Mexico Beach renourishment project

MEXICO BEACH, Fla. (WMBB) — Bay county commissioners will be faced with two bids to rebuild 3-miles of Mexico Beach’s shoreline. Both are just over 27 million dollars, or about 9 million dollars a mile.

Contractors will pump 900,000 cubic yards of sand onto the beach to help protect homes, businesses, and residents from future storms.

“Basically, you know it is the cost of beach nourishment projects, you know, are large. I mean, so it is a very expensive proposition. However, what the beach re-nourishment program is really intended to do is to be able to protect Mexico Beach, the upland life and property, and in case we get hit by another storm,” Executive Director of the Bay County Tourist Development Council Dan Rowe said.

By comparison, Panama City Beach’s 5th renourishment project in 2022, involved 12 miles of beach and cost just under 30 million dollars. The Mexico Beach project would start in November and be finished in mid-April. The money is coming from state and federal agencies.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a perfect amount because I would love for it to be less expensive, but it is, that’s the cost of being able to renourish that beach at this point in time and we’re thrilled that we’re being able to do this project,” Rowe said.

Once approved, contractors will identify sources of sand offshore that match the consistency of the sand on Mexico Beach. It’s then dredged from the bottom and pumped onto the shoreline.

“We’ve benefited in Panama City Beach from that by having a wide beach. It just makes it more difficult when we get the storm surge coming in. You know, it protects the hotels, condos, houses, and people’s lives who live, you know, along Mexico Beach,” Rowe said.

Rowe says first-time renourishment projects are more expensive. Future projects are less costly.

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