Volusia County Begins Another Berm Construction Project to Strengthen Coastal Resilience in New Smyrna Beach

Posted On: November 14, 2025

Volusia County is kicking off its South Berm Construction Project to help reinforce the coastline in New Smyrna Beach and reduce the future risk of erosion and storm impacts. Funded entirely by a Florida Department of Environmental Protection grant awarded to support recovery and resilience after Hurricanes Ian and Nicole, the project will rebuild the dune system along approximately 5.5 miles of shoreline.

The County's contractor has begun mobilizing equipment at the Rattlesnake Island Dredge Material Management Area, where approximately 500,000 cubic yards of beach-compatible sand will be slurried (mixed with water) and pumped directly onto the beach and shaped to form the berm. Once a section has received the necessary amount of sand, crews will extend the pipeline to continue the pumping process south along the coastline.

On-beach construction is expected to begin in the coming weeks and continue through mid-March. The work will include grading the sand and planting dune vegetation to help stabilize the shoreline. Temporary closures of sections of the beach should be expected as the project progresses south, with closures shifting as work moves from one area to the next.

Berm restoration provides an added layer of protection for upland infrastructure and private properties by helping absorb wave energy and reduce shoreline recession. The effectiveness of this approach was demonstrated during the recent tidal events, when the North Berm project-located farther north in Daytona Beach Shores and Ponce Inlet-helped limit erosion and protect properties. Without that berm in place, those areas could have experienced significant damage.

The South Berm project is separate from the North Berm project occurring farther up the coast. While the South Project involves pumping sand directly onto the beach, the North Project uses sand dredged and stockpiled by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Ponce Inlet, which the County has been hauling and placing along beaches since June. More than four miles of sand have been placed so far through the North Berm project, and it will continue southward until it reaches the North Jetty.

Beachfront property owners between Sapphire Road and 5205 S. Atlantic Ave. in New Smyrna Beach who do not have a recorded construction easement with the County should contact Paul Whiting at [email protected]to complete one. Without a recorded easement, sand cannot be placed beachside of a property.