Port Everglades Sand Bypass

Background

Port Everglades Entrance is a manmade tidal inlet located along the Atlantic Ocean shoreline in southern Broward County, Florida. Originally constructed in 1926 to provide access to Lake Mabel and support the development of Port Everglades, the inlet has served as a critical navigation corridor for commercial shipping, commerce, and recreational vessel traffic for nearly a century. Since 1930, the inlet and federal navigation channel have been maintained as part of the Port Everglades Federal Navigation Project.

While the inlet plays a vital role in regional transportation and commerce, it also acts as a complete barrier to natural littoral drift, interrupting the movement of sand along the shoreline. This disruption has contributed to chronic erosion on adjacent beaches south of the inlet. For decades, local agencies and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) recognized the need for a sustainable sand bypass solution. However, earlier evaluations determined that the costs of constructing and operating a bypass system outweighed the anticipated economic benefits.

Approach

In 2002, Broward County retained our team, then operating as Olsen Associates and now part of Foth, to evaluate the feasibility of implementing a non-federal sand bypass project and identify the most effective and sustainable project alternative. We conducted economic and technical analyses to assess potential benefits, costs, and long-term shoreline impacts.

Our team developed a solution designed to address multiple objectives. The project aimed to restore the natural movement of sand around the inlet, reduce erosion impacts on adjacent shorelines, and provide a reliable and cost-effective sand source for Broward County’s Federal Shore Protection Project Segment III. The approach also sought to reduce navigation channel maintenance requirements and associated dredging costs while supporting environmental restoration efforts in the area.

By balancing coastal engineering, environmental stewardship, and economic considerations, we helped position the project as a long-term investment in shoreline resilience and navigation infrastructure.

Results

The Port Everglades Sand Bypass Project provides a comprehensive solution that delivers benefits to both the coastal environment and the surrounding community. By reestablishing sediment movement around the inlet, the project helps reduce erosion along southern Broward County beaches and supports the sustainability of ongoing shore protection initiatives.