U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District
The Corps Helps Protect Against Storm Damage Along the Grand Strand
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District is currently working on a beach renourishment project to help provide protection against storm damage to people and property along the Grand Strand. Three million cubic yards of sand will be placed along the coast—that's enough sand to be placed on an area the size of a football field that would reach as high as the Empire State Building.
Garden City Beach/Surfside Beach has already received 750,000 cubic yards of sand over 7.7 miles. Myrtle Beach will receive 1.5 million cubic yards of sand over 9 miles. North Myrtle Beach will receive 750,000 cubic yards over 8.6 miles. The sand is being dredged from borrow sites about three miles offshore.
Due to flooding along the Mississippi River, the Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company is currently aiding in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New Orleans emergency dredging project in the Mississippi Delta area. Due to scarce national dredging assets, the dredges being used for the Myrtle Beach Shore Protection Project are being used in this emergency effort.
The beach renourishment work will resume in August at North Myrtle Beach. North Myrtle Beach renourishment essentially remained as originally scheduled. Myrtle Beach renourishment was moved from March-July to September-November.
The entire project will be completed by January 2009.
Updated Beach Renourishment Schedule
Garden City Beach/Surfside Beach
750,000 cubic yards of sand over 7.7 miles COMPLETED March 2008North Myrtle Beach
750,000 cubic yards over 8.6 miles
COMPLETED October 11, 2008 (tilling and demobilization still in progress)
Myrtle Beach
1.5 million cubic yards of sand over 9 miles
Began October 13, 2008 at the Southern end. As of October 29, 2008 renourishment is taking place at approximately 24th avenue south, working south at the rate of approximately 300 linear feet per day.
Note: Due to essential fish habitat immediately offshore, a shoreline pipe will run along the beach from 4th Avenue south, to the end of the project. Every 300 feet or at pedestrian access points, walkovers have/will be placed to allow public access to the beach.
*Schedule subject to change due to emergency situations, unsuitable weather and sea conditions.
What Can You Expect During Beach Renourishment?
• During active beach renourishment construction, over 99.5% of Grand Strand beaches are open and available for the public to enjoy.
• The construction contractor continuously moves along the beach during construction, usually about 500 feet per day—but sometimes as much as 1000 feet per day! That means that active construction that is fenced off will typically only be directly in front of any particular building for a day or two. Even then, the area fenced off is only about 200 yards long so it's easy to go around the active construction area. Since rough seas, equipment maintenance, and other factors affect the progress, there is no way to predict months or weeks in advance exactly where will be active construction.
• Pipelines running along the beach outside of the fenced area can safely be crossed where the contractor places sand ramps over the pipes.
• Even though there is an occasional minor inconvenience, it is for a major long term benefit—to protect people and property from storm damage.
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