- DISCOVERY Vessel Destiny
Documenting Reef Health Near Port Everglades
- October 6, 2026
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Project Overview
The Port Everglades Sand Bypass Project seeks to create a sand trap system to support beach renourishment efforts along Fort Lauderdale’s shoreline by dredging a 10.8-acre basin for sand collection and redistribution. While environmental protection measures have been incorporated into the project design, researchers continue to monitor nearby reef habitats to better understand the potential effects of dredging-related sedimentation and other environmental changes.
This project supports ongoing ecological monitoring of coral reef communities and other ecologically important species adjacent to the dredging operations. Researchers are assessing coral health, evaluating potential coral relocation sites, and monitoring queen conch populations to better understand how sand bypass activities may influence these sensitive nearshore ecosystems.
Application
Data collected through these surveys will help researchers and project stakeholders better understand the environmental footprint of the Port Everglades Sand Bypass Project and its potential impacts on nearby coral reef ecosystems. Continued monitoring of coral communities, sediment conditions, and queen conch populations will help inform adaptive management strategies intended to minimize impacts to sensitive marine habitats during dredging operations.
The project also contributes valuable long-term ecological monitoring data for Southeast Florida’s nearshore reefs and protected marine species. Findings from this work may support future environmental assessments, restoration planning, and management decisions related to coastal infrastructure and dredging activities.
Expedition Summary
On October 6, 2026, The International SeaKeepers Society supported Miami Waterkeeper researchers and videographers aboard the DISCOVERY Vessel Destiny Tender to document conditions related to the Port Everglades Sand Bypass Project off Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
During the expedition, the team visited a healthy patch of staghorn coral near the Port Everglades inlet. Videographers filmed researchers aboard the vessel and diving over the reef. The footage will be featured in the video presented at Miami Waterkeeper’s annual State of the Water event, which highlights the organization’s accomplishments and progress over the past year.
With dredging operations at the inlet currently paused, this footage will also help illustrate to the public and policymakers what is at stake if dredging resumes. The staghorn coral at this site represents one of the last healthy populations of the species in Florida.
Location
Port Everglades, Florida
Research Team
Jessica Ganim, M.S., Miami Waterkeeper
Noah Edwards, Miami Waterkeeper
James Ferrera, Videographer
Michael Atwood, Videographer
Barney Heath, DISCOVERY Vessel Destiny Captain
Cameron Ashton, DISCOVERY Vessel Destiny Mate
Partner Sites
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