Sources and updates: every claim, its source and when we checked it

By the Broward Waterfront Guide editorial team · Updated Oct 31, 2026 · How we verify

Every factual claim on this site is recorded with its source and the date we checked it. This page lists them, what we left out on purpose, how we pulled NOAA data, and a log of changes.

What we left out because we could not verify it

Dock projection limit (25 percent of waterway width or 25 feet). Appears only in secondary summaries that cite the Fort Lauderdale land development code. We have not read the code section, so it is omitted. Ask the city.
Fee amounts and timelines for a standard Broward Environmental Resource License, FDEP permits and Corps individual permits. We found no reliable published figures to cite. We say to ask the agency.
The City of Fort Lauderdale dock permit checklist and fees. The city pages did not load for our automated checks and one checklist PDF circulating online is dated 2016. Confirm the current checklist with Development Services.
Community Rating System discount percentage. Sources conflicted on the exact figure, so we state none.
Broward's boat evacuation and bridge flotilla procedures. The pages did not load for us, so we link to no specifics.
Observed water level. The Fort Lauderdale prediction station reports no observed data. A nearby station's observed readings did not reconcile with predictions in our check, so we show predictions only.
Wood piling prices. We could not confirm a figure from a source we read directly.
Whether minor like-for-like dock maintenance needs a license or permit. Left as a question for the county and city.

Pages on this site

All sourced claims

Grouped by source. Every claim was checked on Oct 31, 2026 unless noted.

Broward County Code of Ordinances, Ch. 27, Art. XI, Sec. 27-336 (General licenses)

Broward County · Primary: county code (Municode text) · source link · second copy · verified Oct 31, 2026

General license covers repair or replacement of existing docks and pilings if no added waterward fill is used and the new or repaired over-water structure, including docks or seawall caps, is not enlarged beyond a total of 500 sq ft over-water surface, measured from the wet face of the seawall at mean high water (Sec. 27-336(a)(1)a).
General license covers installing over-water structures, docks, seawall caps or floating docks of 500 sq ft or less over-water surface, measured from the wet face of the seawall at MHW, where no dredging or filling is needed except to install pilings (Sec. 27-336(a)(1)e).
A general license is issued within 10 days after receipt of a complete application (Sec. 27-336(a)(1)).

Broward County ePermits OneStop: Environmental Resource License and General License pages

Broward County Environmental Permitting Division · Primary: county agency page · source link · verified Oct 31, 2026

County general license page lists boatlifts and floating vessel platforms, docks of 500 sq ft or less over water measured from the seawall wet face, and dredging or filling of less than 20 cubic yards among projects it covers.
An Environmental Resource License (standard) is required for docks over 500 sq ft over water measured from the seawall wet face, dredging or filling more than 20 cubic yards, new boat slips, and impacts to wetlands or surface waters.
Permits or exemption verifications may also be required from FDEP, SFWMD and/or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers depending on scope; Broward has delegation agreements with FDEP and SFWMD for some Environmental Resource Permits and with the Corps for State Programmatic General Permit VI-R1 projects not on sovereign submerged lands.
Environmental Permitting Division contact for general licenses: [email protected], 954-519-1454.

Broward County Application for an Environmental Resource General License (form)

Broward County · Primary: county application form · source link · verified Oct 31, 2026

General license item (i): one-time dredging of 20 cubic yards or less of sediment from isolated lakes or ponds and residential canals, with no seagrasses within the project site, where sediment is removed from the waterway and deposited on a self-contained upland site.
A general license does not authorize mangrove alteration or impacts to submerged aquatic vegetation (seagrasses) or other natural resources.
The general license application asks for the owner name, the location of the work including folio number, whether existing structures were previously licensed by the county, and a description of the work.

City of Fort Lauderdale Code of Ordinances, Ch. 8, Art. IV, Sec. 8-91 (Mooring structures)

City of Fort Lauderdale · Primary: city code (Municode and elaws text agree) · source link · second copy · verified Oct 31, 2026

Before construction, a permit for docks, slips, boat davits, hoists, mooring piles or similar boat mooring structures must be obtained from the development services department; work on or in navigable waters also needs approval of all governmental authorities that regulate it; the applicant certifies ownership of the abutting land or produces the owner's written consent (Sec. 8-91(b)).
Mooring devices include boat davits, hoists, boat lifts and similar items attached to mooring structures; mooring structures include a dock, marginal dock, seawall, mooring pile or finger pier (Sec. 8-91(a)).
Mooring structures are inspected under the development services director; an owner notified in writing that a structure is unsafe or unsatisfactory has 30 days to correct the condition (Sec. 8-91(c)).
Any portion of a mooring device that can be submerged must have a permanently attached, vertical guide pole at least 1 1/2 inches in diameter, extending at least 6 feet above the water at all times with a reflective color; an alternative may be allowed if the city's manager of marine facilities finds it equally safe (Sec. 8-91(d)).
Boats moored to mooring structures may not extend more than 30 percent of the width of the canal or waterway, measured from the recorded property line (Sec. 8-91(e)).
An older copy of Sec. 8-91 (a city PDF) limited submerged-capable lift extension to 15 percent of the waterway width unless a guide pole was attached; the current Municode and elaws text requires a guide pole on any submerged-capable mooring device and contains no 15 percent test.

City of Fort Lauderdale: King Tides and High Tides

City of Fort Lauderdale · Primary: city page · source link · verified Oct 31, 2026

The city requires new seawalls to be built to a minimum top elevation of 5 feet.
NOAA predictions can differ from observed sea level: prolonged onshore wind or low barometric pressure can produce higher levels than predicted; offshore wind or high pressure can produce lower.
The city lists predicted 2026 king tides on Sept 10 to 13, Sept 26 to Oct 1, Oct 7 to 13, Oct 24 to 31, Nov 5 to 11, Nov 22 to 28 and Dec 24 to 25, notes at least 40 predicted king tide days in 2026, and says flooding can occur outside those dates.
The city lists additional higher-tide dates (spring tides Apr 17 to 19 and May 15 to 19; fall tides Aug 11 to 14 and Dec 5 to 8) and says the highest tides typically come in September, October and November.
City advice to owners: inspect your seawall and, if it overtops during king tides, elevate it to the city standard; consider flood barriers and check valves; raise panels, water heaters and appliances; verify flood insurance; boaters should know high tides lower clearance under fixed bridges.
City crews maintain 215 tidal valves; the city cites property owners whose seawalls contribute to roadway tidal flooding.
The city says homeowner and renter policies usually do not cover flood damage, encourages owners in Special Flood Hazard Areas to buy flood insurance, and offers a Flood Zone Request form and a property flood zone determination letter.

NOAA CO-OPS station metadata and datums, station 8722937

NOAA · Primary: NOAA metadata API (called Oct 31, 2026) · source link · verified Oct 31, 2026

Station 8722937, Ft. Lauderdale, Andrews Avenue Bridge, is a NOAA tide prediction station; NOAA metadata lists it as removed on 2022-02-14, and a water level request returns no observed data.
Mean Higher-High Water at station 8722937 is 0.45 ft on NAVD88 (datum epoch 1983 to 2001, accepted Jul 29 2024).

South Florida Water Management District: 2026 King Tide Season Forecast

SFWMD · Primary: water management district · source link · verified Oct 31, 2026

SFWMD lists east coast high tide windows (Sept 24 to Oct 15, Oct 22 to Nov 12, Nov 22 to 29, Dec 22 to 27, 2026) with an annual maximum predicted peak on Oct 27, 2026, and publishes weekly Tidal Outlooks that account for wind, sea level rise and other conditions.

Broward County: About Hurricanes

Broward County Emergency Management · Primary: county page · source link · verified Oct 31, 2026

Hurricane season is June 1 through November 30; South Florida's season is typically most active August through October.
A Hurricane Watch means hurricane conditions are possible, generally within 48 hours; a Hurricane Warning means they are expected in 36 hours or less.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: Storm Prep Resources (boaters)

FWC · Primary: state agency page · source link · verified Oct 31, 2026

FWC: haul trailerable boats out and move them as far from tidal water as possible; in a berth, double all lines, rig cross-spring lines and attach lines high on pilings to allow for tidal rise or surge.
FWC: at anchor use the most protected area with multiple anchors at 10:1 scope or more; wrap lines at chocks to prevent chafe; install fenders; charge batteries so automatic bilge pumps run through the storm; remove EPIRBs, life jackets and loose items.
FWC: never ride out a hurricane or tropical storm aboard your vessel; comply with evacuation orders (Fla. Stat. 327.59 on marina evacuations); after a storm expect debris, new shoals and missing or damaged markers.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Regulatory Program: Do I Need a Permit? (national program text)

USACE · Primary: federal agency page (Honolulu District site, national text; Jacksonville District is the Florida office) · source link · verified Oct 31, 2026

A Corps permit may be needed for work in, over or under navigable waters (Section 10, Rivers and Harbors Act) and for discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the U.S. (Section 404, Clean Water Act); dredging and excavation, piers, docks and bulkheads are listed as examples; a state permit does not replace it.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District Regulatory (Florida)

USACE · Primary: federal agency page · source link · verified Oct 31, 2026

The Corps Jacksonville District Regulatory Division covers Florida (general line 904-232-1177, [email protected]); obtaining a state permit does not obviate the need for a Corps permit.

Florida DEP: Federal Permits and Coordination (State Programmatic General Permit VI)

Florida DEP · Primary: state agency page · source link · verified Oct 31, 2026

State Programmatic General Permit VI covers docks, piers and other minor piling-supported structures, shoreline stabilization and boat ramps, with listed excluded areas such as federal navigation channels.

Palm Beach Dredging: Canal Dredging Cost, Palm Beach 2026 Pricing Guide

Palm Beach Dredging, a division of South Florida Seawall (contractor) · Seller published range, Palm Beach County (contractor bias) · source link · verified Oct 31, 2026

Palm Beach County quote structure: mobilization starts at $3,000 and dredging starts at $150 per cubic yard; a typical 80 cubic yard single-slip job is about $15,000 all in; organic muck disposal runs $25 to $40 per yard before dredging; sharing mobilization with neighbors can cut per-homeowner cost 20 to 30 percent (vendor claim).
Dredging too close to an old seawall without a toe shelf or tie-backs risks collapse; the vendor flags this at the site visit (vendor claim).

Fort Lauderdale CAM 22-0827, Himmarshee Canal maintenance dredging agreement

City of Fort Lauderdale (public record) · Primary: city agenda record (2022), commercial-scale public project · source link · second copy · verified Oct 31, 2026

City agreement of $710,250 for maintenance dredging of about 875 linear feet of Himmarshee Canal, estimated 2,000 cubic yards, plus $100,000 budgeted for spoil disposal (2022).

JKT Marine: Boat Lift Cost Guide, South Florida (2026)

JKT Marine (contractor) · Seller published range (contractor bias) · source link · verified Oct 31, 2026

Installed ranges excluding pilings and permits: 7,000 lb $8,000 to $12,000; 10,000 lb $11,000 to $16,000; 16,000 lb $16,000 to $24,000; 27,000 lb elevator $28,000 to $42,000.
Concrete pilings $1,200 to $2,500 each, a standard lift needs 4; permits $500 to $2,500 depending on municipality and scope; electrical run $800 to $2,500.

SFL Seawall: Boat Lifts Fort Lauderdale

South Florida Seawall (contractor) · Seller published range (contractor bias) · source link · verified Oct 31, 2026

Most residential Fort Lauderdale installations $12,000 to $40,000 installed; elevator and no-profile lifts cost more per pound; quoted line by line after a site visit.

SFL Seawall: Is a Boat Lift Worth It?

South Florida Seawall (contractor) · Seller published range (contractor bias) · source link · verified Oct 31, 2026

A right-sized four-post lift for a 25 to 30 ft boat (typically 10,000 to 16,000 lb) runs $12,000 to $24,000 installed in South Florida.
The vendor says a maintained right-sized four-post lift lasts 25 to 30 years (vendor claim).

SFL Seawall: Boat Lift Cost Installed

South Florida Seawall (contractor) · Seller guidance (contractor bias) · source link · verified Oct 31, 2026

Common residential capacity steps are 7,000, 10,000, 13,000, 16,000 and 20,000+ lb; the brochure number is dry weight and the lift carries the wet weight (engines, fuel at about six pounds per gallon, water, batteries, gear).
At the same capacity a four-post lift is generally the most economical because the load is shared across four pilings; elevator lifts cost more per pound because the structure cantilevers off the seawall, which is what makes them work on narrow canals; platform (no-profile) lifts are the premium option.

South Florida Seawall 2026 Saltwater Boat Lift Guide (press release)

South Florida Seawall (contractor) · Seller press release (contractor bias) · source link · verified Oct 31, 2026

Capacity should be calculated from true wet load plus a safety margin of 20 to 25 percent; most residential saltwater lifts run $12,000 to $35,000 installed, with large units, elevators or new pilings able to exceed $75,000 (vendor estimate).

Florida Lifts & Docks: Boat Lifts in Southwest Florida, The Complete 2026 Guide

Florida Lifts & Docks (contractor, Southwest Florida) · Seller published range, other region (contractor bias) · source link · verified Oct 31, 2026

Size to fully loaded weight (hull, engines, fuel at about 6 lb per gallon, water, batteries, gear) plus roughly 20 to 30 percent margin; ranges quoted for Southwest Florida: jet ski $3,000 to $5,000, 7,000 to 10,000 lb $8,000 to $13,500, 16,000 lb $14,000 to $19,000, 24,000 lb+ $22,000+.

Bernerepair: Boat Lift Repair pricing table (South Florida)

Bernerepair (repair company) · Seller published range (company bias) · source link · verified Oct 31, 2026

Typical South Florida repair ranges, parts and labor: start capacitor or toggle switch $150 to $280; drum switch or contactor $180 to $350; remote receiver $650 to $950; motor $700 to $1,500; gearbox $900 to $2,200; four-post cable set $650 to $1,300; lubrication and inspection $150 to $250; $59 service call credited to an approved repair.
Cables are replaced as a set; the company says makers allow five years on stainless cable and three years is sensible on a salt canal; grease fittings want marine grease twice a year; electrical problems upstream of the dock disconnect are electrician work.
The company does not set pilings, install new lifts or pull permits; it works on the electrical and mechanical side of the lift.
Before a hurricane the company says to raise the lift as high as it goes without over-wrapping the drum, strap the boat to the lifter beams and the beams to the pilings, cut power at the house breaker, and store unbolt-able motors and receivers; after water recedes, do not run a motor that was under the surface (vendor advice).

Angi: How Much Do Boat Dock Repairs Cost? (2026 data, national)

Angi · National consumer cost guide (not Florida specific) · source link · verified Oct 31, 2026

Angi national table lists boat lift costs from $2,000 for minor repairs to $20,000 for a complete replacement.
National 2026 data: average boat dock repair $3,355; most pay $896 to $5,881; piling or post $200 to $1,600 each; decking $4 to $55 per sq ft; labor $75 to $150 per hour; pilings last 15 to 20 years; 50 percent rule against an average $15,000 replacement.

JKT Marine: How Much Does Dock Repair Cost in South Florida? (2026 Guide)

JKT Marine (contractor) · Seller published range (contractor bias) · source link · verified Oct 31, 2026

Ranges: board replacement $50 to $150 per board; full redeck $8,000 to $25,000; structural joist and stringer repair $3,000 to $15,000; single piling replacement $1,500 to $4,000; multiple pilings $8,000 to $25,000 or more; storm damage $5,000 to $40,000 or more; hardware $500 to $3,000; marine electrical $500 to $5,000.
Rule of thumb: if repair exceeds 60 to 70 percent of full replacement cost, replacement is usually the better investment; wood pilings are vulnerable to shipworms below the waterline; concrete and composite pilings avoid that threat.
Pressure-treated decks weather within 10 to 15 years in South Florida; a composite redeck is said to last 25 to 50 years.
The vendor says like-for-like surface redecking typically needs no permit, while structural repairs, piling replacement and footprint changes generally do (vendor statement; confirm with the city and county).
Permit requirements, which apply to structural dock repairs but generally not like-for-like redecking, add 4 to 8 weeks to the timeline for projects that need them (vendor statement).
Dock damage from named storms may be covered by homeowner's or flood insurance or both; contact your carrier and photograph the damage before emergency repairs when storm coverage may apply (vendor advice).

Souffront Contractors: Dock Repair Cost in South Florida

Souffront Contractors (contractor) · Seller published range (contractor bias) · source link · verified Oct 31, 2026

Ranges: structural repair $150 to $600 per linear foot; concrete or composite pilings $1,200 to $3,500 installed; decking $25 to $75 per sq ft (a 400 sq ft deck $10,000 to $30,000); framing $50 to $150 per linear foot; dock electrical overhaul $3,000 to $12,000; most residential docks have 6 to 16 pilings; a full piling replacement project can run $15,000 to $50,000 or more; an engineer-sealed report is frequently required by HOAs, lenders and insurers.
Replacement signs: more than 40 to 50 percent of pilings with borer damage or section loss, cap beam compromised along most of the dock, repeated storm damage, or a layout that no longer works; inspection every two years is a baseline, annually for docks over 15 years old or on timber pilings.
Many South Florida docks connect to the seawall or share load with it; piling driving can disturb soil behind the seawall and seawall movement can affect dock alignment.
Dock electrical systems (shore power, lighting) need a licensed marine electrician and, in most jurisdictions, a separate electrical permit (vendor statement; confirm with your building department).
Most standard structural repairs on existing permitted docks fall in a two to eight week permitting range; new construction or major alterations can take six months or more (vendor statement).
Timber pilings are cheaper up front but rarely advisable in South Florida saltwater without marine-rated pressure treatment (CCA or better) (vendor statement).
Schedule an inspection after any named storm that comes within 50 miles of the property, because underwater piling damage and hardware fatigue are not visible from the dock surface (vendor advice).
If a dock inspection reveals seawall damage, a combined dock and seawall project can reduce permitting complexity and total cost (vendor claim).

NOAA CO-OPS Data API, tide predictions, station 8722937 (Fort Lauderdale, Andrews Avenue Bridge)

NOAA · Primary: NOAA data (API called Oct 31, 2026) · source link · verified Oct 31, 2026

Predicted high tide heights (feet, NAVD88) at station 8722937 for Nov 2026 to Dec 2027 were pulled from the NOAA CO-OPS API on Oct 31, 2026 and ranked by month on this page.
Tide predictions (high and low, NAVD88, feet, local time) for station 8722937 are served by the NOAA CO-OPS Data API; the live tracker requests the next seven days from the visitor's browser.

FEMA Flood Map Service Center

FEMA · Primary: federal tool (link only) · source link · verified Oct 31, 2026

FEMA's Flood Map Service Center is the federal lookup for flood maps and zones (link only; we do not redisplay maps).

FloodSmart (FEMA National Flood Insurance Program)

FEMA · Primary: federal site (link only) · source link · verified Oct 31, 2026

FEMA's FloodSmart site explains National Flood Insurance Program coverage (link only).

NOAA data method

The seasonal peak table is built at publish time from the NOAA CO-OPS Data API (product: predictions, interval: high/low, datum: NAVD88, units: English, time zone: local standard/daylight), station 8722937, fetched 2026-10-31. The live tracker queries the same API from your browser.

Change log

Oct 31, 2026: Pilot built (14 pages). Every legal and agency claim re-read against the primary page or code text on this date. Cost ranges recorded from named published sources with the source type noted.

Refresh schedule

First Monday of each month: re-check fee schedules, ordinance sections and agency pages, re-pull NOAA predictions, and update the dates above. Fee schedules change at the fiscal year start on October 1. Pages with no visits after 90 days are merged, improved or removed.