Governor Carney Announces Emergency Repairs to Strengthen the Indian River Inlet Dunes

UPDATE:  Today, U.S. Senator Tom Carper, Chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee in the Senate, announced that he has secured $10 million in federal funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the beach replenishment project north of the Indian River Inlet Bridge.  Senator Carper says this funding will help Delaware and the Army Corps of Engineers implement a long-term plan to secure the dunes and protect the infrastructure surrounding the Indian River Inlet Bridge.

Additional Information:

I am glad to work with our state and federal partners to help secure this funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said Senator Carper. “Maintenance of the north and south shores of the inlet is a critical component of the storm management systems that protect State Route 1 and the bridge from extreme weather and other impacts of climate change. 

Sen. Carper also authored provisions that were enacted by the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 that was signed into law by President Biden on Dec. 23, 2022, to directly help the Indian River Inlet.

Original Post:

After two breaches this year and recent near-breaches of coastal dunes just north of the Indian River Inlet, emergency repair work will be implemented this fall. Governor John Carney made the announcement today. The state Department of Transportation (DelDOT) will add additional metal sheets, and the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) will perform an emergency sand replenishment project in the coming months to protect the beach and Delaware Route 1 during the winter storm season. Crews from both DelDOT and DNREC have spent the last several weeks battling erosion conditions in the area–including creating a temporary dune from rocks and sand, as well as adding truckloads of sand to the ocean beach, much of which has been subsequently washed away.  Work has gone on six days a week and crews have monitored the area at every high tide. DelDOT expects to add additional “sheetpile” – sheets of steel installed vertically into the ground to create a wall – in the coming weeks to protect the roadway bed. DNREC has identified a dredging contractor that can mobilize in late November to undertake a significant renourishment project to restore the beach and dune system.

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“This area is one of the most visible signs of the increasing effect of storms on our state,” said Governor Carney. “State crews have been engaged in continuous repair work over the last month, but we are still seeing threat to the dunes and the highway at many high tides, so we need to put larger protections into place in the near term. I appreciate all the crews for their tireless work to keep our community and our roadways safe every day.”

“While we have been working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on a longer term solution, it is clear that even a matter of weeks might make a difference this winter, so the state will move forward now on a significant replenishment project to restore the beach and dune,” said Secretary of DNREC Shawn M. Garvin. “We appreciate the support from our congressional delegation, especially Senator Carper, in working on future measures and federal funding as we will continue to need that after this action. Use of the beach and parking lot at the north inlet may be restricted in coming months as the work progresses and we appreciate the public’s cooperation.”

“Delaware Route 1 is critical for daily travel and for emergency vehicle access in the area, so additional steps are merited to protect it. These measures are necessary to maintain the roadway’s daily operation and hopefully avoid timely and costly repairs from potential breaches,” said Secretary of DelDOT Nicole Majeski.

DNREC will hold a community information session open to the public to provide the history of efforts to maintain the inlet beach area, details about the emergency replenishment work that will happen this winter, and long-term plans as well. The session will be on Wednesday, September 25, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at Bethany Beach Town Hall.

Governor Carney said the administration would continue to work with Sens. Russ Huxtable and Gerald Hocker and Reps. Pete Schwartzkopf and Ronald Gray and other concerned legislators over the next several months on future plans for the inlet to ensure its protection and restoration.