Sand placement on Venice Beach is temporarily delayed by a mechanical problem that’s caused the shutdown of dredging operations, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced today. Dredging is tentatively scheduled to resume in early March.
The beach renourishment project helps protect landside infrastructure and property from storm damage. The side benefits of the project include providing habitat for shorebird and sea turtle nesting, and supporting local recreation and tourism.
The Corps contractor, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock (GLDD), has placed more than 294,000 cubic yards of sand on the beach to date. The completed project will place roughly 791,000 cubic yards of sand on 3.2 miles of Venice Beach shoreline. GLDD officials said they are still expecting to complete the project on time in early April.
Since the storms of 2012, dredging companies have generally worked non-stop to place sand on critically eroded beaches that will protect infrastructure along the Atlantic coastline.
This work, ongoing 24 hours daily and seven days a week, has likely taken a toll on vessels as well as other equipment. Last month the pump booster vessel, the Erin, was towed to Tampa for repairs and GLDD placed another booster on station.
On February 15, the Liberty Island, a trailing suction hopper dredge, received damage to its propellers. She sailed to dry dock in Mobile for repairs, and is tentatively scheduled to return between February 28 and March 3.
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