Ocean City Beach To Be Replenished Over 2021/22

Ocean City’s beaches will be built up thanks to a nearly $15.7-million contract between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Weeks Marine Incorporated.

According to Maryland Congressman Andy Harris, R-Md. 1st, who represents the Eastern Shore, the project will pipe 1.3-million cubic yards of sand from the outer continental shelf to replenish 8.3 miles of Ocean City beach. Work is expected to start after Labor Day and the project is expected to be completed before Memorial Day 2022.

Beaches in Ocean City are typically replenished every four years.

“Ocean City beach replenishment is always an Army Corps project of top concern for my constituents.  This is good news for Ocean City and the State of Maryland, as our coastal beaches attract millions of tourists each year from the surrounding region, driving economic activity and generating tax revenue for the state and our seasonal towns,” Harris said. “I thank the Army Corps for their commitment to ensuring that our beaches remain an enviable destination for the entire region.”

Sand for the project will be sources from Weaver Shoal, about seven miles offshore. Under an agreement with the USACE, State of Maryland and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, sand that is usually sourced from borrow areas in state waters was depleted from previous projects.

Additional background was provided by Harris’s office:

The Atlantic Coast of Maryland Shoreline Protection project consists of a wide, elevated beach, a protective sea wall adjacent to the boardwalk, and a vegetated dune system that continues north from the boardwalk to the state line. These elements work together to reduce impacts to the community associated with coastal storms. USACE estimates this project has prevented more than $927 million in storm damage since construction started in 1990. The beach is also a significant economic driver for Ocean City, which boasts more than 8 million visitors annually.  The project is a cost-shared effort between the Department of the Army, the state of Maryland, Worcester County and the town of Ocean City.