Invasion Of The Seaweed Along Fort Lauderdale Beach
FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) – South Florida beachgoers can always expect plenty of sun, surf, and sand but Fort Lauderdale beachgoers are also dealing with lots of seaweed.
According to the Sun Sentinel, city crews have removed more than 40 tons of seaweed from the sandy shoreline in the past few days.
It's believed the seaweed is floating ashore due to a strong easterly wind and a possible dip of the Gulf Stream, according to FIU professor Stephen Leatherman, better known as Dr. Beach.
So what is the city doing with all that seaweed after it's picked up and hauled away?
They're taking it to Snyder Park and creating a compost pile, according to city spokesman Matt Little.
The seaweed is composted for about 90 days and the dirt is recycled for landscaping projects. Using the compost dirt instead of purchasing top soil for the planting project saves the city about $180,000 a year, Little said.
