SC: Folly Beach waters mysteriously turn from chocolate brown to bright Caribbean blue

[Emily]

http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20140514/PC16/140519629

'Brownish' waters of Folly Beach turn a mysterious light blue
Bo Petersen
Posted: Wednesday, May 14, 2014 9:00 p.m., Updated: Wednesday, May 14, 2014 9:09 p.m.
FOLLY BEACH - The sea lately has been a crystal blue people say they haven't seen here before.

"I almost fell over when I saw it. It's tropical," said Vern Beaver, of James Island. "It's usually a chocolate brown color."

Beachgoers play in the waters of Folly Beach on Wednesday. The waters off Folly Beach have been very blue lately. Beachgoers play in the waters of Folly Beach on Wednesday. The waters off Folly Beach have been very blue lately.

The reason why is a bit of a mystery. People have speculated the renourishment dredging is causing it, but U.S. Army Corps of Engineers staffers say the work would be more likely to stir up the sands, clouding the water. They haven't come across anything like this in earlier projects...

 

[Emily]

Re: SC: Folly Beach waters mysteriously turn from chocolate brown to bright Caribbean blue

http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20140515/PC16/140519525

Dredging might be reason for Folly Beach crystal blue water, scientist says

Bo Petersen
Posted: Thursday, May 15, 2014 4:24 p.m., Updated: Thursday, May 15, 2014 6:28 p.m.
FOLLY BEACH - Well, the reason the seas are so blue might just be the beach renourishment underway here after all.

People have been remarking for a few weeks how spectacularly light blue the normally sand-browned Folly Beach surf waters have become. On a Wednesday flight, College of Charleston geology professor Scott Harris suspects he found out why...

The $30,000,000 beach renourishment program, (85% paid by the federal government), is not going so well.

It started in March,
http://www.abcnews4.com/story/24947066/view-from-the-dredge-replenishing-folly-from-4-miles-offshore

The $30 million project will ensure there is a beach for a decade to come, according to officials with the Army Corps of Engineers.

...and by late April:

Folly Beach's new sand washes away