Posted on August 19, 2026
By Dai-Shon Donald
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WPDE) — A major beach renourishment effort aimed at strengthening storm protection along the Grand Strand is now complete.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Charleston District finished its Grand Strand Renourishment project Saturday, completing a $72 million effort to restore the federally authorized storm damage reduction project along North Myrtle Beach, Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach and Garden City after significant erosion from recent storms. The Corps said the project helps preserve coastal infrastructure and the region’s $12.5 billion tourism-driven economy.
Over the course of construction, crews placed more than 1.55 million cubic yards of sand to renourish nearly 28 miles of coastline. That included nearly 675,000 cubic yards across 8.29 miles in North Myrtle Beach; more than 600,000 cubic yards along 7.7 miles in Surfside Beach and Garden City; and 275,000 cubic yards across 11.94 miles in Myrtle Beach.
Dylan Burnell, a public affairs specialist with the Army Corps of Engineers’ Charleston District, said the amount of sand moved during the project is equivalent to more than 150,000 standard dump trucks, based on an average dump truck capacity of about 10 cubic yards.
“When you put it into perspective of one and a half million cubic yards of sand, if you picture your average dump truck is about 10 cubic yards, that’d mean 150-thousand plus dump trucks,” Burnell said. “That’s 150-thousand dump trucks on the roads, pollution, damaging the roads, causing traffic, instead we use an offshore dredge that’s able to pump up that material.
The Corps said it hopes the completed project will mean dredges are not needed along the Grand Strand for another decade. But officials said they remain prepared to respond if storms damage the newly placed sand.
“We don’t know how long it will last, we hope it will last all that 10 years, but if a storm does come we know that the Grand Strand’s protected with this in place now,” Burnell said. “And if a storm comes and this sand is lost, then we’ll do what we always do, we’ll go out there and survey the beach, do inspections to see how much sand has been lost and if it warrants another renourishment.”
The primary purpose of the renourishment is to build a wider, higher beach and dune system designed to absorb storm wave energy and reduce coastal storm risk. The Corps said a stronger beach and dune system helps protect oceanfront infrastructure such as roads and utilities from flooding and structural damage, while also providing an inviting shoreline for residents and visitors.
Work progressed in phases down the coast. Sand placement in North Myrtle Beach finished Jan. 31. In Myrtle Beach, work began in May and sand placement finished July 3. Construction in Surfside Beach and Garden City began July 3 and finished this month, completing the final phase of the project.
The Charleston District awarded a construction contract in Dec. 2024 to Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company of Houston to renourish nearly 28 miles of the Grand Strand. The Corps said the $72 million project was funded entirely by USACE through an emergency authorization.
Officials said the project’s completion marks the end of work that began in Jan. and moved south along the coast, with crews finishing in Garden City. The Corps said it will continue to monitor the beaches and assess any future storm impacts to determine whether another renourishment is needed.
