Suncoast Surfrider Chapter data shows the groin’s “claimed” success is flawed
February 18 -Pinellas County, Florida- For four years, the Suncoast Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation (SCSF) has been assessing the impact of the geotube groins on the Upham Beach. To date the chapter has submitted over 1,000 petitions to Pinellas County for “no armoring” on Upham Beach, which Pinellas County has yet to acknowledge. The chapter is very concerned the proposed next step to remove the geotubes and place permanent rock groins is a severely flawed approach. To create greater leverage, the chapter procured an independent expert to perform a scientific study of the Upham Beach Monitoring Reports results and had additional experts perform two peer-review analyses to ensure no details were missed.
On February 9th, SCSF sent a package to DEP, Pinellas County and the Army Corps of Engineers, with the above mentioned independent review of the Upham T-Groin project, pointing to how the effort by Pinellas County and consultants have been fatally flawed from the beginning. “The projects effect goes well beyond surfers being upset it ruined a surf break. We believe a case can be made as to how the project permit is currently in violation of state codes and statutes – thus, the groins should be removed,” said Scott Orsini, Suncoast’s Vice Chair.
The chapter’s concerns and opposition are based upon the report’s expectation the proposed project will:
- Destroy or Degrade Public Trust Resources
- Benefit a very small group of people
- Creates a nautical hazard
- Adversely impact hatchling success
- Diminish the natural beauty of beaches
- Danger to public safety due to exposed rocks
- Not a long-term solution to the real problem of coastal erosion
- Result in “Significant Adverse Impacts”
- Has Failed to meet Experimental Design Qualifications
In a June 2009, a Florida Department of Environmental Protection Coastal Engineer email sent communication to the DEP Permitting Department on the “Performance of Upham Beach T-Groin Project and Its Impact to the Downdrift Beach”. The memo clearly states: "So far, there is no clear evidence that the project performance expectation is being met or that it will.”
Read more of Suncoast Chapter’s findings here: https://suncoast.surfrider.org/campaigns/free-upham/
The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit grassroots organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our world’s oceans, waves and beaches. Founded in 1984 by a handful of visionary surfers in Malibu, California, the Surfrider Foundation now maintains over 50,000 members and 90 chapters worldwide. # # #
Press inquiries should contact Jessica Respondek