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36WestPalmBeachFishingClubPiers......continuedfrompage1eachfallwhenseasonalstormsmoveandredistributesandalongourcoast-lineleavingsomesectionsofbeacheroded.Thisofcoursesendsoceanfrontresidentsandtourismofcialsintoapanic.Commentsfromshermensurf-ersandcountytaxpayersingeneralareoftenpittedagainstthesometimesverydifferingviewsofcoastalpropertyowners.Yetweallwantthesamethinghealthybeaches.Withfederaldollarsforbeachnourishmentprojectsdryingupthecountycoastalmunici-palitiesandinlettaxingdistrictsareallscramblingformoneyandsolutions.Additionallysourcesofsandwiththepropergrainsizeandminimalsiltandclaycontentarebecominghardertond.InfactBrowardandMiami-DadeCountieshaveexhaustedmostoftheirsupplyofsuitablesandofftheircoasts.TheyhavebeguntappingintothesupplyofoffshoresandoffPalmBeachCountyandtheBahamasatsigni-cantexpense.EventhoughPalmBeachCountyhasanestimated50yearsupplyofsuitablesandoffitscoastitiscleartomethatthefrequencyandsheervolumeofmaterialrequiredfortheseprojectsisunsustainablebotheconomicallyandenvironmentally.Itistimetoembracemorecosteffectiveandlastingap-proachestothisdynamicproblemratherthankeepthrow-ingmoneyatthesameoldmethodology.Thebuildupanderosionofourbeachesisarecurringnaturaleventthathasbeenexacerbatedbyhumandevelopment.Aslongaswemaintainnavigableinletswewillalwayshavebeacherosionissues.Dredgedinletsinterferewiththenaturalmovementofsandprimarilyfromnorthtosouthalongourcoast.Thisnaturalprocessiscalledlittoraldriftanditcanbeimpededbystructuresinthewater.Thatswhysurfersndsomeofthebestwavebreaksnearsandbarscreatedbyjettiesandpiers.ItalsoexplainswhythebeachonthenorthsideofeveryPalmBeachCountyinletextendsfurthereastthanthemoreerodedsouthsideseephotoabove.ItisnocoincidencethattheislandofPalmBeachhadfarlessbeacherosionsixtyyearsagowhenirongroinswerespacedperpendicularlyalongtheshoreline.Overtimethegroinsdeterioratedandmostwereeventu-allyremovedbuttheyworked.Heresafunctionalalbeitsomewhatnovelapproachtokeepingmoresandonsomeofourbeaches.IsuggestPalmBeachCountyinvestsomeofitsbeachnourishmentdollarsintheconstructionofnewshingpiersinsteadofcuttinghugecheckstodredgeandlloperators.SpecicallybuildoceanshingpiersatCarlinParksouthofJupiterInletandatOceanReefParkonSingerIslandbothcountyparkswithexistingpublicuseinfrastructure.Engineeredproperlyandperhapsusedinconjunctionwithstrategi-callyplacedgroinsthepierscouldeffectivelyhelpretainsandinthesetwoareaswhereerosionproblemsaresopersistent.Perhapsthereareothersuitablesitesaswell.In1999aftertremendouspublicdebateandscrutinybypermittingagenciesthecountyreceivedapprovalbytheGovernorandcabinettobuildthenewJunoPier.Theconstructioncostwasapproximatelythreemilliondollarsaminimalexpenditurewhenyoucompareittowhathasbeenspentonpastbeachnourishmentprojects.RebuildingtheJunoPierhasprovedtobeaverysuccessfulinvestmentforPalmBeachCounty.ItisafacilitythatisenjoyedbyTheindentedsouthsideofLakeWorthInletandtheaccumulationofsandinsidethelagoonoffSailshMarinaareeasilyvisableinthisGoogleEarthimage.Commercialinletslikethisonemustbeperiodicallydredgedtomaintainsafenavigationhowevermaintainingtheinletdisruptslittoraldrift.