LEWES BEACH, DE — Ongoing beach replenishment efforts at the Roosevelt Inlet in Lewes Beach are on track to conclude by next week, according to Army Corps of Engineers spokesperson Steve Rochette. Despite facing recent storms, and expected storms this weekend, the project, which commenced several weeks ago, has progressed significantly. The Army Corp of Engineers says 80% of the targeted 100,000 cubic yards of sand are already in place.
Greg Raschdof, the General Manager of the Lewes Yacht Club, which sit's right next to the inlet, says he's thrilled at the progress so far,
"I’ve never seen the beach this large; there has not been a replenishment like this for at least 10 years from what I understand," said Raschdof
“It was actually dangerous, there was about a 10 foot drop off, huge cliffs on the beach, and it was tough getting down their especially for older people," he added.
While beach replenishment typically occurs every six years, this marks the first time in over a decade that a hydraulic dredge has been employed to pump sand onto the beach instead of using trucks. This innovation makes the project less weather-dependent, with sea and wave conditions on technology being the primary factors affecting progress.
Ted Becker, the former Mayor of Lewes and an active member of the Bay Beach Association, acknowledged the challenging conditions faced throughout the year but remains optimistic about the ongoing process,
"Hopefully this weekend won’t be as nearly as severe as some of the past ones, but you have no guarantee that mother nature won’t deliver, or, what she’ll deliver."
It is anticipated that the storms are unlikely to cause substantial delays in the final stages of the project, with ideal weather conditions even potentially moving the completion date to later this week.
