Coastal towns have to wait until Summer for beach replenishment

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Some of Delaware’s coastal towns will not get beach replenishment until Summer. Bethany Beach replenishment operations set to begin in May and last into June. Meanwhile, Fenwick Island will have to wait until July for their beach replenishment.

According to Bethany Beach Town Manager Cliff Graviet, the Army Corps of Engineers will begin work May 15th and work 24/7 for four weeks to pump 1.5 million cubic yards of sand onto the beach. He says when the two hopper dredges will begin work there will be a 1000 foot rolling closure of some portions of the beach to give the Army Corps room to work. Graviet says the timing is not ideal, but Delaware and Bethany do not have the ability to schedule beach replenishment for their convenience, and the Army Corps has their own constraints to worry about as well.

Fenwick Island town officials estimate the Army Corp will take about two weeks to complete their beachfill operations. Dunegrass planting will be completed pushed back until November and through April.

Hermann-Financial