Posted on April 13, 2026
PHILADELPHIA — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) Philadelphia District shared an update regarding periodic nourishment of the Great Egg Harbor Inlet to Townsends Inlet dune and beachfill project. Three days after receiving $28 million in federal funding, USACE has published a contract solicitation for dune and beachfill work in Sea Isle City and Upper Township (Strathmere), N.J. USACE will continue to expedite pre-construction steps consistent with the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works’ “Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork” initiative.
The specific timing for construction will depend on bids from private industry and the availability of dredging equipment. The base contract calls for dredging, pumping and placing more than 1.1 million cubic yards of sand from two borrow areas (one is located off Corsons Inlet, and the other is located approximately three miles offshore of Sea Isle City). The sand will be pumped onto the beach at the following locations:
- 863,000 cubic yards of sand to be placed from Ocean Drive to Jasper Road (approximately 5,168 feet) in the Strathmere section of Upper Township
- 299,000 cubic yards of sand to be placed from between 29th/30th Streets to between 54th/55th Streets (approximately 6,771 feet) in Sea Isle City.
The sand is then graded into an engineered dune and berm template, which is designed to maintain the dune and berm system and reduce damage from coastal storms. The contract also includes options for the placement of additional sand. Dune crossovers/access paths, fencing, and other features will be installed/repaired as part of the contract.
The project is a joint effort of the USACE Philadelphia District, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, and the municipalities. Work is cost-shared (50 percent federal and 50 percent non-federal).
USACE is concurrently preparing additional contract solicitations for separate projects in North Ocean City and Avalon/Stone Harbor, N.J. USACE will continue to expedite every step to enable construction to move forward as quickly as possible.
