Modeling Support of the St. Johns River Project, Jacksonville, FL

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers District, Jacksonville (SAJ) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer and Development Center (ERDC) performed three model studies of St. Johns River, Jacksonville FL during the period of 2005 – 2010. The model studies included two- and three-dimensional hydrodynamic modeling of currents and a real-time ship simulator study. The first two model studies focused upon the Mile Point area where the St. Johns Bar Pilots Association restricts the movement of larger vessels during ebb tide due to strong crosscurrents. The crosscurrents occur from Pablo Creek on the south and Sisters Creek on the north. The third model study was to evaluate SAJ's GRR-2 plan to deepen and widen the entire deep-draft Federal project. The final result was a channel design allowing larger ships access to JAXPORT docks and reduce or eliminate tidal delays.