$7M Snow’s Cut shoreline stabilization project set to begin this fall

NEW HANOVER COUNTY (WWAY) — After years of concerns about erosion along Snow’s Cut, a more than $7 million shoreline stabilization project is set to begin this fall.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Wilmington District has awarded a contract worth more than $7 million to Cape Romain Contractors of South Carolina to stabilize severely eroded shorelines along the waterway.

The project will focus on four critical erosion areas with the goal of protecting the shoreline, nearby infrastructure, and the navigation channel.

Construction is expected to begin this fall and last about one year, followed by an additional year of monitoring.

Bob Keistler, chief of Civil Works for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Wilmington District, said the project combines traditional shoreline protection with environmentally focused solutions.

“We’re doing a combination of living shoreline and more hardened structures, riprap on the tows with vegetation and the living shoreline going up the bank, so it’ll be something that’ll be stabilized and be able to maintain erosion, protect the land and the waterway, minimize shoaling, but also would have minimal impact to habitat that’s there in the area,” said Keistler.

The Army Corps said additional construction details will be released once it receives a construction schedule from the contractor.

Officials also said they expect boat traffic through Snow’s Cut to remain open throughout construction.