Norfolk Dredging kicks off work on the Fire Island Inlet project

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District has announced the start of essential 2024-2025 maintenance dredging operations for the Fire Island Inlet and Shores Westerly to Jones Inlet.

This critical work (New York Beach Erosion Control and Navigation Project) was awarded to Norfolk Dredging Company for $36.98 million.

According to the Corps, the contractor kicked off dredging on November 19, 2024, and is expected to continue until mid-March 2025.

This maintenance dredging cycle will dredge approximately 1.25 million cubic yards of sand from Fire Island Inlet. The sand will be strategically placed along Gilgo Beach on Jones Island, nourishing beaches westward toward Jones Inlet to combat erosion and provide coastal storm risk management.

“This project is crucial to maintaining safe navigation and protecting our coastlines from the impacts of storms and erosion,” said Colonel Alex Young, Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District.

Additional work funded by the Town of Babylon includes dredging and placement of 70,000 cubic yards of sand at Overlook Beach during November 2024.

Moreover, USACE is working with the Town of Oyster Bay to dredge and place 53,000 cubic yards of sand at Tobay Beach during March 2025.