OCEAN CITY – Ocean City’s $20 million beach replenishment project should be done within a week with the resort picking up 9 percent of the cost.
Mayor Jay Gillian outlined the nearly-complete progress and thanked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Co. for the work, while dispelling the notion that all of the sand put on city beaches washes away quickly.
Speaking at his Town Hall meeting Saturday morning in the Chris Maloney Lecture Hall at the Ocean City Free Public Library, he pointed out the replenishment that took place during the height of the summer tourist season has added extra beach and stockpiled sand to be used before the next replenishment takes place.
Pipes from the dredge that was off Great Egg Harbor Bay stretched onto Ocean City’s beaches from the North End to around 11th Street, refilling beaches damaged by winter storms. Although the dredging disrupted beach-goers, as the beaches were widened, Great Lakes created cross-overs of the pipes so locals and visitors could get to the ocean.
Under an agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Ocean City gets a beach replenishment every three years in the north end while the South End gets one on the same schedule in alternating years. This year, however, was a problem when federal budgets eliminated funding for beach replenishment projects. U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew was able to secure some $99 million for projects in South Jersey. Great Lakes dredges also rebuilt the beaches in Strathmere and Sea Isle City this summer. Gillian thank Van Drew for securing the funding.
The mayor pointed out how the beach replenishment has protected the island from ocean flooding, and slides showed how at one point the ocean would flow under 18th Street. Much of the replenishment stays in place, especially through the South End.
Gillian noted how that replenishment protection helped the island fare better during Superstorm Sandy.
City officials have pointed out the North End does fare worse in storms, including Fifth through 11th streets and north. Gillian said because of the way the North End sticks out – “they call it the Q-tip” – it suffers more regularly from storm damage and requires more frequent replenishment.
– By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
– DRONE PHOTO by PATTI HEISLER/For the Sentinel
