Sandbridge Beach Nourishment

What is beach nourishment?

Beach nourishment involves the dredging and placement of large amounts of sand from offshore sand sources. The sand is placed according to an engineered plan with specific criteria for a built beach and storm protection. 

What is the scope and timing of the beach nourishment project? 

The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), in partnership with the City of Virginia Beach, has awarded a contract to the Great Lakes Dredge & Dock, Ltd. to conduct a beach renourishment effort along the Sandbridge Beach oceanfront. 1.7 million cubic yards of sand will be dredged from Sandbridge Shoal (located approximately 3 miles offshore in the Atlantic Ocean) and placed on the beach between Little Island Park and Dam Neck property (5.3 miles).

The contractor’s current schedule is to begin mobilization of equipment by February 20, 2020. Sand placement operations on the beach are scheduled to begin on March 1, 2020. The project will be completed by May 23, 2020. It will be up to the contractor to determine where they will begin and where they will finish (i.e. start south to north, north to south, start in the middle and work either direction). Please note that the schedule could be adjusted due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances.

How will beach nourishment affect my visit to Sandbridge Beach? 

Depending upon the location of the operations, you may experience some temporary construction noise, night illumination, and beach access diversions. Please be patient with our much needed projects - beach nourishment is vital to our future.

How can I get the most current information on where the sand pumping is taking place? 

A website is supposed to be provided soon from the City of Virginia Beach allowing anyone to track the progress of the nourishment project.

Will I be able to get to the beach while the project is underway? 

Yes! If construction limits access directly in front of your property, you may need to enter the beach at an alternate beach access. 

Is construction noisy? 

You will be able to tell if construction operations are underway in front of your property. The sounds you will typically hear are the back-up alarms from bulldozers and trucks, which are required by federal law. Lights will be used on the beach throughout the night and may be visible from homes. 

Why do they not work in the late fall or winter? 

The warmer months are the safest times to perform the work. Frequent late fall, winter, and early spring storms make working off our shore very dangerous.

Will they pump sand onto the beach in more than one place at a time? 

Because we have such a short weather window in which to complete the project, there may be more than one section of the beach affected at a time. 

How long will construction affect my property? 

About 1,000 feet of the beach will be directly impacted during construction at any one time. Construction is anticipated to impact properties between 3-5 days. 

Do they work certain days of the week or certain hours of the day? 

The contractors will work 24/7 until the project is complete, depending on conditions.