Our Program
The shoreline at the south end of Amelia Island has long been plagued by chronic erosion and seasonal nor’easters. In 1992 a particularly strong, six-day storm left the natural dunes almost completely destroyed and threatened to undermine several buildings along the Amelia Island Plantation shoreline. That near catastrophe prompted the formation in 1993 of the South Amelia Island Shore Stabilization Association (SAISSA),Inc. whose stated purpose is “to protect, preserve, restore and enhance the beach/dune system on the South end of Amelia Island.”
What We Do
Our Purpose
The primary tool to fight beach erosion is beach restoration and renourishment. SAISSA was created to design, permit and construct the 1994 Beach Restoration Project and we continue performing this role today. Our goal is to continue the fight against beach erosion now and in the future.
News and Events
Get all the news about SAISSA through newsletters, articles, web links and letters from our President.
Current Project
Click to review the Year 2 Post-Construction Report in a PDF.
A healthy beach is critical to Amelia Island. Watch this educational video on
the importance of keeping Amelia Island's beaches healthy.
Terry Cole, SAISSA Vice President, presents project update at AIPCA Annual Meeting in February of 2023.
Stream video courtesy of AIPCA.com
After a successful beach renourishment project, the South Amelia Island Shore Stabilization Association (SAISSA)
is paying down loans it obtained using money received through state and federal grants.
Check out our current project progress, including an interactive map (scroll down), where you can see where we are working to stabilize the South Amelia Island shoreline.
Renourishment Projects
Since its formation, SAISSA has worked with consultants to find solutions to our erosion problems; worked with State and Federal Officials to permit projects targeted at solving these problems; and worked with our County Government and with our 2000+ property owners to find ways to finance our stabilization and maintenance efforts of the beach/dune system.
The SAISSA Board of Trustees last spring formally voted to target late spring/summer of 2021 for the next renourishment. The first step in this process was to present the proposed project to the property owners of south Amelia Island and ask for their support.
Property owners signed a petition stating they support the beach renourishment project and are willing to pay their proportionate share of the costs.
With the documented support from a majority of property owners, SAISSA asked the Nassau County Board of County Commissioners to initiate the legal steps required to adopt a capital assessment. This process is underway, and in the first quarter of 2021, we will seek bids for project construction and project financing. This schedule will allow construction to commence on May 1, 2021.
Click here to learn more about this and earlier projects.