Gulf Shores Beach Restoration Update

Work continues apace on a beach restoration program that goes back to 2001, AL.com reports. New aerial footage of the replenishment of beaches from Gulf Shores to Orange Beach gives a sense of the effort required to shift the more than 2.5 million tons of sand. Olsen Associates explained in September 2023 thatGreat Lakes Dredge and Dock Co., LLC has a $32.8-million contract for the offshore work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Alabama Emergency Management Agency, Orange Beach, Gulf Shores and the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. It added that work has gone on around the clock since the project began; it is expected to continue through February, with beach tilling and grading in Gulf Shores underway. Dunes are to be rebuilt up to around 12 ft of elevation, with approximately 500,000 plants and more than 3,000 ft of sand fencing installed along the dune system. In addition to being the first layer of protection from storms, the rebuilt dunes will form habitat for birds.