most of our storms —especially because beach erosion usually occurs. The dredging contractoris presently that resentl constructing the beach renourishment project, Engineers,is expected to re -commence sand placement this week, under contract to the Corps of p Jacksonville Beach through Atlantic Beach. The southern mile of working northward from south g 16th Avenue South to the St. Johns County line) was mostly completed prior to the project (from the and it fared prettywell. Unless interrupted, the contractor will complete the hurricane, remaining 5.1 miles of beach fill within about 50 days. The dune is not part of the federallyauthorized beach project. As such, the Corps cannot ini •aspart of the ongoing construction unless it receives specific cost -share the dune's repair g g authorization from Washington ashin on DC. Such authorization, if given, would be too late to join the project. The Corps can, however, include the dune repair in dune repair to the current dredging p � p the ongoing construction if (1) qthe work is requested by the City, and (2) the City provides the funds for the work, in advance. olsen associates, inc. I 2618 Herschel Street I Jacksonville, FL 32204 1904.387.6114 I FAX 904.384.7368 www.olsen-associates.com Page 2 of 3 October 12, 2016 'dunes to theirpre-storm level of protection, more or less, The estimated cost to repair the renourishment contract is $6,200,000. That amount includes through the ongoing beach it contract, rather planting might be done directly by C y$800,000 allowance for pia g sea oats non- federalincludes an estimated requirement of $900,000 additional than through the Corps); and, it of the dunes by cost share to restore the sand that was eroded from the beach in front Hurricane Matthew. this eligible for State cost -share, typically at about 50% co- fundingAll of expenditure would be elig � beach 46.9% cost-shareper the City's current grant Agreement for be (or, at least State cost sha Y expenditure of $6.2M could be potentially reimbursed by about management). Thus, the City's must be g the State's approval and allocation. Pragmatically, this m • $2.9M from the State, subject to pp in a timely •because the State cannot otherwise provide its funds, up -front, a reimbursement enough fashion to include the dune work in the ongoing construction. is expenditure, in whole or part, might be reimbursed (or, It also possible that the City's • • to repair the • the Corps of Engineers — if the additional work p credited against future work) byg Washington/ • eligiblefor federal funding. This will be determined at theg storm erosion is deemed that,federal • decision will not be known for several months. Beyond Congressional level, but a because the beach is • for the dune repairs is not anticipated (principallY funding from FEMA p fundingwould be too late to bytheCorps); otherwise maintained and, in any event, FEMA include the dune repairs in the ongoing construction. • 'Corps cannot direct the contractor to rebuild the dunes or Timeliness is critical. The to do so; _condition unless it has the non-federal funds in hand repair the beach to its pre storm work p 0.8M for dune vegetation). The contractor needs to restart i.e., $5.4M (which excludes $ shoreline per sandplacement that progresses along 500+ feet of immediately —proceeding with dunes along • go "backward" and place additional sand or rebuild day. The contractor cannot • alreadyconstructed. (It is not practical to do so.) The contractor cannot beach areas that are delay the work because the equipment is due at numerous other sites immediately afterDuval. asThe alternative means to rebuild the dunes (such bytruck-haul -haul fill from upland sand. • sources)will cost at least twice as much than the values sources,or placement from other dredge ' of sand will bepoorer, and the disruption to the community estimated above —and the quality ll be substantial — relative to incorporating the dune repairs airs to will be greater, and the delays will the Corps' ongoing beach renourishment contract. not been instructed to begin dune repairs, another For every day that the contractor has to with no dune reparations. Accordingly, if the dunes are 500+ feet of shoreline shall be passedp • economicallyrepaired now — with the dredge that is currently working here be expeditiously and p .— Citywork now,of which $5.4M will be provided to the —then the must allocate $6.2M for the As noted above, State and/or federal cost -share Corps and $0.8M applied to dune vegetation. may reimburse a substantial amount of these funds in the near-term. But State or federal funds cannot initiate the work now, and now is when it must be done. 2 olsen associates, inc. Page 3 of 3 October 12, 2016 • Currydiscuss the City's immediate needs and plans for the recommend that Mayor Y • Governor's office. Through this, the City may better the dune restoration directly with the via ' i ated commitment to cost -share in the work (presurnably appreciate the State's anticipated of the necessityfor timely Meantime, the Corps of Engineers is fully aware reimbursement). Mean � funding and commencement act immediately the dune repair, and is prepared to upon the City's direction. • observations do not include dune or beach repairs Finally, note that these values and 18th '(Le., north of about 18Street Atlantic Beach, or along be and the present renourishment area Y etcetera). It is my opinion that beach reparations along these Hanna Park or Huguenot Park, ) efficiently, practically, addressed through other mechanisms outside other areas will be most effic y� or included above, ch renourishment contract. The costs for that work are not the Corps'current beach q but the timing requirements are less urgent than those outlined above. Please do not hesitate to contact me at [or cell phone (904) 307-9522] if you have recommendations. Thank you. Sincerely, Kevin R. Bodge, Ph.D., P.E. Senior Vice President, Principal Engineer II kbodge@olsen-associates.com or (904) 387-6114 any questions regarding these observations and Cc: Jason Harrah, US Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District • 3 olsen associates, inc.