A Geological Investigation of the Offshore Federal Area Along the
Coasts of Santa Rosa and Okaloosa Counties of FLorida (State Fiscal Year 2006-2007)

Daniel C. Phelps (P.G. # 1203)
Lucien J. Ladner (P.G. # 1726)
Michelle M. Lachance
James G. Sparr
Adel A. Dabous

Beach erosion is a constant concern in Florida (Clark, 1993). Within the Florida study area, which includes the open water coast of Santa Rosa and Okaloosa Counties extending eastward from Navarre Beach to the Walton County boundary, beaches comprising over 24 percent of the coastline, (totaling about 7 statute miles (11.3 kilometers)), are classified as Critically Eroding Beaches (Clark, 1993; Beaches and Coastal Systems, 2006).

The shore protection measure of choice in the region is the periodic placement of sand along the beach. As readily available onshore sources of suitable borrow material in the region are, over time, found to be unavailable, depleted, or uneconomical, offshore sand bodies are increasingly sought after as sources of beach restoration-quality sand. To address this need, the Minerals Management Service (MMS) of the United States Department of the Interior and the Florida Geological Survey (FGS) entered into a cooperative agreement (Cooperative Agreement # 1435-0001-30757) to investigate the available restoration-quality sand resources in federal waters offshore of this portion of the coast of Florida.

This report documents the findings of the FGS’s investigations. It both provides and discusses in detail those data obtained and/or analyzed and presents conclusions drawn from those data and makes recommendations regarding data to be collected in the future. Information derived from this study will assist the MMS in making decisions concerning the future use of the available restoration-quality sand deposits delineated. Additionally, identifying and inventorying suitable offshore restoration-quality sand resources will serve to expedite sand replenishment of beaches adversely impacted by hurricanes and/or winter storms in future years.

Phelps, D.C., Lucien, L.J., Lachance, M.M., Sparr, J.G., and Dabous, A.A., 2007, A Geological Investigation of the Offshore Federal Area Along the Coasts of Santa Rosa and Okaloosa Counties of FLorida (State Fiscal Year 2006-2007), Report Submitted to the United States Department of the Interior, Minerals Management Service: https://publicfiles.dep.state.fl.us/FGS/Geological_Investigations/Coastal/MMS_NWFL2006/MMS_NWFL2006.html.

mapping
renourishment
replenishment
seismic reflection
seabed sampling
beach sediment sampling
coastal
beaches
Minerals Management Service
Critically Eroding Beaches
Navarre Beach
Santa Rosa County
Okaloosa County
Walton County
Florida