florida department of environmental protection - News - The Coastal Star2024-03-29T06:48:22Zhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/florida+department+of+environmental+protectionDelray Beach: Talks ‘ongoing’ to settle penalty over reclaimed water violationshttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/delray-beach-talks-ongoing-to-settle-penalty-over-reclaimed-water2021-08-04T16:36:28.000Z2021-08-04T16:36:28.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p><strong>By Jane Smith</strong></p>
<p>More than two months after the city received a proposed $1.8 million fine over its botched reclaimed water program, the Delray Beach legal team was still negotiating a settlement with the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County.<br /> “There is no set time” for the city to respond to the proposed consent order, Alexander Shaw, Health Department spokesman, wrote in a June 21 email to The Coastal Star. He also wrote in a July 26 email that the city met with Health Department leaders in person on July 7, and they “continue to have constructive negotiations with each other.”<br /> He declined to reveal the substance of the negotiations.<br /> City Attorney Lynn Gelin and two attorneys from the Lewis Longman & Walker firm make up the city’s legal team. <br /> “Negotiations are ongoing,” Laurie Menekou, the publicist hired to answer media questions about the city’s reclaimed water program, wrote in a July 28 email. “There is no additional information to share at this time.”<br /> The City Commission will have to approve the final agreement with the state.<br /> The Health Department contends that Delray Beach’s reclaimed water program was flawed since its start in 2007.<br /> The city created a step-by-step implementation manual, but never followed its own instructions, which called for annual inspections of each connection site and an ongoing cross-connection control program, according to the Health Department. <br /> That’s why the Health Department wants the city to publish a public notice acknowledging it “cannot assure utility customers that the drinking water produced and distributed met the standards of the Safe Drinking Water Act for the period from inception of the reclaimed water service beginning in 2007 to the time reclaimed water was deactivated on February 4, 2020.”<br /> The city will have to publish the notice in a newspaper, in its utility bills and on its website, according to state rules. <br /> The proposed fine does not include the $21,194 that the Health Department spent on the investigation, as of June 21. <br /> During an extensive review with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in the spring, the departments determined that assessed penalties are more in line with fines that were in effect in 2018. <br /> As a result, the proposed fine of nearly $1.8 million is lower than the nearly $2.9 million proposed in January in a draft consent order. The individual fines also were reduced as a result of the joint review.<br /> Of the 11 violations cited, eight were deemed to be major and carry civil penalties of $5,000.<br /> The city was cited for 12 years of not following its own program of annual inspections. It also submitted false reports saying annual inspections had taken place. The civil fine total is $60,000, at $5,000 per year.<br /> In addition, Delray Beach was fined for missing 576 backflow preventers. The devices are needed on the drinking water pipes to prevent the reclaimed water from flowing back into the drinking water. <br /> The Health Department is proposing fines of $2,229 per location, for a total of $1.3 million. <br /> For submitting false information in December 2018 when a cross connection was discovered at 801 S. Ocean Blvd., Delray Beach should be fined $5,000 for not reporting that people were sickened. No names or job titles are mentioned in the consent order. <br /> A cross connection happens when reclaimed water lines carrying highly treated wastewater for lawn irrigation, but not safe for human and pet use, are wrongly connected with drinking water pipes. <br /> The city also failed to report to the Health Department about a 2019 cross connection discovered at 120 N. Ocean Blvd. In addition, Delray Beach did not issue a public notice of the cross connection found there. The Health Department wants to fine the city $10,000 total or $5,000 for each violation.<br /> The civil penalties total $1.4 million. The Health Department wants to add a 25% charge for the city’s history of noncompliance. The nearly $1.8 million total was recommended at the start of initial negotiations, according to the document. <br /> The Health Department was made aware of the problems in January 2020 by a South Ocean Boulevard area resident’s call.<br /> That led the city to shut down its entire reclaimed water system and seek Health Department approval before turning on the reclaimed water for that location.<br /> In 2020, Delray Beach spent more than $1 million to fix that system. The city can’t use the money spent fixing the system to offset the fines, according to the Health Department.<br /> Another investigation of the reclaimed water program ended in May without finding a past or current city employee, department or outside vendor solely responsible.<br /> As a result of that critical review, the city said it will educate its water customers about what reclaimed water is and its allowed use — only for lawn irrigation.<br /> In addition, the Utilities Department started documenting all customer complaints or inquiries and tracking them in the city’s computerized maintenance management system. Utilities staff will be trained in the proper documentation and inspection reports required by the regulating agencies over reclaimed water.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;">Uncertainty about illnesses</span> </p>
<p>The county Office of Inspector General became involved last August at the request of the Health Department. Health officials were “concerned that city staff and/or elected officials concealed and/or misrepresented their knowledge,” according to the OIG report.<br /> The Health Department could only issue civil fines. The OIG can forward its results to the State Attorney’s Office for criminal prosecution.<br /> The OIG investigated what the city staff knew about the illnesses from the December 2018 cross connection on South Ocean and whether they were reported to the Health Department as required.<br /> The OIG “was unable to determine whether the reported illness was actually caused by the city’s drinking water,” according to its report. No elected official or current or past city employee was found liable.<br /> But an unnamed city staffer identified in the report as a whistleblower submitted a lengthy rebuttal to the OIG findings based on a review by Public Management Services Inc., a firm the city hired in 2020 to independently review the system.<br />According to that review, a March 2019 meeting was held by an ex-assistant city manager with various department heads and the project’s consultant representative. They discussed the December 2018 cross connection. <br />Because no medical or hospital records connected the illnesses with the reclaimed water, the illnesses were not reported to the Health Department. The ex-assistant city manager determined no more action was needed without medical or hospital records connecting the illnesses to the reclaimed water.<br /> “It was not the city’s job to determine this but to report it” to the Health Department, the whistleblower said in the rebuttal. The whistleblower did not attend the March 2019 meeting. </p></div>Along the Coast: What's blooming at the beach?https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/along-the-coast-what-s-blooming-at-the-beach2017-03-29T16:03:54.000Z2017-03-29T16:03:54.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;" class="font-size-7"> Native plants keep the dunes healthy</span></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-2"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960712297,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960712297,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="600" alt="7960712297?profile=original" /></a><em>Bay bean (Canavalia rosea), a vine that trails along beach dunes and coastal sand,</em></span></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-2"><em>blooms most of the summer and sporadically the rest of the year.</em></span></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-2">Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star</span></strong></p>
<p style="text-align:left;"><strong><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-2">By Deborah S. Hartz-Seeley</span> <em><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-2"><br /> <br /></span></em></strong> <span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-2"> Although some may consider coastal wildflowers to be weeds, those of us living along the ocean should think of them as some of our best friends. By putting their roots down in search of water, they also secure the sand.</span> <span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-2"><br /> “And that helps prevent beach erosion,” says Jeff Nurge, co-owner of Native Choice Nursery in Boynton Beach. These native plants also act as a buffer between what lies inland and the wind and waves off the ocean during heavy weather. <br /> Besides storm protection, the vines and shrubs offer sustenance for butterflies, birds, bees and other insects. And they provide shelter for wildlife such as small mammals, snakes and lizards as well as 30 species of what are considered rare animals, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. <br /></span> <span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-2"> But even though they are valuable to man as well as nature, dunes are not immune to man’s impact. Many have been destroyed and replaced with buildings, parking lots and other construction.</span></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-2"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960713056,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="400" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960713056,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960713056?profile=original" /></a><em>Seeds of the bay bean are buoyant, which allows them to be distributed by ocean currents.</em></span></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-2"><em>The purplish-pink flowered plant is part of the pea family.</em></span></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-2">Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star</span></strong></p>
<p style="text-align:left;"></p>
<p style="text-align:left;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-2"> “Our beaches are never going to be natural again,” says Nurge. In fact, only 35 percent of native dune vegetation remains undisturbed along Florida’s 1,260 miles of coastline, according to the DEP. Many seaside residents and towns are doing their best to preserve and even grow the dunes by installing native plants, including flowering vines and shrubs, at appropriate places in the sand. So the next time you go to a beach where the dunes are preserved or being restored, take a moment to look around and notice what’s growing. <br /> “Knowledge is power and if you are knowledgeable about the dune plants, you will have an interest in them and be more prone to protecting them and all they offer us,” says Nurge. <br /> To make your dune visit more informative, we asked Nurge to provide a list of some flowering plants you can find on the dunes in Palm Beach County. Take these pages the next time you visit the ocean.<br /></span> <span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-2"> “If you can identify the plants around you, you’ll get more enjoyment out of your visit and it will be more of an interactive experience,” says Nurge.</span></p>
<p style="text-align:left;"><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;" class="font-size-7">Coastal flowering plants</span></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-2"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960712885,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960712885,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="600" alt="7960712885?profile=original" /></a><em>Bay cedar (Suriana maritima), a low bush that can grow into a tree, sports tiny yellow flowers.</em></span></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-2"><em>It hosts the rare mallow scrub-hairstreak and martial scrub-hairstreak butterflies.</em></span></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-2"><em>Its seeds are dispersed by water so it tends to grow at the bottom of the dunes.</em></span></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-2">Photo by Jeff Nurge/Native Choice Nursery</span></strong></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-2"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960713653,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960713653,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="600" alt="7960713653?profile=original" /></a></span></strong><em><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-2">Beach morning glory (Ipomoea imperati), a vine with white flowers displaying yellow centers,</span></em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-2">grows on the downside of the dunes where moths and other insects nectar on it. You’ll find it bathing in full sun.</span></em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-2">Photo by Jeff Nurge/Native Choice Nursery</span></strong></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-2"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960713282,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960713282,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="600" alt="7960713282?profile=original" /></a></span></strong><em>Beach verbena (Verbena maritima) grows near the water. Therefore, it is rare to find it on our local dunes,</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>where much of its habitat has been replaced by condos and other homes. If you hope</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>to see this vine with its purple flowers, look in areas that are 100 to 200 yards back from the water line.</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Photo from Wikimedia Commons</strong></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960714452,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960714452,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="600" alt="7960714452?profile=original" /></a></strong><em>Blackbead (Pithecellobium keyense) is a large prickly shrub that can grow into a tree on the back of the dune</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>where a hammock is forming. Its flowers look like powder puffs that range from white to deep pink. After its flowers</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>fall off, the plant forms black seeds. It is a host plant for large orange sulfur and Cassius blue butterflies.</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Photo by Jeff Nurge/Native Choice Nursery</strong></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960714275,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960714275,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="600" alt="7960714275?profile=original" /></a></strong><em>The dune sunflower (Helianthus debilis) seeds readily, so you’ll find a lot of it growing on the dunes.</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>If you see this plant, bees and butterflies will not be far away as this flower provides plenty of nectar.</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Photo by Larry Allain hosted by the USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database</strong></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"></p>
<p style="text-align:left;"><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;" class="font-size-7">Where to find coastal wildflowers</span></p>
<p style="text-align:left;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-2">Here are some places in Palm Beach County where dune flowers grow: <br /> <strong>Delray Municipal Beach</strong> — It runs for 6,840 feet along South Ocean Boulevard (A1A) from Casuarina Avenue and the Seagate Beach Club north to the first beachfront home. The most mature section of renovated beach can be seen north of Sea Spray Avenue, with street parking available. The section around East Atlantic Avenue is slated to be restored within the next year. <br /> <strong>Gumbo Limbo Nature Center</strong> — 1801 N. Ocean Blvd., Boca Raton; 544-8605; <a href="http://www.gumbolimbo.org">www.gumbolimbo.org</a>. Part of Red Reef Park, this area will give you a view of what the dunes and beaches were like before man started building east of A1A. <br /> <strong>MacArthur Beach State Park</strong> — 10900 Jack Nicklaus Drive, North Palm Beach; 624-6952; <a href="http://www.macarthurbeach.org">www.macarthurbeach.org</a>. This park has four habitats, including pristine beach and dunes. <br />Protect our dunes. It’s the law. At the beach, stay on the designated pathways and walkovers to protect the vegetation. Also, state and local laws make it illegal to dig up the dune vegetation or take any part of the plants, including flowers, clippings and seeds. They must be left in their natural state, said Nora Fosman, senior environmental officer for the city of Boca Raton</span></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-2"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960714292,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960714292,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="600" alt="7960714292?profile=original" /></a></span><em>The Jamaican caper (Capparis cynophallophora) is a flowering shrub that can grow into a tree at the back of the dunes. Its white flowers turn purple and look like bursting fireworks. After it blooms, the plant produces fuzzy, brown bean-like pods that split open to reveal a sticky orange-red flesh containing its seeds.</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Photo by Jeff Nurge/Native Choice Nursery</strong></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960714865,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960714865,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="600" alt="7960714865?profile=original" /></a></strong><em>The endangered necklace pod (Sophora tomentosa var. truncata) gets its name from the shape of its seedpod,</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>which looks like strung beads. The seeds are poisonous to humans. The plant’s yellow flowers attract hummingbirds</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>because of their shape. They also attract a variety of butterflies, including the cassius blue and mangrove skipper.</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Photo by Stephen Brown/horticulture agent, UF/IFAS Lee County Extension</strong></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960714091,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960714091,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="600" alt="7960714091?profile=original" /></a></strong><em>Railroad vine (Ipomoea pes-caprae) is related to the beach morning glory and has many of the same characteristics,</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>except that its flowers are purple. A fast grower, it can cover the dunes quickly. Although you might think the shape</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>of its flower would attract hummingbirds, the plant grows too low to the ground for them to hover and sip nectar.</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Photo from Wikimedia Commons</strong></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960715062,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960715062,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="600" alt="7960715062?profile=original" /></a></strong><em>Sea oxeye daisy (Borrichia frutescens) is a vine ground cover that grows on the back side of the dunes in lower areas.</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>Here it forms a thicket that helps secure the dunes by gathering and holding sand. Its quarter-size flowers look like daisies.</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>They attract insects such as butterflies, beetles and wasps. The plants may have either silvery gray green</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>or bright green foliage; the dunes have two varieties.</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Photo by Larry Allain hosted by the USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database</strong></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960714663,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960714663,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="600" alt="7960714663?profile=original" /></a></strong><em>White sage (Lantana involucrata) has white flowers with yellow centers and petals that fade to pale pink.</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>This delicate flower attracts many different birds plus butterflies and bees. Its purple fruit is toxic to humans.</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>Although it needs light, you’ll find this plant in hammock areas, where it is prized because it is wind-tolerant.</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Photo by Jeff Nurge/Native Choice Nursery</strong></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"></p>
<p><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;" class="font-size-7">Beach planting and cleanup event<strong><br /></strong></span><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-2"><strong> </strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-2"> The Institute for Regional Conservation will hold a volunteer day at Atlantic Dunes Park in Delray Beach from 9 a.m. to noon April 8. Volunteers of all ages are needed to help remove invasive plant species, plant native species, and pick up trash and recyclables. <br /> The institute will provide the tools, plants and light refreshments. Volunteers should bring sunscreen and gloves, and wear long sleeves, long pants and a hat. Atlantic Dunes Park is at 1605 S. Ocean Blvd. Meter parking is available just west of State Road A1A.</span></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"></p></div>Ocean Ridge: Water at beach dredge project tested for silthttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/ocean-ridge-water-at-beach-dredge-project-tested-for-silt2014-01-29T18:45:02.000Z2014-01-29T18:45:02.000ZChris Felkerhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/ChrisFelker<div><p style="text-align:center;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960493490,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960493490,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="538" class="align-center" alt="7960493490?profile=original" /></a></em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>Freshly pumped sand appears dark when first spread on the original beach,</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>but is expected to lighten over time.</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><b>Jerry Lower</b><span><b>/The Coastal Star</b></span></p>
<p><span><b> </b></span></p>
<p><span><b>By Cheryl Blackerby</b></span></p>
<p> Florida Department of Environmental Protection scientists took water samples at the Ocean Ridge dredging site Jan. 28 to monitor levels of turbidity, the cloudiness of water caused by suspended solids such as silt.</p>
<p> The testing was in response to Reef Rescue’s recent samples that showed high turbidity levels.</p>
<p> “We’ve been monitoring the project, and we found turbidity levels in excess of the permit standard of 29 NTU (nephelometric turbidity units),” said Ed Tichenor, director of Palm Beach County Reef Rescue. “We’ve gotten levels as high as 248 NTUs. When we get these high readings and the dredge company is getting readings in compliance, then DEP tries to determine the reason for the discrepancy.”</p>
<p> DEP reports were not finalized Jan. 28, but a scientist with the Palm Beach County Environmental Resources Management, who went along on the boat with DEP, found the samples were in compliance, said Tracy Logue, coastal geologist for the county’s environmental department.</p>
<p> “The monitoring methods and the test results were in accordance with permits and the results were acceptable,” said Logue.</p>
<p> The DEP testing may indicate the water is clear, but Tichenor said those tests may be the result of the dredge not working for several days. Reef Rescue is monitoring the silt plume caused by the dredge with aerial photography. So far, he said, silt has not settled on the coral. </p>
<p> Silt can be a problem both for the beach and the coral reef, he said. “If the project generates too much silt it smothers the coral. Silt washes off the beach and ends up on the coral. It has very light traction, and the more silt there is on the beach, the more unstable the beach is.”</p>
<p> County inspections have shown the beach sand to be satisfactory, said Logue.</p>
<p> “I’ve been looking at the sand every day and it looks acceptable to me,” she said. </p>
<p> Dredging for the Ocean Ridge beach renourishment project started Jan. 12 after several weather delays and holidays.</p>
<p> Work was forced to stop yet again Jan. 21 because of high winds and rough seas. The dredge moved back to Ocean Ridge Jan. 25, but spent several days moving submerged pipe to a new borrow area. Work resumed after DEP testing Jan. 25, said Logue. </p>
<p> The Ocean Ridge project should be completed by Feb. 10 barring bad weather, she said. Sand is being pumped onto the beach starting at the Ocean Club and ending at Edith Street. </p>
<p> The beach will be about 300 feet wider than it was pre-dredging, she said. The new sand is darker in color than the original sand, but has already lightened on the 1.1-mile beach project. The sand is being dredged from borrow areas about 1,800 feet offshore.</p>
<p> After the Ocean Ridge project is finished, the dredge immediately will move to Delray Beach, she said. The dredge then will go to the north Boca Raton beach. There are no completion dates set for the Delray Beach and north Boca Raton beach renourishment projects. </p>
<p> The dredge originally started work in Ocean Ridge Dec. 19 after completing a beach project in south Boca Raton.</p>
<p> The renourishment projects in Ocean Ridge, Delray Beach and north Boca Raton are U.S. Army Corps of Engineers beach projects. The Army Corps deadline for those projects is April 30 and the work is expected to be finished well before the deadline if seas remain calm. </p>
<p> The south Boca Raton beach renourishment is not an Army Corps project, but the city used the same contractor to save money.</p>
<p> After delays from bad weather including high winds during most of November, the beach project in south Boca Raton finally started the day before Thanksgiving and finished pumping sand on .9 miles of beach Dec. 9.</p>
<p> “The dry beach was widened 60 feet on average the entire length,” said Jennifer Bistyga, engineer with the city of Boca Raton.</p>
<p> Meanwhile, excavation of the Boynton Beach Inlet sand trap is expected to continue until June, said Logue. </p>
<p> The non-beach-compatible sand is being transported to the Grassy Flats Lake Worth Lagoon Restoration Project, which includes the building of two mangrove islands 4 miles north of the inlet on the east side of the lagoon near the Palm Beach Par 3 Golf Course. </p>
<p> The project, which will create 10.5 acres of seagrass habitat and 1.1 acres of salt marsh, will increase the food and nursery habitat for fish, manatees and wading birds while improving water quality.</p></div>