Fort Pierce Inlet: Artificial Reef

by Amanda Geller

St Lucie County will be installing an artificial reef inside the Fort Pierce Inlet!

Installation of a limestone Boulder reef by the SLC Erosion District has already begun! The purpose is to prepare for a sand-bypass trap to collect beach-quality sand that comes into the inlet.

The reef will also benefit juvenile fishes as a habitat while they spend their early life in the inlet (i.e. gag and black grouper)

The sand trap is designed to collect sand to later distribute back onto the beaches instead of dredging offshore or hauling in via trucks (erosion)

Fun fact: the Inlet is federally maintained and the county tries to get state/federal funds to offset costs

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- Info and second photo courtesy of SLC Comm. Director E. Gill