A major beach fill project that will result in 290,000 cubic yards of sand being placed on the Avalon beachfront will begin Today, during the early afternoon hours. Yesterday, Avalon officials attended a progress meeting with the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, and Norfolk Dredging in Avalon.
The actual start of the beach fill project was delayed during the holiday season due to strong gusty winds that prevented the dredge from beginning the work. Winds are expected out of the west for the next several days with no major storms in the forecast. The dredge “Charleston” is expected to pump an average of 1,000 cubic yards per hour during the beach fill operation; on average, the “Charleston” will operate 17 hours a day and will only stop for mechanical or weather-related issues.
This beach fill project will be completely financed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. It will result in 290,000 cubic yards of sand to be placed on the Avalon beachfront from the terminal groin at 9th Street south to 25th Street. This beach fill will replace sand that was lost during Hurricane Irene in August, 2011 and Hurricane Sandy in October, 2012.
Once the Avalon beach fill project is completed, the dredge will head to Fire Island, New York for a beach fill project in that community. When the New York project is finished, the dredge returns to Hereford Inlet to conduct a major beach fill operation on two sections of Stone Harbor’s beachfront. Sand will be placed in Stone Harbor from 92nd Street south to 114th Street, and from 119th Street south to the terminal groin. By contract, the Stone Harbor project must be completed on or before May 23rd, 2013.
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Press Release, January 3, 2013