Beach replenishment progresses in Monmouth County
The pre- and post-restoration areas in Manasquan at sunrise on December 19, 2013. (Image: Bob Alberding/RCAP/Remote Control Aerial Photography)
Beach replenishment work is “progressing well” in Monmouth County, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spokesman said.
In Manasquan, crews have replenished well over 200,000 cubic yards of sand, while in Long Branch there is now roughly 300,000 cubic yards of new sand, according to Chris Gardner, Public Affairs Specialist for the Army Corps New York District.
Photographer Bob Alberding of RCAP/Remote Control Aerial Photography launched his aircraft at sunrise Thursday and captured the above image, illustrating the difference between the pre- and post-replenishment areas in Manasquan.
“As work progresses and we complete sand placement along the beach, people will definitely be able to notice a dramatic difference in the width of the beach berm and in some areas the height of the beach berm as well,” said Gardner. “Both the width and height of the beach berm are important factors in how the berm helps to reduce risks from coastal storms.”
Funds granted through the federal Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013 permit the Army Corps to restore beaches to their original design conditions, Gardner said.
“Under normal circumstances, we would only have the authority to replace sand lost during Sandy, but since we’re now able to ‘restore’ the project to its original design conditions as well, that means we’re able to place even more sand and that when we’re done the beach may be bigger in some areas than folks may have seen in years,” he said.
The $25.3 million federally project between Manasquan and Belmar began in early November. Crews are working around-the-clock, pumping in approximately 1.5 million cubic yards of offshore sand, and will advance northward into Sea Girt after finishing in Manasquan in either late December or sometime in January, Gardner said.
The ongoing Long Branch project, between Seven Presidents Park southward to north of Lake Takanassee, will generate approximately 3.3 million cubic yards of offshore sand before wrapping up toward the end of spring.
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