MELBOURNE, Fla. — A major beach renourishment project is taking place along Brevard County beaches to restore sand lost during Hurricanes Ian and Nicole.

The current beach restoration area is fenced off between Spessard Holland north and south parks in Melbourne Beach.

The south reach is a nearly four mile stretch up to Indialantic and sand is being stockpiled to distribute along the coastline.

Spessard Holland remains open for beachgoers like Chelsea Hadley, who brought her dog Margo to enjoy some time on the beach.

“Walking her and had to turn around, which isn’t a big deal,” Hadley said of the renourishment work.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is in charge of the nearly $50,000,000 project, which will ultimately rehab some 12 miles of beach from Patrick Space Force Base to Spessard.

In all, 1.1 million cubic yards of sand will be brought into the critically eroded areas.

A contractor is using an ocean faring "hopper" dredge, which carries sand to the beach via a temporary pipeline.

Tourism leaders say the beaches are the No. 1 reason people visit the Space Coast, bringing in $2 billion yearly.

Tax paid by tourists to stay in hotels or short-term rentals is paying for this project, county leaders said.

Hadley said she is a big supporter of the project to restore her beach.

“It’s good for the local businesses and things like that to have people coming in,” she said.

The project will be on a break from May through October due to sea turtle nesting season, but is expected to wrap up in April 2025.