Fire Island Inlet dredging and beachfill project in full swing

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District, recently commenced essential maintenance dredging for the Fire Island Inlet and Shores Westerly to Jones Inlet New York Beach Erosion Control and Navigation Project.

This critical work, awarded to Norfolk Dredging Company for nearly $37 million, began in November and is expected to continue until early spring 2025.

Sand is being placed at Gilgo Beach on New York’s Jones Island – a barrier island south of Long Island 50 miles east of New York City.

Jones Island serves as a buffer protecting the mainland during severe storms and tidal surges and is vulnerable to erosion as it directly faces the Atlantic Ocean.

Earlier this month, New York District officials visited the site to see the progress being made on this important coastal protection project.

New York District Commander Col. Alexander Young commented: “This project is crucial to maintaining safe navigation and protecting our coastlines from the impacts of severe storms and erosion. We’re committed to collaborating with local communities to ensure these efforts benefit the region’s environment, economy and recreational pursuits.”

During the recent site visit sand was pumping onto the beach from a dredge offshore as heavy equipment moved sand into place, matching shoreline design specifications.

Dredging and sand placement is regularly monitored by District employees, ensuring work aligns with plans and specifications and is completed in a timely manner.

New York’s Chief of the Operations, Readiness, and Regulatory Division Randall Hintz noted: “Projects of this scale and size are planned, designed and coordinated by a group of interdisciplinary professionals before, during and after to ensure work is done correctly and the finished product functions as designed. Dredging Fire Island Inlet and placing sand on nearby beaches is a double benefit for the community: A deeper, safer navigation channel and a reinforced shoreline better equipped to reduce flood risk from severe storms and tidal surges.”

In total, approximately 1.25 million cubic yards of sand will be dredged from Fire Island Inlet and placed at Gilgo Beach (just west of the inlet) nourishing critical erosion areas. The Inlet will be dredged to a depth of 14 feet and a 250-foot wide navigation channel.