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100% of Pinellas County’s developed shoreline is included in the authorized Federal Beach Erosion Control Program  . The program includes the barrier islands of Clearwater Beach, Sand Key, Treasure Island, and Long Key (the latter three are the active projects). Barrier islands are naturally dynamic coastal landforms. In other words, they are constantly in motion and changing as they are acted upon by daily waves, seasonal storms, and long-term coastal processes. Once humans developed the islands, the shoreline position did not have as much room to fluctuate naturally; rather, the buildings and roads drew a line in the sand beyond which the sea was not to intrude. Thus, the dynamic nature of barrier islands was realized as a beach erosion problem.
Even the natural barrier islands along the Pinellas County coastline often contain historic or recreational structures. Parking lots and bathhouses on Honeymoon Island and the historic Ft. DeSoto on Mullet Key are fixed structures that have given way to beach erosion issues.
Coastal managers are tasked with managing this beach erosion and restoring the beach ecosystem in areas where is has been impacted by erosion.
To learn more about Pinellas County's Beach Erosion Control Program, explore the links on the upper left side of this page.
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