Garden Key campground closes due to dredging

Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida, said that the campground on Garden Key will be closed through April 24 for dredging and repairs to the moat wall.

“This is one of our most important projects to protect Fort Jefferson,” Dry Tortugas National Park said.

The counterscarp (moat wall) was damaged by Hurricane Irma in 2017 and again in 2022 by Hurricane Ian, leaving the main fort walls exposed to wave action.

The project is set to repair and strengthen the sections of the moat wall and restore water flow in the moat by removing sand and sediment that accumulated in two locations near North Beach and South Beach.

The first phase will remove the sand and sediment deposited by storms in the moat and around the finger piers used by visitors and NPS boats.

After removing debris, including bricks and other hazards, the sand will be redistributed in the parade ground and along the shoreline and beaches of Garden Key.

“Because of the location of the sand deposits and the heavy construction equipment needed to remove it from the moat, the campground will be closed for 45 days for the safety of park visitors, staff, and the construction crew,” said Dry Tortugas National Park.

The goal is to reopen the campground before the end of April, they said.