DNREC, USACE ink agreement for Bayshore Beaches

The USACE Philadelphia District has signed a design agreement with the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control for the Delaware Beneficial Use of Dredged Material (BUDM) for the Delaware River, Philadelphia to Sea Project, also known as the “Delaware Bayshore BUDM Project.”

The agreement, signed by USACE Philadelphia District Commander Lt. Col. Jeffrey Beeman and DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin and effective as of July 30, 2024, outlines federal and non-federal responsibilities and requirements and enables USACE to begin design efforts on the project.

The agreement is for $3 million total, cost shared 90% federal and 10% non-federal.

According to DNREC, the project allows for a one-time placement of sand at locations identified in the separate Delaware River Dredged Material Utilization (DMU), DE study, which examined opportunities to beneficially use dredged material from the Philadelphia to the Sea federal navigation channel.

Also, it ultimately recommended placement of sand at multiple communities along the Delaware Bayshore.

Federal appropriations have provided $56.95 million in funding including appropriations from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

A Design Coordination Team, with representatives from USACE and DNREC, is set to oversee the project.

The team will work to identify available quantities of sand within the federal navigation channel and at the Buoy 10 borrow area in the Delaware Bay. Also, USACE and DNREC will coordinate on potential placement locations.