USA: Avalon Beach Renour­ish­ment Project About to Begin

Avalon Mayor Mar­tin Pagli­ughi and Stone Har­bor Mayor Suzanne Wal­ters announced that a major beach renour­ish­ment project autho­rized ear­lier this year by the United States Army Corps of Engi­neers will com­mence on or about Decem­ber 15th.

The project will result in up to 450,000 cubic yards of new sand to be placed on the Seven Mile Island Beach­front that was dam­aged dur­ing Hur­ri­cane Irene in August, 2011.

“Both Avalon and Stone Har­bor are for­tu­nate that the con­tract for this beach fill was awarded by the Corps in August, 2012”, Mayor Pagli­ughi said. “This beach fill project will ensure that both com­mu­ni­ties are pro­tected in advance of the win­ter and spring storm seasons”.

A part­ner­ing meet­ing regard­ing the upcom­ing beach fill project will be held in Avalon on Wednes­day, Decem­ber 19th. Rep­re­sen­ta­tives from both com­mu­ni­ties, as well as offi­cials from the United States Army Corps of Engi­neers, the New Jersey Depart­ment of Envi­ron­men­tal Pro­tec­tion, and the dredg­ing com­pany will be in attendance.

The $4.59 mil­lion project was awarded to Nor­folk Dredg­ing Com­pany. The com­pany will be using a hydraulic dredge named the “Charleston” to con­duct the major beach fill project on sev­eral sec­tions of the Seven Mile Island beach­front in Avalon and Stone Har­bor. The dredge is expected to be in place within two weeks, weather per­mit­ting. Once the beach fill oper­a­tions begin, the dredge will work seven days a week, around the clock to com­plete the major recon­struc­tion of the beachfront.

“The beach­front not only pro­vides pro­tec­tion to the Seven Mile Beach infra­struc­ture and prop­erty, it is also the eco­nomic engine that dri­ves the local tourism econ­omy”, Mayor Wal­ters said. “This beach fill project will pro­vide assur­ances that both Stone Har­bor and Avalon have spa­cious recre­ational beaches for res­i­dents and vis­i­tors to enjoy next sum­mer, and beyond”.

In August, 2011 Hur­ri­cane Irene brought sig­nif­i­cant wind and wave action to the beach­front of Avalon and Stone Har­bor. The storm eroded dozens of blocks of beach­front in both com­mu­ni­ties. The hydraulic dredge will take sand from “bor­row areas” in both the Townsends Inlet and Here­ford Inlet and place sand that washed away back onto the beaches. The beach fill project will begin in Avalon, and con­clude in Stone Har­bor later this winter.

Avalon’s beach fill project will result in a poten­tial total of 190,000 cubic yards of sand being placed on north end beaches from 9th Street south to 20th Street. Avalon will also receive 2,200 lin­ear feet of new dune grass that will be planted from 9th Street south to 16th Street. Stone Harbor’s beach fill project will result in a poten­tial of 260,000 cubic yards of sand that will be placed on the beach­front from 106th Street south to the mid block of 113th Street and 114th Street; sand will also be placed from 106th Street to 99th Street, and from 119th Street to the Here­ford Inlet groin.

This Seven Mile beach nour­ish­ment project is being funded by the United States Army Corps of Engi­neers with sup­port from the New Jer­sey Depart­ment of Envi­ron­men­tal Pro­tec­tion along with Avalon and Stone Harbor.

[mappress]

Press Release, December 11, 2012