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Minerals Management Services' Cooperative Program with Florida

A Geological Investigation of the Offshore Area Along Florida's Central East Coast

At the request of Florida's Department of Environmental Protection, MMS initiated a Federal/State partnership in July 1994. The MMS and State of Florida agreed to work on a cooperative project to investigate sand resources offshore the central Atlantic coast of Florida. Results of the multi-phased study will be a compilation of information on the characterization, volume and extent of sand bodies on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) within a 550-square mile study area. This area covers a 90-mile stretch of coastline extending from Cape Canaveral, Brevard County, southward to the Palm Beach County/Martin County line. Over 58 miles of sandy beaches are eroding along this 90-mile stretch of coastline. Such geological investigation will assist in the State's efforts to combat beach erosion by locating sand bodies suitable for use in Florida's beach restoration projects.

The Florida Geological Survey began work on the first phase of this cooperative project in 1994 and completed a literature search and preliminary data collection and analyses in late 1995. As a result of this effort, it was agreed that future study should include more detailed geological investigations focused on selected portions of the study area. The current "Phase 2" study includes acquisition and analyses of offshore geological and geophysical data to provide information on the location, extent, thickness, and quality of sand bodies for the northern portion of the study area encompassing about 250 square miles offshore southern Brevard County. Work plan elements include reconnaissance seismic profiling, bottom sediment sampling and turbidity measurements, mapping, and granulometric laboratory analyses. This second phase is scheduled to be completed in June 1997. Similar detailed investigations for the remaining portions of the study area, as well as further investigation to refine data for the most promising geological targets, are planned for future phases of the project.

The final report from Phase 1 of this study, A Geological Investigation of the Offshore Area Along Florida's Central East Coast, is available from the Florida Geological Survey as Open File Report No. 69. Copies can be obtained by contacting Henry Freedenberg at (904) 488-9380.