New Pass Dredging Set to Begin August 18th

First it was trucks hauling sand.  Now a dredge. The long awaited New Pass dredging project is set to begin, and Lido Shorians will be anxiously keeping an eye on how it affects our beach. Norfolk Dredging Company of Chesapeake, VA is mobilizing its equipment on the South end of Longboat Key to begin the New Pass Dredging and Beach Nourishment Project.

The Pullen, a 150 foot-long cutterhead-pipeline hydraulic dredge (pictured below), is expected to arrive in the area on August 15^th and begin dredging on August 18^th, weather permitting.

150-foot hydraulic dredge to soon pump sand from New Pass to Longboat Key

The sand dredged from the New Pass channel borrow area will be delivered via a submerged pipeline to the southern boundary of L’Ambiance Condominium and begin building the beach northward to Regent Place. Approximately 200,000 cubic yards of sand will be placed. We'll keep our fingers crossed that some of that sand will eventually be swept by southerly currents to passively help renourish our side of the Pass.

Turtle nests have been relocated well in advance of this project so that nests are not buried under the new sand. The New Pass portion of the project is expected to be completed on or about September 15^th.

Once the South end dredging and sand placement is complete, the dredging operations with the Pullen will move to the North end of Longboat Key, using sand from Longboat Pass to fill two critically eroded areas on the North end of the Key.

All required State and Federal agency permits are in place for sand placement in these areas. The Town of Longboat has also secured permits from Federal and State regulatory agencies to perform work at night.

Dredging operations will be occurring 24/7.

~ Bob Thill