Bethany, South Bethany and Fenwick Island beach replenishment projects are on track to be done before next summer.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced Monday they awarded a $17.2 million beach replenishment contract to Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company.
Ed Voigt is a spokesman for the Army Corps of Engineers in Philadelphia.
“This is the work that’s needed to get the Bethany Beach, South Bethany and Fenwick Island projects back to their full level of storm damage protection,” Voigt said.
About 1.2 million cubic yards of sand will be vacuumed from the bottom of an offshore area and put onto the beaches – including 2.8 miles running from Bethany to South Bethany and 1.2 miles at Fenwick Island.
Mayors of the communities are touting the replenishment project. Fenwick Island mayor Gene Langan said his city last got beach replenishment four to five years ago, so this renourishment cycle is sorely needed.
“The last two hurricanes that came up the East Coast - even though they were offshore - the waves came up to our dune line. Our biggest fear is that our dunes will be breached and if they are, there’s going to be damage to homes and businesses and towns,” Langan said.
Mayor Pat Voveris of South Bethany said her town is also in need of replenishment.
“Our dune is probably half the size it was from its initial inception,” Voveris said.
This summer, the town had a movie night on the beach. Voveris said the water came close to where the movie was being projected.
“We really need a remedy so we not only have a bigger beach, but so we can have more activity on our beach and productive, safe activity,” she said.
The recent hurricanes caused dredging operations to be delayed all along the East Coast. The Army Corps of Engineers had to push back the timeline for Delaware’s projects as well.
Vogt said he expects the process to start in early 2018 and finish by Memorial Day.
