DEAL ISLAND, Md.- As the jetty project ends on Smith Island, Deal Island is getting some much needed erosion help from the state of Maryland.
As a part of the Maryland Coastal Resiliency Grant, Deal Island is getting $70,000 for design and permit approvals with the hopes of submitting Coastline Design's plans to the state by next month. The Chesapeake and Coastal Service team says work will be done near Crowell Road to help rebuild the shoreline that has receded over the years.
Sue Kay and Donald Ford live less than a mile from where the restoration project will soon be under construction. They say they've seen a dramatic difference over the last few years.
"I've seen it move back in the last three years close to 60 feet. And if it breaks through that creek it's going to be a big problem on Deal Island," Donald said.
They say even though construction is not estimated to start for about a year, it will be worth the wait.
"Because if it breaks through, it's going to divide Deal Island in two. It'll go across Deal Island Road and now where we have Little Deal and Deal Island, we're going to have Little Deal and two parts of Deal Island," Sue Kay said.
The preliminary designs have already been put together, but are not being released to the public until the permitting process is complete and bids are out to contractors.
Sasha Land, coastal planner for the Chesapeake and Coastal Service, says the lost sand dunes and land mass will be replaced with this plan.
"This shoreline has lost 200 and, I believe, 34 feet since the 70s and there used to be sand dunes, and so this project is going to put those sand dunes back in place to protect the salt marsh behind it and also the roads behind it and people's houses," Land said.
Based on its timeline, the Chesapeake and Coastal Service says it plans to begin the construction of the jetties and sand dune replacements by next June on Deal Island.
