Coral Restoration and Monitoring Program

4/25/04 

To whom it may concern:

Vone Research heard from local dive boat captains ( see attached emails) that sand from the recent beach renourishment project in Boca Raton was moving offshore and impacting live reef. On 4/25, we took our crew and the R/V Vone to visit the site at the south end of the renourishment area.

This is what we found:

- A large amount of sediment covers the reefs in this area.

- It appears that the sand is shifting north and east and beginning to cover the reefs.

- We were told that there was a ledge on the west side of the reef.  If there was, it was completely covered.

- The sand depth on top of live rock varies from 1/8" to well over a foot.

Vone Research will be back on site on Sunday May 2,2004 to resume monitoring of the situation. 

Sincerely, 

Stephen Attis
Vone Research, Inc.

Sand cascading seaward and over the top of a reef in 36 feet of water at 26 20.297 N 080 03.868 W Gray material is sand moving seaward.

From Capt. Frank Schmidt

Stephen I dove several spots on the first reef in Deerfield. I concentrated from the Deerfield pier south. I found no build up of sand. However, Jeff Torrode gave me location he felt we should concentrate on. He mentioned we should look on 25-35 foot reef off the Boca Raton Hotel and south up to the inlet. He described west edge as not having any appreciable ledge. Rock (old reef) simply starts where sand ends. He described the outer ledge (east) as once having a noticeable ledge 2 to 4 feet with good corals. I would imagine this was possibly a high value as to juvenile fish and coral. At this east ledge he feels sand from recent Beach Renourishment has drifted/moved and has covered many coral. Sand may have adverse affect on fish and coral population.

 If you can get up there, I suggest we concentrate as to filming, where Jeff has suggested there is a problem. Jeff is also available to assist with more input this Sunday if you call him on Channel 18. He will be on his boat.

I am sorry but I must go to the Keys this weekend and will not return till Sunday pm. Good Luck!

-Frank

Stephen,
      Thanks on e-mailing me back in response to that matter of the reef that was buried in Boca Raton just north and in front of the Boca inlet.

 I no longer take customers to a reef just outside the inlet because it was buried by Beach re- nourishment gone bad, there was seven coral islands that ran north and south in about 45 feet of water, most of the Coral heads are buried.  All the hard corals are choked with sand as well the Boca inlet is also filled with sand.  You need two dive and video this area to show what a beach renourishment really does to our reefs near shore 

                                             Thanks Captain Tony.