'Living shoreline' under construction in Titusville to fight erosion, wind damage
TITUSVILLE, Fla. - Huge pyramids are being plopped in the Indian River Lagoon this week.
The strange sight is part of a $4 million shoreline restoration project to stop wind from beating up the beach in Titusville. The massive pyramids are moving from the land into the water near the Max Brewer Bridge.
The goal of the innovative approach is to reduce wind damage from battering the bridge and beach. More than 2,000 concrete blocks will create a fortress near Parrish Park in Titusville to save it from severe erosion.
"We’ve been losing both sides of the roadway for 15 to 20 years, so it’s imperative we protect the shoreline naturally," said Kevin Rosa, who serves on the North Brevard Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee and loves the park.
Rosa said he visits Parrish Park more than 200 days a year and has documented the first drop of the blocks this week.
"Seawalls the worst, giant rip rap is bad. We want grass and sand," said Rosa.
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The project engineers agree.
"They will absorb and deflect a lot of the wave energy," said Ryan Mitchell, who’s a project engineer for the living shoreline project.
Mitchell said the pyramids will decrease winds hitting the shore by about 80% to 90%. They will also create a new ecosystem under the water.
"These attract an incredible amount of sea life and birds. They really, really thrive on these things, the barnacles and oysters," he said. "Of course, the fish come along, and it’s really a whole ecosystem that develops in these things."
Wildlife will live inside and around the blocks lining nearly 2,000 feet of shore in the Indian River Lagoon near the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The living shoreline will also rebuild what has been lost. Mangroves, seagrass, and oyster beds are also on the way.
Rosa notes how "the vehicular traffic that’s worn it down, wore the grass down where it was bare dirt. Then, the rain came along and washed away both sides of the causeway."
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The $4.2 million project is a first of its kind approach in Brevard County.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has had to rebuild the roadway for years. Engineers hope this will be a long-term natural solution to storms.
"Everybody’s excited about being able to deploy them in the water and realize some of the benefits that come along with these wave protection devices," concluded Mitchell.
If you’re worried about large sea life like manatees and dolphins being able to get through, engineers are putting in breaks, so the animals can navigate the new structures. Work should wrap up in the summer.
The Source: Information for this article came from Kevin Rosa, a member of the North Brevard Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, and Ryan Mitchell, a project engineer for the living shoreline initiative. Additional details about the project comes from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).