Rebuilding this Englewood Seawall After Storm Washout
This seawall site sits at the end of a residential canal in Englewood. During a major storm, runoff moving across the land toward the canal scoured out the soil behind the seawall. The washout undermined the wall, left a collapsed bank behind it, and carried sand and debris into the canal.
Sarasota County hired WB Williamson Bros. to repair the damage. The scope covered dredging the washed out material, replacing 80 feet of seawall, and building a concrete deck and stairs at the water’s edge.
LOCATION
PROJECT TYPE
WALL LENGTH
PRIMARY CHALLENGE
The Client’s Situation
Most seawall problems start at the water. This one started on land. A large volume of storm runoff reached the shoreline, washed out the soil the wall depended on, and left the County with two problems: a damaged wall with an open cut behind it, and roughly 24 cubic yards of sediment sitting in the canal.
The open washout was also a safety concern for the surrounding homes.
What Made This Project Challenging
Two Kinds of Damage at Once
The wall itself had been undermined, but the larger problem was the missing ground behind it. Replacing the wall without restoring the bank, or restoring the bank without addressing the canal, would have left the job half done.
Material in the Canal
The soil that once supported the wall was now on the canal bottom. It had to be dredged out before the new wall could go in.
Tight Residential Access
The site sits between homes at the end of the canal. Crews worked in a narrow area while containing turbidity in the water and protecting nearby storm drains.
Clearing the Canal and Replacing the Wall
We set turbidity barriers in the canal and inlet protection around nearby storm drains, then dredged approximately 24 cubic yards of washed out sediment and debris.
The new wall is a Truline seawall system. Its vinyl forms were set along the canal end, reinforced with #8 hot dipped galvanized rebar, and filled with a specialized concrete mix. The 80 foot wall follows the shape of the canal end and ties back into the shoreline on each side. With the wall in place, the bank behind it was rebuilt.
A Concrete Deck and Stairs Where the Washout Was
On top of the new wall, we built a 125 square foot concrete deck with stairs leading down toward the water and an aluminum safety handrail. Where the collapsed slope used to be, there is now a solid, finished edge.
The Finished Result
The canal end has gone from an open washout and a shoaled canal to a continuous new seawall, a rebuilt bank, and usable access at the water. The sediment is out of the canal, and the area behind the wall is level ground again.
For another seawall rebuilt after a failure, see our North Fort Myers seawall replacement.
Materials and Specifications
- Approximately 24 cubic yards of dredged storm washout material
- 80 linear feet of Truline seawall
- #8 hot dipped galvanized (HDG) rebar
- Specialized concrete fill mix
- 125 sq. ft. concrete deck
- Concrete stairs with aluminum safety handrail
- Turbidity barriers and storm drain inlet protection during construction
When Storm Runoff Threatens a Seawall: What to Watch For
Seawalls are built to hold back soil, but water moving toward them from land can do damage too. Property owners and public works crews in Englewood and across Sarasota County should watch for:
- Low spots where runoff collects and flows toward the wall
- Soft ground or small sinkholes directly behind the cap
- Gaps opening between the cap and the soil
- Fans of sediment in the canal after heavy rain
- Clogged or damaged drain inlets near the shoreline
Catching drainage problems early costs far less than dredging a canal and replacing a wall.
Let's Talk About Your Project
Since 1996, WB Williamson Bros. has built and replaced seawalls for homeowners, communities, and public agencies across Southwest Florida. From storm damage repair and dredging to new seawall construction, our team can evaluate the site and recommend the right approach.
Call 239-283-2013 or fill out the form below to schedule a consultation.