Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Co. was contracted by Manatee County to replenish county beaches in the cities of Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach. The $18.7 million project took nearly three months, running Dec. 20 to March 3, 2014.

The project required eight miles of pipe, five barges and pumped 1.3 million cubic yards of sand from a borrow site one-mile off the shores of Anna Maria Island.

The beach replenishment project replaced sand naturally diminished by erosion. These photos and a feature article were published in The Islander March 26, 2014.

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Director of Parks and Natural Resources Director Charlie Hunsicker reviews plans with Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Co. project manager.

Bradenton Beach Commissioner Jack Clarke stands on the deck of the dredge barge California.

The cutter is driven by a large pump housed inside the dredge barge.

The barge containing the cutter arm is connected to a barge containing a deck and the anchor.

The cutter is equipped with shovel like teeth, and spins at 35 rotations a second.

The dredge barge California sits anchored off the shore of Egmont Key. The large cutter used for agitating and sucking up sand sits above the water.

Bradenton Beach Police Chief Sam Speciale stands on the deck of the California during a tour of the dredge barge.

Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Co. project manager speaks to city and county officials on the deck of the California.

Large poles dig into the floor of the Gulf of Mexico to anchor the barge during the project.

The deck of the barge.

Equipment sits on the deck of the dredge barge the California.

Pipes lead to a neighboring barge.

Large metal floats are used to run pipe, and raise and lower pipe into the water.

The main pump used to spin the cutter and suck sand from the seafloor occupies the majority of the space in the engine room of the barge.

A “tooth” from the cutter used to agitate sand is nearly two-feet long.

The California is one of five barges anchored in the vicinity of the borrow site. The other barges generate power and provide extra suction to move sand from the borrow site to shore.