Crews working in Pinellas County on its emergency beach renourishment project have completed sand placement on Clearwater Beach and are now focusing on Belleair and Upham beaches, with work scheduled to be completed by March.

The project involves placing 2.5 million cubic yards of sand along a 9-mile stretch of eroded coastline damaged by 2024’s hurricanes. To date, the county has completed renourishment in Redington Shores and Indian Shores.

The project costs $114 million in tourist development tax dollars, with an additional $11 million coming from state grants. The beaches being restored include Sand Key, Treasure Island, and Upham Beach.

Coastal scientist Zach Westfall explained the process involves taking sand from inlets and returning it to beaches where it originated, a practice called regional sediment management. The sand replacement is taking place 24 hours a day, at times on multiple beach sections simultaneously.

The final phase will focus on Indian Rocks Beach, where property owners can still apply for easements. At properties without signed easements, the county is only placing sand from the edge of private property to the waterline, potentially leaving some areas vulnerable during future storms.

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(Image credit: WTVT)

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