Emergency beach dredging begins at Delaware's Indian River Inlet
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) has initiated an emergency dredging project to restore the severely eroded beach area north of the Indian River Inlet.
The department said the project is necessary to protect critical transportation infrastructure including the Coastal Highway, which serves as an emergency evacuation route.
As part of the dredging and beach nourishment work, the north side beach at Delaware Seashore State Park — a popular area for surfing and fishing — will be temporarily closed to ensure public safety. DNREC will monitor the situation and work with the contractors to reopen this area when it is deemed to be safe for park visitors and surfers.
The US$15 million emergency project comes from funds made available by Governor John Carney and approved by the General Assembly. It will restore thousands of linear feet of eroding shoreline on the north side of the Charles W. Cullen Memorial Bridge, an area that has experienced two dune breaches since March closing portions of the Coastal Highway.
Up to 380,000 cubic yards (290,000 cubic metres) of sand from a shoal on the south side of the Indian River Inlet will be dredged and used to rebuild the beach and dune system. Dredged material will be transported via pipeline and screened for munitions and explosives of concern prior to placement on the beach. Sand will be spread and graded to rebuild the dune system to an overall elevation of 16 feet by 25 feet (4.9 by 7.6 metres) wide.
The beach will be constructed to an elevation of 9.2 feet (2.8 metres), or about seven feet (two metres) above the average high tide, and width of approximately 100 feet (30 metres). The final beach width will be determined by the available dredge volume.
The project has been made possible through expedited permitting by the US Army Corps of Engineers, and a second phase of nourishment work is scheduled for 2025 bythe USACE to provide the remaining sand to complete the project.
The US Coast Guard has already given notice for mariners to exercise caution and maintain safe distance from the ongoing dredging activity – to include floating and submerged pipelines, the dredger, and support vessels in the area of the operation in the Indian River Inlet.
