Why Restore the Summer Haven River, Beaches, Inlet and Their Ecosystems?
Because Man-Made Changes Continue Threatening Them

Summer Haven and Summerhouse are located within a highly dynamic and erosion-prone coastal system influenced by ocean, inlet, river, and estuarine processes.

 

The Summer Haven River once functioned as a critical tidal connector, allowing water, sediment, and nutrients to move between the Atlantic Ocean, the Intracoastal Waterway, and the broader Matanzas estuarine system, within the Pellicer Creek Aquatic Reserve.

 

In the 1930s, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) dredged the Intracoastal Waterway expanding Rattlesnake Island from 2 acres to over 200, permanently diminishing the Summer Haven River's flow between the Matanzas Inlet and estuaries. This contributed to the following:

 

• The Summer Haven River has now filled with sand, restricting tidal flow and degrading water quality, wetlands, fisheries, and wildlife habitat.

• Environmental degradation has reduced public access, recreation, and income-producing activities tied to the river and shoreline.

• State Road A1A, the primary access and evacuation route, faces increasing risk from flooding, over-wash, and erosion.

• Repeated storms have weakened dunes, damaged infrastructure, and deposited sand into the river, compounding environmental and access challenges.

• Funding and regulatory constraints have limited the effectiveness of traditional responses, leaving the community highly vulnerable to future storms.

 

The Adaptation Plan is intentionally designed to be actionable, scalable, and adaptable over time, allowing projects to advance as funding, permits, and partnerships align.

 

SHRC is looking for funding from state and federal sources which are already earmarked for coastal resiliency and public access to conservation lands. 

 

SHRC has articulated a clear mission to achieve restoration, revitalization, and resiliency of Summer Haven’s ecosystems, river, infrastructure, and community. This Adaptation Plan translates that mission into action through four guiding goals:

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• Reduce Risk: Transition the most vulnerable properties out of private ownership through voluntary buyouts and land swaps, reducing exposure to flooding and erosion.

• Restore Natural Defenses: Reestablish a free-flowing Summer Haven River, rebuild dunes to protective elevations, restore wetlands, and renourish beaches to strengthen nature-based storm protection.

• Enhance Public Value: Convert acquired properties into contiguous public open space, conservation lands, and park areas that support recreation, education, and community access.

• Ensure Long-Term Sustainability: Position the community for long-term nourishment, maintenance, and restoration through coordinated partnerships and funding mechanisms. 

 

These goals will be implemented through a proactive, phased approach that aligns immediate stabilization with long-term restoration and resilience.

 

The Summer Haven River -- when flowing -- is a magical arterial flow of life supporting nutrients, tidal action and serene beauty.

Help us find the permanent protective solution for this river, its entire estuary system and Summer Haven Beach for all to enjoy.