Agate Construction wins contract for Indian River Inlet repairs

The USACE Philadelphia District has awarded a contract to Agate Construction for $53 million to conduct repairs of the north jetty at the Indian River Inlet in Sussex County, DE.

Mobilization to the site is anticipated to begin in March or April of 2027 with in-water work to begin on May 1, 2027, based on environmental windows for construction, USACE said.

The contract calls for repairing a portion of the degraded north jetty, placement of stone in the inlet to stabilize the repairs, and reconstruction of a seaward end of the jetty. Work will entail re-construction of a portion of the rubble mound structure using large rock and other components such as marine mattresses.

In late fall 2026, USACE will begin to coordinate with Delaware State Parks and the contractor on vehicular/pedestrian/trailer access to the State Park, staging areas, and other site-related issues. A public meeting will be held in the winter of 2026-2027 to highlight the repairs and aspects of construction. The contractor has until fall 2028 to complete the maintenance repairs, USACE concluded.