Emergency dredging project to restore Delaware Indian River Inlet has begun

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An emergency dredging project to restore severe beach erosion along a popular surfing and fishing spot north of Delaware’s Indian River Inlet began this week.

The $15 million initiative aims to restore the shoreline on the north side of the Indian River Inlet Bridge.

Two separate storms earlier this year triggered dune breaches along the coastline, closing portions of the Coastal Highway.

The project is a crucial step to protect the highway, which serves as an emergency evacuation route, according to Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.

The project will also prepare the area for the increasing intensity of storms caused by climate change, said the agency’s secretary, Shawn Garvin.

“[The area] is in a position where it tends to lose sand faster than other areas of the coastline, and does not naturally regenerate,” Garvin said. “It is at the foot of the bridge. It is a very popular area for fishing and surfing, and general beach use. So, we’re looking to try to get it back into a stable situation.”

The dune on the northeast end of the bridge was breached Aug. 18 during the aftermath of Hurricane Ernesto, which caused high tides, and strong winds and waves. The breach caused road closures on Route 1 for the second time within six months. In March, the dune was impacted by a smaller storm that hit the Delaware coast.

The restoration project involves dredging 380,000 cubic yards of sand from a shoal on the south side of the Indian River Inlet to rebuild the beach, as well as the dunes, which were built to protect the area from storms and flooding.

“We’re going to see a really big pipe that’s running from the inlet to the beach in a roundabout way, because there’s additional Corp of Engineers work going on in the inlet,” Garvin said. “You’ll see a dredge in the inlet, and there’ll be a number of trucks pushing sand around to get it into the appropriate locations as it’s being pumped onto the beach.”

A second $10 million phase, led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is scheduled for 2025.

The north side beach at Delaware Seashore State Park is closed until the work is complete. Hiking and biking access is also limited from the North Campground to the Route 1 northbound lane. American Disability Act (ADA)-compliant multi-use ramps will be provided at all pedestrian pipeline crossings. However, DNREC discourages people from using the area for safety reasons.