CETN-II-36
3/97
The Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory (CHL) of the U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment
Station is coordinating the monitoring program as an independent agency for Indian River County,
FL (Coastal Engineering Research Center 1995). Monitoring results will be released in the future.
CONCLUSIONS
Monitoring data contained in reports by the University of Florida (1994a, 1994b) indicate that the
P.E.P. reef at Palm Beach, FL, provided little benefit to the area behind the structure, and to the
adjacent beaches. Volumetric changes were computed in the University of Florida reports (1994a,
1994b) based on beach profile monitoring surveys. These surveys indicate that during the July 1992
to July 1994 period, a net loss of material was observed throughout the project area. These losses
became more significant when compared to the accretionary trend in the area prior to placement of
the P.E.P. reef All portions of the project area eroded consistently, except for the region south and
landward of the P.E.P. reef This area consistently accreted material during the study period, and the
"ponding" process described in the University of Florida reports provides an explanation for this
phenomenon. The Palm Beach P.E.P. reef did not demonstrate its design intent to effectively
increase accretion of material within the project area. In fact, the physical data indicate accelerated
erosion over a large percentage of the project area. The structure provides limited benefit due to
wave height reduction in the lee of the structure, but this benefit is minimal at the higher water levels
which typically accompany storms. The new configuration plan implemented at Vero Beach, FL,
will offer new insight into the effectiveness of nearshore thin-crested submerged breakwaters in
impacting the landward and adjacent beach and nearshore environments.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For more information on the Palm Beach Installation, contact Mr. Thomas R. Martin, Coastal Design
Section, USACE, Jacksonville, FL, 904-232-2428. Information concerning the Vero Beach
.
installation may be obtained from Mr. J. Bailey Smith, USACE Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory,
Vicksburg, MS, 601-634-3043.
REFERENCES
Coastal Engineering Research Center. (1995). "Test Plan: Experimental PEP submerged
breakwater project: Vero Beach, Indian River County, Florida," unpublished report, U.S. Army
Engineer Waterways Experiment Station, Coastal Engineering Research Center.
Coastal Technology Corporation. (1992). "Four month follow up report, experimental P.E.P. reef
project, Midtown Section, Town of Palm Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida," Vero Beach, FL.
Florida Institute of Technology. (1995). "Evaluation of submerged reef performance at Vero
Beach, Florida, using a numerical modeling scheme."
University of Florida. (1994a). "Performance of the P.E.P. reef installation, Town of Palm Beach,
Florida, first six months results," Report UFL/COEL-94/002, Coastal and Oceanographic
Engineering Department, University of Florida; Gainesville.
7