This study is being cost shared by the Army Corp of Engineers- Philadelphia District and the Sate of New Jersey- Department of Environmental Protection. 

General Investigations are part of a two part study process including a Reconnaissance and Feasibility.  Reconnaissance efforts are fully funded by the Federal government and structured to determine whether interest exists in pursuing a Federal water resource project.  Our Hereford to Cape May Reconnaissance efforts were concluded in the winter of 2002, and the study proceeded to the more detailed Feasibility phase with the signature of the Feasibility Cost Sharing Agreement between the Philadelphia District and the State of New Jersey on September 30, 2002.  This agreement outlines the scope and cost of the investigation. 

The study area is located in Cape May County , New Jersey approximately 30 miles south of Atlantic City and immediately north of Cape May City .  The barrier island is situated between Hereford Inlet and Cape May Inlet, in an area historically referred to as " Five Mile Beach ".   Communities on this island include: North Wildwood, West Wildwood, Wildwood, Wildwood Crest and Upper Township .  The project area is the site of a world famous Boardwalk that stretches from North Wildwood to the southern terminus of Wildwood City .  Construction of the boardwalk began in Wildwood around 1900, and has been expanding ever since.  The boardwalk attracts hundreds of thousands of tourist a year and serves as a vacation destination for families nationwide.    

The project area from Hereford to Cape May Inlet is experiencing problem unique to most ocean front communities. While significant erosion is threatening homes and infrastructure in North Wildwood, accretion is clogging municipal outfalls in Wildwood and Wildwood Crest.  North Wildwood, the municipality that once boasted the largest beaches in the State now has some of its smallest. Years of persistent erosion have removed 1,200-1,400 linear feet of North Wildwood beachfront allowing the Atlantic Ocean to creep up on municipal roads, houses and infrastructure.  In contrast, Wildwood and Wildwood Crest have accumulated vast quantities of sand to the extent that it is clogging municipal outfalls, creating health and maintenance hazards and creating an unbearable trip across the beach.  This clogging also causes unsanitary ponds of water on the berms of municipal beaches and causes interior flooding in the streets of Wildwood and Wildwood Crest.

The purpose of the Corps and State investigation will focus on how to minimize storm damage in North Wildwood and eliminate the clogged outfalls in Wildwood & Wildwood Crest.