U.S. Army Corps dredging along southern Delaware coast

REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. – A beach dredging project is set to start on Tuesday in Delaware.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is replenishing Rehoboth Beach and Dewey Beach over the next month or so. This project started in 2005 and crews try to replenish these beaches about every three years. The goal is to put sand back where it has eroded because officials tell 47 ABC that sand plays a critical role in protecting coastal communities.

“The simplest way to look at it is the dune protects the community and the berm, which is the technical term for the beach in front of the dune, that protects the dune. The dune and beach work in concert to reduce the risk of storm damage to the community,” says Ed Voight, a spokesperson with the Philadelphia District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

If all goes as planned, meaning no weather or equipment delays, this should take about 3 weeks to finish. Officials add that if there are any delays they won’t have a major impact on the local economy since we’re now in the off-season.