BROWARD COUNTY, FL - The construction of mitigation reefs starts this month to recreate habitat on the ocean floor and encourage colonization of corals, fish, sea turtles and other marine life in Lauderdale-By-The-Sea.

The reefs will be located about 1,500 feet offshore in water depths just under 20 feet. They will be made of more than 4,000 individual concrete blocks and limestone rocks specifically designed for the project. More than 600 reef-units were manufactured since May 2021 with installation scheduled to be completed by the end of October 2021.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection and United States Army Corps of Engineers issued permits for the construction of 6.8 acres of these reefs after the 2016 Shore Protection Project was completed that placed 650,000 cubic yards of sand along the shorelines of Pompano Beach, Lauderdale-By-The-Sea and Fort Lauderdale to restore the beaches and sand dunes from eroding sand due to storms, hurricanes and sea-level rise.

The County has contracted with Resolve Equipment, Inc. of Fort Lauderdale to provide the mitigation reef units and install them in the waters offshore. For more information on beach construction/re-nourishment projects, visit Broward.org/BeachRenourishment.

About Environmental Planning and Community Resilience    
The mission of Environmental Planning and Community Resilience Division is to protect, restore, and enhance the quality, abundance and diversity of the County’s natural resources for Broward County residents, visitors and ecosystems. This is accomplished through coordinated management efforts, including research, planning, monitoring, project implementation, and outreach activities. For more information call 954-519-1270, visit our website or follow us on Twitter. 

August 13, 2021
MEDIA CONTACT: Stephanie Kedzuf
Natural Resources Specialist      
Environmental Planning and Community Resilience Division
954-519-1255
skedzuf@broward.org