Seawall Repair in Flagler Beach, FL

Flagler Beach was incorporated in 1925, and its oceanfront has taken some of the worst storm damage on this coast. In Hurricane Matthew in 2016, a 1.3-mile stretch of State Road A1A collapsed after storm surge undermined it. The National Hurricane Center says dunes from Flagler Beach northward were cut back 30 to 40 feet, leaving cliffs 12 to 16 feet high, and surf knocked off the end of the Flagler Beach pier. Notably, a 150-foot section of steel sheet-pile wall that FDOT had built about a decade earlier came through intact. Boulders placed elsewhere to shore up the dunes didn't hold.

How Does Flagler Beach Connect to Daytona Beach?

Flagler Beach is about 19 miles north of our Daytona Beach seawall repair team, the regional lead for Volusia and Flagler. Daytona handles inspections, permits, and scheduling here. Bigger ocean-side projects get the full engineering support of the Daytona Beach team.

Inland, Palm Coast seawall repair covers Flagler County's saltwater canal network, which shares the same Intracoastal. To the south, seawalls in Ormond Beach sit along the same A1A corridor that Matthew damaged in 2016.

What Does the Ocean Do to Walls Here?

• Dune loss. When the dune in front of a wall is cut back, waves hit the wall and its footing directly. In Matthew, the NHC estimated 6 to 7 feet of inundation above ground in the Flagler area.
• Undermining. The A1A collapse happened because surge scoured out the ground underneath. Walls fail the same way: once the toe loses its sand, the face starts to drop or tip.
• Repeat storms. After Ian and Nicole in 2022, FDEP issued an emergency armoring order that covers a stretch of Flagler's coast as well as Volusia's.

On the Intracoastal side, walls mostly deal with boat wake and high water during storms. That calls for a different kind of repair.

Which Repairs Fit Flagler Beach Walls?

For Intracoastal walls that are still plumb:

• Polyurethane void fill. NCFI marine-grade foam is injected to refill voids and seal joints. Read about polyurethane injection.
• Joint and cap repair. Covered on our Jacksonville bulkhead repair page.
• Tieback anchors. For a wall that's leaning, see seawall reinforcement in Jacksonville.

For ocean-side walls, the FDOT experience is a useful guide. Engineered sheet pile held up where loose rock didn't.

Who Permits Seawall Work in Flagler Beach?

Inside city limits, start with the city's Permits & Forms page. Flagler County's seawall and dock checklist asks for DEP and Army Corps permits "when applicable," plus construction drawings and a Longshore and Harbor Workers' notice. Oceanfront armoring needs FDEP. The post-2022 emergency order covers Flagler's coast between monuments R50 and R55.25, allows rebuilds in the original footprint with no higher cap, and requires sea-turtle nest surveys. River walls restored within 18 inches of their old line are exempt from a separate Chapter 403 permit.

Is Any Part of Flagler Beach in Volusia County?

Yes, a small part. The Ocean Palm Villas South subdivision, east of the Intracoastal, is the only part of Flagler Beach in Volusia County. Permits still go through the City of Flagler Beach, but some county-level steps can differ. We check before filing.