East Rockaway Inlet to be dredged this Fall, Rockaway Beach gets that sand to help with beach erosion

Image source: Dredging Today

Dredging Today, an industry publication aimed at the dredging and port construction community, reported that a $4.6 million contract has been awarded to dredge the East Rockaway Inlet federal navigation channel (GMAP). As a result, approximately 250,000 to 300,000 cubic yards of sand from the dredging will be placed along eroded beaches such as Rockaway Beach – this sand is expected to help reduce the damage that has hit the beaches over the past year. The Rockaways are still dealing with erosion due to the wrath of Hurricane Irene last year, whose lingering damage still poses a risk to the homes and safety of many Rockaway residents.

The dredging will be mutually beneficial to both the people that use the channel and the local community – the dredging will provide safe navigation through the water (the inlet clogs with sand and makes it hard for boaters, anglers, commercial ships, and emergency response boats to maneuver through it), and local community will be provided with sand to help with severe beach erosion, making the beaches safer overall.

Last spring, Senator Charles Shumer and Assemblyman Phillip Goldfeder pleaded their case about the dredging:

We need to restore Rockaway Beach to its full sandy glory, both to protect against the next big storm and for the enjoyment of the countless city residents who flock here during the summer months. Rockaway residents live in constant fear of flooding, so we need to do everything we can to prevent severe erosion that can put residents in harm’s way. Opening up the channel is also key for area boaters, anglers and emergency responders, as well as for commercial shipping.

The last time dredging of this Inlet happend was in Spring 2010. 127,000 cubic yards of sand were removed and placed in eroded section along Rockaway Beach. This dredging was done with close coordination with the Department of Parks and Recreation.

This year’s contract was awarded to Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company (Oakbrook, IL) by the US Army Corps of Engineers. They will coordinate with the NY Department of Parks and Recreation, as they did in 2010. The dredging will start this month (October) and is expected to be done by the end of the year.