The Town of Fort Myers Beach will be constructing a sand berm and filling scours caused by Hurricane Ian along the Northern shoreline of Estero Island. The project will start hauling sand onto the beach April 15th. Over 50,000 tons of sand will be trucked in from Stewart Mine to construct the protective sand berm from Crescent Park to Bowditch Point Park. It will have an added benefit of raising the elevation of the beach giving sea turtles more favorable habitat to nest in. “Last season’s sea turtle hatchling success rates were significantly higher than neighboring islands, which was attributed to the FEMA berm that was constructed,” stated Chadd Chustz, Environmental Project Manager.
Fort Myers Beach Town Council approved a $1.89 million dollar grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to fund the North Estero Berm project by the Town Council of Fort Myers Beach at their April 1st meeting. Sand and equipment for the North Estero Berm Project will be staged at 800 Estero Blvd and at Bowditch Point Park. The beach sand truck haul project is expected to be complete in May, and will be followed by the Beach Renourishment Project that will dredge approximately one million cubic yards of sand from the Gulf onto Fort Myers Beach. “It will be a whole new beach by November 2024,” stated Chustz.
On September 28, 2022, Hurricane Ian made landfall on Estero Island and devastated the Town of Fort Myers Beach physically, economically, and emotionally. A 15-foot storm surge, accompanied by nearly 157 miles per hour winds, flooded and demolished buildings, homes, and infrastructure. Commercial establishments were obliterated, residents were forced to evacuate, and both lives and homes were tragically lost. Town leaders continue to work to recover the Fort Myers Beach Community. For more information about the Town’s beach projects, go to www.fmbgov.com/beach.