The USACE Philadelphia District has awarded an $8.1 contract to Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company (GLDD) for dredging and beachfill along the north shore of the Indian River Inlet in Sussex County, Delaware.
The contract calls for dredging approximately 550,000 cubic yards of sand from the ebb shoal of the inlet system (located approximately one mile offshore) and placing the sand onto about 5000 feet of beach north of the inlet.
According to USACE, work is designed to reduce the risk of coastal storm damages to infrastructure, including Route 1 and the Indian River Inlet Bridge.
Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company is set to close portions of the beach during construction, which is expected to begin in Fall of 2025 and last approximately 4-6 weeks.
The contract is the second phase of a joint approach between USACE and the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) to manage coastal storm risk in the area. Also, DNREC managed a dredging and beachfill contract that was completed in March 2025 in the same area.