Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/198837
Sarasota News Leader October 25, 2013 Page 38 dredge sites that were different from those in the 2005 study. "I guess I am looking for some more defense of that proposal," Patterson said. Federal engineers concluded that the dredging of the three sites would not adversely impact navigation in the channel and that, overall, there would be no significant impact to Siesta, Mora told her. Dredging in the pass would, however, result in a minor "two-tenths of a foot" wave increase towards the very northern end of Siesta bordering the channel. "It is very minimal impact," Mora added. Peter van Roekens urges the county and city commissioners to seek a peer review of the Lido renourishment project plans presented by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Photo by Norman Schimmel The federal agency might hear from some of the residents living along Beach Road on Siesta Key, Patterson responded. "That is an area that has suffered a lot of wave action," she added. "People living there wouldn't be Corps' modeling has been adequate in regard to the groins. Nationally known experts such thrilled to hear about a minimal increase." as Orrin H. Pilkey — James B. Duke profesANCHORING THE SAND sor emeritus at Duke University's Nicholas School of the Environment — have argued To keep the new sand on Lido Beach for up to structures such as groins end up producing five years until another maintenance renourmore negative impacts than positive ones. ishment would pump more sand, the Army Corps of Engineers is proposing to place three Mora said that during the Corps' planning, rock groins on the southern end of the key. engineers addressed two questions: How will the groins impact Big Pass, and how will they But Mora explained to the News Leader that impact Siesta? while the structures would anchor the sand that is pumped onto the beach, they would "What will be the effect on Siesta Key? None," not intercept the sediment flow that is a nat- Mora maintained, "because the groins are ural part of the system of coastal currents designed to anchor the renourishment, not to on the west coast of Florida. "The groins are stop the current [moving] to the ebb shoal." designed to work with the renourishment Mora told the News Leader the project proproject," Mora said. motes a cyclical movement of beach sand. Yet, referencing studies done in the past, Siesta Sand dredged from Big Pass and added to Lido residents also have questioned whether the will eventually drift back south into the pass.