Beach Renourishment Project Begins August 1st
The Myrtle Beach area 2018 beach renourishment project will begin in August and run through December 2018. The nourishment will include approximately eight miles on Myrtle Beach, four miles on Surfside and Garden City Beaches and two miles on North Myrtle Beach.
Congressman Tom Rice (R-SC) released the following statement after the United States Army Corps of Engineers announced the construction schedule for the Myrtle Beach Restoration project today: “Over the past few years, my office has helped secure over $80 million to fully fund the Myrtle Beach Restoration Project and renourish beaches along the Grand Strand that suffered significant damage from hurricanes and floods. Our beaches are such an important part of our economy and this funding is critical to their prosperity. ”
Following are some important details on the project, including timeline and frequently asked questions and answers.
Timeline for Beach Renourishment Project
Following is the timeline for the Beach Renourishment Project. Please note that the dates are subject to change due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. You can also visit this website to track the progress of the project and see a schedule of which sections of the beach are closed.
- Garden City - Install Sub line and begin mobilization of pipeline - Aug 1 to Aug 15
- Garden City - Begin Beach Fill from approximately Melody Lane to Myrtle State Park - Aug 15 to Sept 8
- City of Myrtle Beach - Install Sub line and begin mobilization of pipeline - Aug 30 to Sept 11
- City of Myrtle Beach - Begin Beach Fill from approximately 29th Ave South to Grande Dunes Resort - Sept 12 to Nov 11
- North Myrtle Beach - Install Sub line and begin mobilization of pipeline - Oct 9 to Oct 18
- North Myrtle Beach - Begin Beach Fill from approximately 17th Ave South to 11th Ave North - Nov 12 to Dec 8
Although work will commence this summer, only a small portion of beaches are impacted at any given time.
During the renourishment project construction operations must proceed around the clock and will, on average, move along the shoreline at a rate of about 200 to 300 feet per day. Only approximately 1,000 feet of beach access will be restricted per day, leaving most area beaches available for use.
Track Progress with Real-Time Map
The public can track the progress of the project on a real-time basis located on the Charleston District’s external website.
The VisitMyrtleBeach.com website also has a page for the beach renourishment project with information on the project, as well as frequently asked questions. Feel free to share the link with visitors.
Additonal Project Information
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District, recently awarded a $34.8 million contract for the Myrtle Beach Storm Damage Reduction Project to Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company, LLC, which will place approximately 1.4 million cubic yards of material on Myrtle, North Myrtle, Garden City and Surfside Beaches.
The project will begin in August. The nourishment will include approximately eight miles on Myrtle Beach, four miles on Surfside and Garden City Beaches and two miles on North Myrtle Beach.
This storm damage reduction project goes along with the regularly scheduled plan for this area which is to place sand on the beach every 8 years. Last year, North Myrtle, Garden City and Surfside Beaches received 1.3 million cubic yards of sand using emergency funding made available after impacts from Hurricane Matthew.
“The storm damage reduction project aims to minimize the impacts to people and property behind the dunes in a storm event,” said Wes Wilson, project manager. “While we acknowledge that people may see temporary inconveniences while the project is underway, the project has many long-term benefits, especially during storm season.”
The public will be able to track the progress of the project on a real time basis located on the Charleston District’s web mapper (https://arcg.is/Ly4Ce). During active construction, the majority of these beaches will remain open and available for the public to enjoy.
The contractor works 24 hours a day, seven days a week during construction, usually completing up to 500 feet per day, barring mechanical or weather/sea condition delays. This means that active construction moves quickly and will only be in front of any particular building or area for two or three days. Pipelines running along the beach outside of the fenced area can safely be crossed where the contractor places crossover sand ramps over the pipes. The public should keep away from lines and only cross them at the sand crossovers.
As a portion of the project will take place during sea turtle nesting season, the contractor will comply with the requirements of the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammals Protection Act.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the Beaches Be Open?
Yes. Although certain inconveniences are unavoidable, the project will be conducted as quickly, efficiently and safely as possible. During active construction, most of these beaches will remain open and available for the public to enjoy. An area of about 1,000 feet long is closed for two or three days while renourishment is in progress, but temporary beach access ramps will accommodate visitors to the beach. As soon as a section is built up, it is immediately re-opened.
The contractor works 24 hours a day, seven days a week during construction, usually completing up to 500 feet per day, barring mechanical or weather/sea condition delays. This means that active construction moves quickly and will only be in front of any building or area for two or three days.
“Both the Corps and our non-federal sponsors for this project, the City of North Myrtle Beach and Horry County, acknowledge that construction during the summer will cause temporary inconveniences to people using these stretches of beach for recreation,” said Wes Wilson, project manager. “However, beginning the construction project now enables the major, long-term benefits of protecting people and property from storm damage to be realized as soon as possible.”
Even then, the area fenced off is usually about 1,000 feet long, so it's easy to go around the active construction area. Pipelines running along the beach outside of the fenced area can safely be crossed where the contractor places crossover sand ramps over the pipes. The public should keep away from lines and only cross them at the sand crossovers.
The public can track the progress of the project on a real-time basis, including where the temporary closure will take place, with an interactive map created by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
What are the working hours for the project?
The project is permitted for, and will be constructed, 24 hours a day, seven (7) days a week
What can be done about the noise from the machinery back-up alarms?
The back-up alarms cannot be turned off. The alarms are a safety device required by federal law to protect people from being hit by machinery when the driver is unable to see directly behind his equipment.
Will there be vibration monitoring along the beach front for existing structures?
Yes. A firm is contracted to monitor vibrations from the construction equipment throughout the project.
How does the sand get to the beach?
The sand is dredged from the offshore borrow areas into a hopper dredge. The hopper dredge motors from the borrow area closer to the project site and hooks up to a submerged pipeline. The submerged pipeline runs from just off the beach up onto the beach and connects to shore pipeline, which runs laterally along the dry beach. The sand is discharged as a water/sand slurry mixture through the pipeline, and bulldozers reshape the sand to meet the designed construction template.
The nourishment sand will be excavated by a hydraulic dredge and picks up small amounts of shell and mud with the sand. For that reason, newly placed sand at first often appears quite dark. Within a few days, however, the sun oxidizes the non-sandy material, and the beach eventually turns as light as it was before the project.
What about Sea Turtle Nesting?
Since this project takes place during a portion of sea turtle nesting season, the Corps is working with South Carolina United Turtle Enthusiasts who have already begun relocating nests away from areas of the beach that will be nourished.
Why is beach renourishment important?
Beach renourishment is an environmentally sensitive and educational opportunity that benefits both residents and visitors. A wider beach provides extended storm protection in Horry County for more than $3.7 billion of oceanfront residential and business properties. A wider beach ensures a protected and sustained natural environment for the sea turtles and sea birds that make their homes or nest on our beaches.
How often is beach renourishment needed?
A beach renourishment is necessary every seven to 10 years, depending on weather conditions and storms passing through the area. Horry County’s last beach renourishment was in 2008.
Additional Resources