Posted on February 11, 2025
Twenty-six miles of Grand Strand beaches are set for a renourishment project this spring, meaning portions of the beach will be closed to the public.
Large “hopper dredges” will be seen miles offshore where they will pump material from the ocean floor onboard. Then, sand will be separated from the water using a hopper and filter and pumped about three miles through a pipe and onto the beach. Bulldozers will then spread the sand on the beach to complete the renourishment.
After Hurricanes Debby and Ian in 2024 and 2022, respectively, the cities of Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach and Garden City requested a post damage assessment from the Army Corps of Engineers.
Army Corps Charleston spokesperson Emily Stark said that the assessment concluded that replenishment was necessary.
“This project will help reduce the risk to life and infrastructure beyond the dunes along the Grand Strand during future storms,” a North Myrtle Beach press release states.
Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company was picked as the contractor for the project, the city said.
The project will cost about $72 million through federal funding through emergency authorization, Stark said.
Two million cubic yards will be placed along 26 miles of the Grand Strand coastline, according to an Army Corps release. That’s equivalent to 200,000 dump trucks filled with sand.
Construction will stretch from public beach access 29 in Garden City to Cherry Grove Point in North Myrtle Beach with two gaps at Myrtle Beach State Park and a portion of coastline from Singleton Swash to White Point Swash.
Expected to take about 18 months, the exact start date for the project is to be determined.
“Further information on the construction timeline will be released once the contractors work plan is finalized and a mobilization date had been coordinated,” Stark said.
During the project, 1,000-foot sections of the beach will be closed to the public, but all other sections of the beach will remain open. The sections of the beach that will be closed may be checked online at cesac.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=5c20349ed99d42febd9e49bd2f270c99.
“Safety is our top priority during the beach renourishment project. Construction zones will be clearly marked, and we will urge everyone to stay outside of these areas and respect signage and barriers,” an Army Corps release states. “Heavy equipment, such as bulldozers and pipelines, will be in operation, and maintaining a safe distance ensures the protection of both workers and the public.”
