Gerald Ward
Consulting Engineer
Coastal& EnvironmentalEngineering
Shorelines Water resources
Environmental permitting
AWRA Florida
Gerald M. Ward, P.E.
Coastal Engineering, Water Resources & Environmental Permitting
Gerald M. Ward is a coastal and environmental consulting engineer whose Florida PE license was first issued in 1971. His practice encompasses shoreline protection, water resources, hydrographic studies, navigation dredging, and environmental permitting. His background spans federal survey service, engineering leadership, and private consulting. Public records document his technical input in port planning, Florida Keys water-quality committee proceedings, and federal dredged-material disposal review.
Verified professional credentials
Coastal & Environmental Engineering Experience
Federal Survey Service
1964–1970: Commissioned officer with the U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey, serving in the United States and the Central and Western Pacific.
Engineering Leadership
1970–1982: Vice president with Gee & Jenson Engineers–Architects–Planners, Inc., in West Palm Beach.
Coastal Consulting
Private consulting in coastal and environmental engineering, including permitting, navigation dredging, design documents, and construction observation.
Public Technical Input
Documented contributions to port planning, water-quality committee proceedings, county hearings, and federal environmental review.
Areas of Focus at BuilderCE
Beach & Shoreline Projects
Planning, development, and protection of water and wetland shoreline projects.
Coastal & Hydrographic Engineering
Coastal processes, hydrographic engineering, and tide and current observation studies.
Environmental Studies & Permitting
Environmental studies and permitting for water and shoreline projects.
Dredging & Project Delivery
Navigation dredging, design and contract documents, and construction observation.
Investigations & Expert Testimony
Water resources, coastal processes, and environmental factors.
Courses with Gerald Ward
Wastewater Infrastructure in Coastal Florida: Inflow & Infiltration, High Groundwater, Sea-Level Rise & System Resilience
A 4 CEH/PDH course on wastewater I/I, high groundwater, coastal boundary conditions, lift-station resilience, rehabilitation, and capital prioritization.
View courseEducation & Professional Credentials
- BME — University of Florida, 1958–1962
- Florida Professional Engineer — No. 9504; licensed in 1971
Professional Recognition
- AWRA Florida Member of the Year — 2009 & 2025The 2025 award was presented at the 2026 Annual Meeting.
- AWRA Florida Appreciation of Service — 2014Recognized for mentoring young members.
- AWRA Florida Annual Meeting — 2019Named in the Alumni / Past-Presidents Panel Discussion program.
Federal Commissioned Service
Gerald served as a commissioned officer with the U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey from 1964–1970, in the United States and the Central and Western Pacific. The Survey’s commissioned service is a predecessor of today’s NOAA Corps.
Government & Public-Planning Contributions
Met with Port staff and its consultant to discuss his planning comments. The Port’s written response records specific text changes addressing several of his suggestions.
Port Commission Public CommentsRecorded proceedings · July & August 2018Court-reporter transcripts document his oral public comments on harbor dredging, berth infrastructure, and coordination between the Port and local government.
Florida Keys Water QualitySteering-committee public input · March 2022Provided oral and written public input on stormwater, water-quality monitoring, and harbor maintenance. His participation is documented in the committee’s draft meeting notes.
Palm Beach County CommissionComprehensive-plan hearing · May 2024Submitted written comments for the Board of County Commissioners’ May 1 hearing on the Port Master Plan, addressing navigation safety, harbor planning, and dredged-material management.
Federal Dredged-Material ReviewEPA / U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 1997 / 2004His signed 1997 public submission on offshore dredged-material disposal and the need for a local scoping meeting is preserved in the agencies’ 2004 environmental impact statement.
Florida DEP Management PlansState park & aquatic preserve · 2020 / 2022Submitted public comments on MacArthur Beach State Park and Coupon Bight Aquatic Preserve management planning. Both records are linked in the sources below.
Sources & credential verification Verified September 28, 2026
Florida PE No. 9504. Florida DBPR reports Current, Active ; first licensed July 26, 1971; expires February 28, 2027. Rechecked September 28, 2026. Official license record .
Professional background and service: Professional résumé supplied to BuilderCE. NOAA’s official history overview documents the Coast & Geodetic Survey commissioned service’s organizational connection to the NOAA Corps.
Port planning: Palm Beach County’s 17-D amendment report , PDF pages 40–44 (E-34–E-38), preserves the Port’s April 18, 2017 response to Ward. Responses 6, 12, and 18 identify text changes; the closing paragraph confirms his meeting with the consultant and Port staff.
Recorded oral comments: Port of Palm Beach agenda packet containing court-reporter transcripts . The August 16, 2018 regular meeting appears at PDF pages 105–107, 112–113, and 132–134 (transcript pages 41–43, 48–49, and 68–70). The July 26, 2018 emergency meeting appears at PDF pages 470–471 and 473–474 (transcript pages 10–11 and 13–14). These are local Port Commission public comments, not Florida Legislature testimony.
Water-quality committee: Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Water Quality Protection Program Steering Committee draft notes, March 7, 2022 , PDF pages 10 and 12–14. These identify Ward as a citizen providing public comment, not as an appointed committee member.
County hearing: Port of Palm Beach Master Plan state-review transmittal report , PDF pages 33–34 (E-27–E-28), contains his correspondence provided for the May 1, 2024 Board of County Commissioners transmittal hearing.
Federal environmental review: Port Everglades and Palm Beach Harbor ocean dredged-material disposal sites final environmental impact statement, July 2004 , PDF page 177: Ward’s signed June 30, 1997 letter to EPA. His public submission is not a claim of employment by, or military service in, the Army Corps.
Florida DEP: John D. MacArthur Beach State Park Unit Management Plan , Addendum 2, pages A2-4–A2-7 (2020); Coupon Bight Aquatic Preserve Management Plan , Appendix C.1.3, public comments dated April 14, 2022.
Professional recognition: AWRA Florida awards , 2009 and 2025 Member of the Year and 2014 Appreciation of Service; the 2025 award was presented at the 2026 Annual Meeting. 2019 Annual Meeting program .
Public participation does not imply an agency appointment, employment, endorsement, or adoption of all recommendations. This profile makes no claim of Navy service or Florida legislative testimony.