Dear Island Neighbors,

You may have noticed a lot of activity on and near the beach around Breach Inlet. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is conducting a “beneficial reuse” project that will contribute a significant amount of sand to areas of the island where it’s needed, and even more to the Isle of Palms, where it’s needed most.

The Corps is responsible for keeping the Intracoastal Waterway deep enough for boat traffic and periodically has to dredge it to remove sand and silt that accumulate there. They set that sand and other material aside in constructed spoil sites on the other side of the waterway. Over time, these islands of river bottom sediment approach their capacity, and the Corps must either increase the height of the berms around the sites or move some of the accumulated contents.

Recently, in conjunction with Coastal Science and Engineering and Elko Coastal Consulting, they determined that the composition of the material in nearby sites was compatible with the sand on our beaches. This allowed them to plan a project to pump some of the contents of nearby spoil sites to the erosional shorelines of our two islands near Breach Inlet—a win-win-win. The Corps doesn’t need to enlarge their spoil sites, and both islands get some sand in places where erosion is a problem.

Beginning in late August, the 24/7 operation of pumping the material from the spoil islands to the shoreline will begin on our beach and likely continue well into October. The project will then be directed to the Isle of Palms. You will see some heavy machinery working on the beach during this time.

During the course of this project, certain areas of the low-tide line may be blocked off to pedestrian traffic, but there will always be clearance to move around the operation along the beach. A team of turtle and shorebird monitors will survey project locations to ensure compliance with federal protocols for endangered species. The turtle monitoring team will walk the beach from dusk until dawn to ensure that any lighting required by this project will not affect sea turtle nesting.

This is an ambitious project. Sullivan’s Island will receive about 200,000 cubic yards of material, and the Isle of Palms about 500,000 cubic yards.

To answer the question on your mind—who’s paying for this?—the Corps of Engineers is covering the cost of getting the sand and material to the water’s edge.

Once it gets there, the expectation is that wave action will separate mud and other material from the sand. Each municipality will be responsible for further action to capture that sand and keep it where it’s needed most. Isle of Palms is securing a contractor to capture the sand and reconfigure it into select work areas along their beach. We will be reviewing bids to do the same on our side for the beach at Breach Inlet and nearby along Marshall Boulevard. This is certainly a golden opportunity for us to provide some beach stabilization where water is getting too close to some houses, at a far lower cost than if the sand were trucked in. More on this soon.

For more information, visit sac.usace.army.mil. You may also contact their contracted project manager, Joe Levell of Ahtna Marine, at (949) 285-2487.

EMERGENCY CONTACT INFO FOR RESIDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
We are in what is already proving to be an active hurricane season. Chief of Police Glenn Meadows is requesting that his department be informed of any residents who are elderly, mobility-impaired, or have other specific needs, along with their emergency contact information. The department is working to build a database of residents who might need assistance during storm-related events, such as evacuations.

Please email this information to Chief Meadows at gmeadows@sullivansisland.sc.gov. This database will be used by town administration, police, fire, and water and sewer departments.

Please provide: Name Address Home and/or Cell Phone Special Needs or Concerns, e.g., requires wheelchair, walker, cane, oxygen, etc. Pets in Home (dogs, cats, how many) Name of Nearest Relative Address of Nearest Relative Phone for Nearest Relative   Here’s hoping this info won’t be needed anytime soon, but please send it in now.

See you around the island!

Pat O’Neil Mayor
843-670-9266
Twitter: @oneilpm1
oneilp@sullivansisland.sc.gov