Emergency Dune Repair

Due to the importance of the dune system in Orchid, the Town Council established, through repeated action, that maintaining coastal resilience is at the foundation of this barrier island community’s safety, health and well-being. In response to damage wrought by Hurricanes Matthew (2016), Irma (2017), Dorian (2019) and dual storms Ian and Nicole (2022), the Town Council acted swiftly to execute emergency dune repair projects. These projects were designed to hold the line of the primary frontal dune, recognizable by the well-established dune vegetation atop, by (partially) replacing lost material and adding a protective slope using beach compatible sand trucked from an upload source. Following these storms, the dunes in Orchid were left with a steep escarpment, which, apart from posing a danger to beach-goers' safety, is a state of fragility that can lead to rapid further erosion and deterioration.

The Town's emergency repair projects complement Indian River County's beach management program in Sector 3, in which the Town is located, where the County endeavors to engage in major re-nourishments of this critically eroded sector on a five to seven-year cycle. This frequency has proven challenging to be met, and so the Town Council of Orchid has determined it necessary to "step up" on behalf of its residents and aid the County with interim projects as described. Collaboration with the County has been fruitful, particularly regarding access to the beach in Orchid through the County's Golden Sands Beach Park. The Town Council also enjoys participation on the County's Beach and Shores Preservation Advisory Committee.