Why the Groins Do Not Work as the Permanent Solution for Upham Beach/Long Key.
We do not understand the push to install granite rock T-Heads for the following reasons:
- Current Project has not met the 50% overall sand saving projection
- Financial feasibility and cost saving calculations contain errors
- Project has not proven nourishment cycle will be lengthened to 6 years
- Safety hazard of rock implementation has not fully been addressed
- Diminished recreational usage of public beach has not fully been addressed
- Public has not been advised the total cost of combined rock implementation equates to an estimate of $17 million
What is missing from the public mainstream to make an educated decision?
- Updated Inlet Management Plan – current one is dated 1992. Why are we making decisions off a plan that is almost 20 years old? The beach is an ever changing and dynamic organism. If the county is to make a multimillion dollar decision which will alter Mother Nature permanently, they should be using an up-to-date plan.
- Extension of the profile lines in the monitoring of performance. Why are they cut-off when the extension is completely feasible as they are already out taking measurements?
- Monitor Profile Lines cross over the structures to include their mass are in calculations of sand savings.
- Placement of 85,000 cubic yards of sand to mitigate for down drift effects is not taken into consideration, nor is the sand disbursement in May 2008, as well as realizing the 40 ft. closure of the jetty along with shoal build-up will also provide beach front protection…thus, are the groins truly assisting the sand savings, or are all the other dynamics coming into aid?
- In 1993 253 signatures got the groins a first look, in 2004 475 signatures got the project started, in 2008/9 over 1,000 signatures in opposition were turned into record but not result on getting the project pulled?
- Original project speculation on performance was to retain 170,000 cubic yards of sand and let 160,000 cubic yards drift. Current monitoring reports provide evidence the project is not meeting stated standards.
- Referencing an article by Sheila Estrada, county objectives are to double the length of time between renourishment projects.[1] And the experiment has not met these expectations – a less than 2 year monitoring period is referenced as only saving 38%.[2] In addition, the sand placements of 2004, 2006, 2008, and now 2010 (while not all the same amounts) do not seem to indicate a double lengthening process, but a double decrease in the process. Most curiously slide 34 of CPE presentation suggests the next nourishment/construction only 3 years commencing after the June 2010 placement.
- Upham has not been slated to receive as much sand as it has in the experimentation process (to include 2010 placement). According to Alyssa St. John’s report, from 1975 – 2000, Upham Beach has received 930,000 cubic yards. According to the recent amounts of sand, from 2004 to include the 2010 upcoming nourishment, the total equates to 856,000 cubic yards. If you add in roughly 80,000 cubic yards for the untold May 2008 movement, a 25 year period of sand placement history is equal to the last 6 years.
How you can help save your Break:
- Tell your friends, family, colleagues, etc. and send them the bullet points or flyer
- Send a letter to the Pinellas County Commissioners, the Governor, and your Senator on why you believe the T-Groins are not the solution (see Government info section for links – don’t forget to tell us you did)
- Fundraising and education events to get the word to the people
- Project research
- Be the government watch-dog for upcoming meetings or announcements relating to Upham and notify the chapter
- Attend government meetings and support your chapter representatives – or speak your mind!
- Writers – letters to the Editor of local/state/national papers. Remember, the Nation is paying for the project through county, state, and federal funds
- Photographers – we would like weekly documentation if possible
- Join the Upham Committee
Check out Upham in Creative Loafing here.
[1] Fixes designed to preserve sand on Upham Beach, By: Sheila Mullane Estrada, Times Correspondent
[2] http://www.stpetebeach.org/SPBNEW/Files/CityPage/Press_Releases/Upham%20Beach%20City%20Commission%20Presentation_10-27-09.pdf Slide 7
