The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Philadelphia District has provided an update regarding periodic nourishment of the Absecon Island dune and beachfill project in New Jersey.
USACE awarded a contract to Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company of Houston, Texas, for $38.2 million to complete periodic nourishment of the project. The contract calls for dredging and placing 1.2 million cubic yards of sand onto the beaches of Absecon Island.
Sand will be dredged from two designated borrow areas – one located within Absecon Inlet and the other in the Atlantic Ocean offshore of the island. The sand is then pumped onto the beach, and graded into an engineered template, which is designed to reduce damages from coastal storm events.
Most of the base contract work involves widening the beach in eroded areas concentrated in the northern end of Atlantic City and portions of Ventnor City. Also, in some areas, including Margate and Longport, dunes, beach access paths/crossovers, and sand fencing will be repaired. Dune grass will be planted in areas that undergo repairs.
The project is a joint effort of the Army Corps’ Philadelphia District, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, and the municipalities. The beachfill project was initially constructed in 2004 in Atlantic City and Ventnor City. The initial construction of the beachfill portion of the project in Margate City and the Borough of Longport was completed in 2018. USACE determines sand placement areas based on beach conditions and seeks to maximize protection across the project area with available funding.
Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company plans to mobilize to Atlantic City in November and to Ventnor City in December. Construction is expected to take two to four months depending on weather and overall production.
