City of Sanibel provides update on beach erosion monitoring along Gulf

The city of Sanibel provided an update today on its efforts relative to the ongoing beach erosion that may be affecting the Gulf Pines, Gulf Shores and West Gulf Drive beaches. Officials reported that the city has been closely monitoring erosion along a section of beach between Gulf Shores, Gulf Pines and the western portion of West Gulf Drive for the past several months. The area has historically experienced erosion, which in 1996 prompted a beach renourishment project to place over 229,000 cubic yards of sand along 3,400 linear-feet of the shoreline. The specific area is located between the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's reference monuments R-129 to R-133 on the Sanibel Island Monument Survey Map. Over the past several weeks, some recovery of sand along the beach in the area has been observed. Additional recovery is anticipated as the beach transitions from its typical winter to summer profiles.