Dune repair work underway at Indian River Inlet
Following a string of bad-weather weekends topped by Tropical Storm Ophelia, the state has begun to rebuild the sand dune along Route 1, just north of the Indian River Inlet bridge.
Crews from Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environment Control and Delaware Department of Transportation have been on site for the past couple of days.
Michael Globetti, DNREC spokesperson, said the agency is working to add sand to sections of the dune overtopped by high water and large waves during the tropical storm and into the following week. The beach, he said, is still too narrow to haul sand to the dune via the beach, so DNREC’s Shoreline and Waterway Management Section coordinated with DelDOT for traffic control to facilitate sand delivery to the landward side of the dune.
“This work is designed to quickly restore some height and width to the dune to be better prepared for future storms,” said Globetti in an email Oct. 3.
In addition to repairing the dune, remnant roadway debris is also being removed from the beach. DNREC is working to remove as much of the debris as possible prior to any future beach nourishment in the area, said Globetti.
“To date, that effort has removed about 100 tons of debris,” he said.
The recent string of bad weather has expedited the exposure of old timbers used as a bulkhead for one of the bridges that spanned the inlet before the current bridge was constructed.
C.R. McLeod, DelDOT director of community relations, said there are no plans to remove the timber bulkhead.
As for existing roadway, McLeod said, there is additional steel sheet piling installed parallel to Route 1 to reduce the likelihood of damage occurring to the infrastructure. DNREC continually maintains or replenishes the dunes in that immediate area to provide a protective buffer, he said.
Work is underway on the sand bypass plant designed to move sand from the south side of the inlet to the north side. While that work is being completed, Globetti said, DNREC will add sand to the beach over the winter, which has been done before.
