Ocean City Dredging About to Begin (USA)

The Corps’ periodic sand replenishment program will begin at Ocean City on or about Feb. 16 depending on the weather.

A 309 ft. Dredge operated by the Great Lake Dredge and Dock Company of Oak Brook, Illinois will operate 24 hours a day. The dredge will be located in the ocean off the north end of the island with no noise impacts to residents.

It will be replacing a total of 1.8 million cubic yards of sand and be pumping 19,050 cubic yards a day. It should take less than five days to replenish an average Ocean City block.

Dredging will begin at Beach Rd. in the North end of the City and proceed north to Seaspray Beach then proceed south to 14th St. with all beaches in the area replenished. The current limit of the project is 14th St. although the City is negotiating to extend the project south. The beach fill operation as it now stands is expected to take 95 days to complete.

The cost for the original project prior to Super Storm Sandy was $10,320,000 of which the Federal Government was responsible for 65 per cent, NJDEP 26.25 per cent and the City 8.75 percent. It is estimated that supplemental Sandy funds will add about $5.5 Million to the contract to buy sand lost to the storm at 100 per cent Federal cost.

About $370,000 of storm water outfall repairs are also part of the contract. The cost will be shared 75% by the State, 25% by the City.

The City has also requested the Corps to obtain a proposal to rebuild dunes lost to Sandy from the Seaspray Beach to 11th St. and to repair storm outfall water damaged by Sandy. Estimated cost for addition outfall repairs is $200,000 and the sand for the dunes at $480,000. The cost for the dune rebuilding and additional outfall repairs will be 75 per cent reimbursed by FEMA and 25 percent funded by the City.

The City will write an additional contract for sand fence installation and dune grass planting. Volunteers will be recruited to assist with the planting.

The Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia District, is responsible for the contract and construction management of the project.

People may watch the operation from a safe distance behind established safety fence/ tape boundaries during daylight. The project site is dangerous at night and spectators are strongly advised to stay away.

As has been the custom in the past, the City will present honorary Sea Shore Sand Supervisors Certificates to those who watch the operation. The Certificates will feature a photo of the dredge and verify that “the holder has spent at least five minutes watching Ocean City’s massive beach replenishment project from the Boardwalk or suitable safe location.”

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Press Release, February 13, 2013