Erosion a Concern at Historic Southwest Florida Lighthouse

The Port Boca Grande Lighthouse was damaged in 2012 by Tropical Storm Debby.

The Lee County Tourist Development Council has tentatively committed $250,000 to an emergency erosion control measure at a seawall near the restored, 1890s-era Port Boca Grande Lighthouse and a related museum.

The News-Press reports that Tropical Storm Debby in June 2012 damaged the existing seawall and hastened erosion at the island's south end.

The state park welcomed nearly 800,000 visitors last year. State-funded research shows the park had a direct economic impact topping $35 million in 2012.

Improvements to the seawall, including a cap that raises its height by as much as a foot-and-a-half, are in progress. But if the seawall was to fail in a tropical storm, the lighthouse would be threatened by erosion.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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