The project to widen the Central Beach in Balneário Piçarras, a municipality in North Santa Catarina recognized for its Blue Flag beaches, will expand by an additional 430 meters to the north. This extension will increase the area subject to beach nourishment by approximately 21.5%, with an estimated cost of R$ 9.57 million. This decision comes in response to alarming reports from the municipal Civil Defense indicating a 'critical and progressive' coastal erosion scenario, highlighting significant historical damage to public infrastructure and direct impacts on the local community between 2003 and 2025.

Mayor Tiago Baltt has cited the report, which underscores a concerning trend of increasing severity and frequency of coastal storms and erosion events. The data indicates a shocking rise of up to 40% in the occurrence of these events over recent decades, stressing the urgent need for protective measures to safeguard both the environment and the population.

The dredging operation is being carried out by the Amazon dredger, which is responsible for transporting about 6,000 cubic meters of sand daily, executing up to four operations a day. Combining the initial contract with this new extension, the overall effort aims to deposit significant amounts of sand to stabilize the beach, protecting it from ongoing and future erosion challenges.