Posted on October 6, 2025
550,000 cubic yards of sand expected to be pumped over next month or so
For the second time in less than 10 months, the beach immediately north of the Indian River Inlet is receiving lots and lots of sand.
Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company, a contractor for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, began working Sept. 27, but shut down operations a couple of days later because of Hurricane Humberto and Tropical Storm Imelda, said Steve Rochette, Army Corps spokesperson, in an email Oct. 2. They are looking to start back up once the seas are calmer, he said.
The project calls for about 550,000 cubic yards of sand to be placed onto about 5,000 feet of the beach. The sand is coming from the ebb shoal of the inlet system, which is located about one mile offshore.
Earlier this year, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control oversaw the first phase of the project, which pumped about 380,000 cubic yards of sand onto the same stretch of beach.
The project is expected to take four to six weeks to complete. As work progresses, the contractor will close off about 1,000 feet of beach at a time during construction.
Cages that catch old munitions out in the ocean sit ready to be used when needed.
Completely exposed only a couple of weeks ago, this old antenna foundation is the clearest example work has begun.
All these pipes will be needed as the project makes its way down the beach.
More pipes and pumps sit in the parking lot ready to be used.
This is one of a pod of dolphins that thought the inlet’s waters were easier to swim in that the ocean’s.
