Stone Harbor’s much-anticipated beach fill project may begin as early as Saturday, April 20th.
The beach project has been delayed due to rough seas and strong winds in the Hereford Inlet where a dredge currently rests.
Stone Harbor Mayor Suzanne Walters, Councilman Al Carusi, and other Stone Harbor officials attended a progress meeting on Wednesday, April 17th. Representatives from the United States Army Corps of Engineers and Norfolk Dredging, the company hired to conduct the beach fill, stated that the dredge “Charleston” is in place and work crews are ready to begin.
However, winds have caused consistent ten foot seas in the inlet which has prevented a safe hookup between the “Charleston” and the pipe that will place sand on the beach. Norfolk Dredging reported that four to five foot seas are needed for a two to three hour span in order to safely attach the pipe to the dredge.
Current plans call for 420,000 cubic yards of sand to be placed on the Stone Harbor beachfront from south to north to repair damage and erosion caused by two recent Atlantic hurricanes. Norfolk Dredging estimates that it will be able to pump 11,666 cubic yards of sand onto the beach daily once the operation begins. The beach fill will only pause for unsafe weather or mechanical breakdown.
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Press Release, April 18, 2013