2005 Hurricane Season Impacts: Dade & Monroe Counties, Florida
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2005 Hurricane Season Impacts: Dade & Monroe Counties, Florida POST-STORM BEACH CONDITIONS AND COASTAL IMPACT REPORT Hurricane Dennis Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Rita Hurricane Wilma Florida Department of Environmental Protection Division of Water Resource Management Bureau of Beaches and Coastal Systems December 2005 Foreword The Bureau of Beaches and Coastal Systems of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection is responsible for protection and management of Florida’s sandy beaches fronting the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean and the Straits of Florida, and the regulation of coastal development adjacent to those coastal beaches. The monitoring and assessment of hurricane impacts to Florida’s beaches and coastal construction and the preparation of post-storm recovery responses and management strategies are important elements of the Bureau’s responsibilities. This report provides documentation of the impacts of Hurricanes Dennis, Katrina, Rita, and Wilma on the south coast of Florida along Dade and Monroe County beaches. The report also provides preliminary recommendations for post-storm response activities. This report was prepared by the Coastal Engineering Section for the Bureau of Beaches and Coastal Systems. The report was written by Ralph R. Clark, P.E., P.L.S., with major contributions and preparation of graphics by James LaGrone, Coastal Engineer, and additional contributions by Jennifer Koch, Coastal Geologist. Field data of beach and dune erosion and structural damage were obtained by Ralph Clark, James LaGrone, Jennifer Koch, and Guy Weeks. Aerial videography and oblique aerial photography were supplied by Stacey B. Roberts of PBS&J and Camera Copters, Inc. STATE OF FLORIDA, DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION _________________________________ Michael R. Barnett, P.E., Chief Bureau of Beaches and Coastal Systems i Table of Contents Hurricane Dennis Discussion.............................................................................................. 1 Hurricane Katrina Discussion............................................................................................. 3 Hurricane Rita Discussion .................................................................................................. 7 Hurricane Wilma Discussion ............................................................................................ 10 Post-storm Beach Conditions and Coastal Impact Summary and Overview.................... 14 Dade County ..................................................................................................................... 24 Hurricane Katrina Storm Effects and Erosion Conditions........................................ 25 Hurricane Rita Storm Effects and Erosion Conditions ............................................. 25 Hurricane Wilma Storm Effects and Erosion Conditions......................................... 27 Hurricane Katrina Storm Damage............................................................................. 28 Hurricane Rita Storm Damage.................................................................................. 29 Hurricane Wilma Storm Damage.............................................................................. 29 Monroe County ................................................................................................................. 32 Hurricane Dennis Storm Effects and Erosion Conditions ........................................ 33 Hurricane Katrina Storm Effects and Erosion Conditions........................................ 34 Hurricane Rita Storm Effects and Erosion Conditions ............................................. 34 Islamorada, Lower Matecumbe Key..................................................................... 34 Long Key State Park ............................................................................................. 34 Grassy Key............................................................................................................ 36 Curry Hammocks State Park, Little Crawl Key.................................................... 36 Coco Plum Beach.................................................................................................. 36 City of Key Colony Beach.................................................................................... 37 Sombrero Beach, Vaca Key.................................................................................. 37 Little Duck Key, Missouri Key, and Ohio Key .................................................... 37 Bahia Honda State Park ........................................................................................ 37 Long Beach, Big Pine Key.................................................................................... 38 Boca Chica Key .................................................................................................... 38 Key West Beaches ................................................................................................ 39 Ft. Zachary Taylor Historic State Park ................................................................. 40 Distal Sand Keys................................................................................................... 40 Hurricane Wilma Storm Effects and Erosion Conditions......................................... 41 Upper Keys ........................................................................................................... 43 Islamorada, Upper and Lower Matecumbe Key................................................... 43 Long Key State Park ............................................................................................. 44 ii Grassy Key and Toms Harbor Keys ..................................................................... 45 Curry Hammocks State Park, Little Crawl Key.................................................... 45 Coco Plum Beach.................................................................................................. 46 City of Key Colony Beach.................................................................................... 47 City of Marathon, Vaca Key and Tingler Island................................................... 49 Sombrero Beach, Vaca Key.................................................................................. 49 Little Duck Key, Missouri Key, and Ohio Key .................................................... 49 Bahia Honda State Park ........................................................................................ 50 West Summerland Key ......................................................................................... 52 Long Beach, Big Pine Key and Newfound Harbor Keys ..................................... 53 Sugarloaf Beach, Sugarloaf Key........................................................................... 53 Boca Chica Key .................................................................................................... 53 Key West Beaches ................................................................................................ 54 Sunset Key (formerly Tank Island)....................................................................... 59 Distal Sand Keys................................................................................................... 59 Dry Tortugas, including Loggerhead Key and Garden Key (Fort Jefferson)....... 59 Cape Sable ............................................................................................................ 59 Everglades Sloughs Debouchure (Shark River to Pavilion Key) ......................... 59 Hurricane Dennis Damage........................................................................................ 61 Hurricane Katrina Damage ....................................................................................... 62 Hurricane Rita Damage............................................................................................. 62 Islamorada............................................................................................................. 62 Long Key State Park ............................................................................................. 62 Curry Hammocks State Park................................................................................. 64 Coco Plum Beach.................................................................................................. 64 City of Key Colony Beach.................................................................................... 64 Bahia Honda State Park ........................................................................................ 64 Boca Chica Beach................................................................................................. 64 Key West............................................................................................................... 66 Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park............................................................... 67 Hurricane Wilma Damage ........................................................................................ 67 Upper Keys ........................................................................................................... 67 Islamorada............................................................................................................. 68 Long Key .............................................................................................................. 68 Long Key State Park ............................................................................................. 68 Grassy Key