DELAWARE -- Beach replenishment projects slotted for communities along Delaware's coast have been delayed due to a lack of federal funding, according to town officials.
A representative with the Army Corps of Engineers said both the Dewey/Rehoboth Beach area and the Bethany/South Bethany areas were eligible for beach replenishment funding in the fiscal year 2025, as per their authorized 3-year nourishment schedules. However, none of those communities received that funding.
Nearly $20 million in federal funding was expected to support replenishment efforts near Dewey Beach and Rehoboth Beach, town officials said. Both Dewey Beach's town manager and Rehoboth Beach's city manager stated that they were expecting beach replenishment to occur either in late 2025 or early 2026.
However, those officials are now expecting nourishment to happen in 2027.
Dewey Beach Town Manager Bill Zolper stated that the beach nourishment cycle is crucial for the state's economy.
“Behind agriculture, tourism is the second largest income in the state of Delaware,” said Zolper.
Without periodic sand replenishment, officials warn the beaches could narrow due to erosion. Dewey Beach’s town manager said the community’s infrastructure depends on maintaining a wide shoreline. The town, situated between the Atlantic Ocean and Rehoboth Bay, is particularly vulnerable to flooding.
“Dewey Beach is a very unique place. It's got the ocean on one side and the bay on the other. So when there is flooding, it can shut down Route 1 and cause a lot of problems in town," said Zolper. "Because of the number of people that come down here and the tax dollars that come with them to vacation, reinforcing the shoreline is very important."
Up the road in Rehoboth Beach, officials echoed similar concerns, noting that replenishment projects help protect against storm damage and coastal erosion.
“There are some historic pictures of a mother's day storm, maybe ten years ago, where the beach became very small. So when Memorial Day came around, there was only enough room for 4 to 5 chairs on the beach," said Rehoboth Beach City Manager Taylour Tedder. "So having a wide beach is very important to keep people visiting."
Both Zolper and Tedder said that when beach replenishment does occur, they expect it to either be in early or late 2027. Nourishment cannot happen during the summer months, as the area will be too busy.
A representative with the Army Corps of Engineers could not give an estimated timeframe of when communities along Delaware's coast may see that funding is authorized, and had no further updates at this time.
Farther south, Maryland officials said beach replenishment in Ocean City is not expected to be affected. Funding for that project was included in Maryland’s fiscal year 2026 budget, with $20 million set aside for the work. Officials said they expect to replenish Ocean City’s shoreline either late this year or early next year.