Posted on May 6, 2026
Beach nourishment construction is set to begin May 14, with initial equipment now being staged in south Nags Head near Camelot Street, around the 9700 block of South Old Oregon Inlet Road. Portions of the beach in this area may be blocked temporarily while equipment is being moved into place.
During beach nourishment sand is pumped onto the beach from a dredge, or in our case, two dredges (and two active construction/closed areas), in the ocean via a submerged pipeline. Construction typically proceeds in one direction from the submerged pipe (also known as a landing point or subline) for a few thousand feet and then proceeds in the other direction from the same landing point.
When nourishment from a landing point is complete, the contractor will switch to a new landing point along the shoreline, and the process will begin all over again. To save time during a switch, the contractor may set up multiple landing points on the beach.
- The first dredge is expected to begin pumping sand about May 14 at the southernmost landing point near Camelot Street in the 9700 block of South Old Oregon Inlet Road. This hydraulic dredge will remain stationed offshore, continuously pumping sand to the beach, unlike a hopper dredge, which must travel back and forth to the borrow area. Pumping is expected to move south first to the town line adjacent to Cape Hatteras National Seashore. After that section is complete, they will progress north from the Camelot landing point. Once that is complete, work will resume at a landing point near the Hargrove beach access in the 8300 block of South Old Oregon Inlet Road, where they will pump south and then north again.
- A hopper dredge is expected to arrive to work in the northern area of Nags Head about May 26. This dredge will begin work at the northernmost landing point just south of Nags Head Pier in the vicinity of the 3400 block of South Virginia Dare Trail. Construction will move north to 2919 South Virginia Dare Trail and then back to the landing point to head south to the next landing point near St. Andrews by the Sea Church in the 4200 block of South Virginia Dare Trail. After the same process is completed at this landing point, construction will move to the final landing point near the Village Beach Club in the 6300 block of South Virginia Dare Trail.
**Please note that schedules are subject to change due to weather, equipment issues, or other unforeseen factors.**
The landing points are highlighted in yellow on the construction progress map.
Beach Nourishment Update, April 2, 2026
Beach nourishment construction in the Town of Nags Head is tentatively scheduled to begin in early to mid-May 2026. Stay informed by watching an April 1, 2026 presentation from our beach nourishment engineer or viewing her full presentation materials.
A progress map will be updated once construction begins.
Beach Nourishment Update, February 16, 2026
At their February 4 meeting, Nags Head’s Board of Commissioners approved the Notice of Award to Weeks Marine for the 2026 beach nourishment project. In addition, they authorized the town manager to execute the construction contract for $36,412,600.
Weeks Marine expects to start mobilizing equipment in mid-May, with construction slated to begin in early June. Nags Head’s Board will receive more information, such as updates to the construction schedule and other logistics, at their April 1 meeting.
A reminder about the beach nourishment schedule: due to dependence on specialized equipment and favorable weather conditions, beach nourishment timelines may change.
Beach Nourishment Update, December 18, 2025
At their December 17 meeting, Nags Head’s Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a Notice of Intent to Award a contract for construction of a beach nourishment project over the late spring/summer of 2026 to Weeks Marine, which submitted a total bid of $36,864,100. The Board plans to issue a formal Notice to Award and authorization to execute the construction contract at their February 4 meeting.
Prior to approving the Notice of Intent, the Board received a presentation from the Town’s consulting coastal engineers. The presentation discussed the upcoming project design as well as results of the Fall 2025 beach condition survey, which was conducted to evaluate beach conditions following recent higher-than-average storm activity. Results showed a weighted average of 27 feet of shoreline recession across the project area from Bonnett Street south to the town line adjacent to Cape Hatteras National Seashore from June 2025 to October 2025.
Project financing models for the beach nourishment project were also presented. The Board is expected to discuss financing more in depth at its February meeting.
Nags Head’s Board of Commissioners and Planning Board meetings are livestreamed, and available for viewing later, on the Town’s YouTube channel.
Beach Nourishment Update, December 4, 2025
Town Engineer David Ryan presented the beach nourishment project bids to Nags Head’s Board of Commissioners at their December 3 meeting. View David’s presentation.
Next Steps
- At their December 17 adjourned session, the Board will review results of the Fall 2025 Beach Condition Survey, as well as discuss the bid results and project financing. The meeting will be held at 9 a.m. in the Board of Commissioners Room at 5401 South Croatan Highway. It will also be livestreamed on the Town’s YouTube channel.
- At their January 7 meeting, the Board will consider the bid award. This meeting will also be livestreamed and available for viewing later.
Beach Nourishment Update, November 21, 2025
On November 13, we received bids from three dredging companies for our next beach nourishment project, which will place sand on the beach from 2919 South Virginia Dare Trail south to the town line adjacent to Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
Town staff will present the bid results to Nags Head’s Board of Commissioners at its December 3 meeting. A follow-up mid-month meeting is scheduled for December 17, during which the Board will review the Fall 2025 beach survey results, receive a detailed analysis of the bid tabulation, and consider financing models for the project.
The Board is scheduled to formally consider the bids at its January 7, 2026 meeting.
While receiving bids marks a major milestone, additional analysis and decision-making remain before we can confirm the project’s construction timeframe. As with past nourishment efforts, work will likely occur sometime between April and late summer in either 2026 or 2027.
All three meetings—December 3, December 17, and January 7—will be livestreamed and available for later viewing at YouTube.com/TownofNagsHead. We encourage property owners to watch these meetings to stay informed as the project progresses.
Agendas are posted prior to each Board of Commissioners meeting.
The Town of Nags Head is preparing for its next beach nourishment project, which may begin as early as the summer of 2026.
The project area extends from Bonnett Street at 2919 South Virginia Dare Trail south to the town limits adjacent to Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
Since 2011, beach nourishment has proven to be a vital defense against coastal erosion, reinforcing our shorelines, protecting properties from storm damage, and sustaining the economic stability of our community.
Project Schedule
- November 13, 2025: Bid opening for the project
- December 17, 2025: Board of Commissioners workshop to review bid results and discuss project financing
- January 7, 2026: Expected issuance of the Intent to Award
When the Intent to Award is issued, we’ll know whether construction will take place in the summer of 2026 or the summer of 2027.
If you haven’t done so already, be sure to subscribe to receive email alerts when we issue more news on the project. Sign in to subscribe and then scroll down to the News Flash category and click an icon next to Beach Nourishment.
View the 2025 Annual Beach Monitoring Survey Evaluation.
Beach Nourishment Easements
In March 2025, we sent letters to property owners who either have an expired beach nourishment easement, or one that is set to expire in 2026. Without an easement, we may be unable to conduct beach nourishment on these properties, potentially creating a gap in the project and increasing the risk of erosion.
If you received a letter requesting that you to return an easement and have not yet done so, please contact Public Information Officer Roberta Thuman. She will be happy to answer your questions and assist you with the process.
