Surf City one step closer to major beach restoration project
SURF CITY, NC (WWAY) — A long-awaited federal beach nourishment project in Surf City is moving closer to construction after receiving approval to use existing federal funding, according to Congressman David Rouzer’s office.
The Coastal Storm Risk Management (CSRM) project, a partnership between the Town of Surf City and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is designed to reduce coastal storm damage, protect infrastructure, and improve the long-term resilience of Surf City’s shoreline.
Federal officials have approved the use of existing Disaster Relief Act of 2019 funding for the project’s initial construction. With that approval in place, Surf City and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will complete the remaining steps before the project is put out for bid.
“The Town of Surf City, after years of work, now has the federal approval and funding it needs to strengthen its coastal resilience and better safeguard the community’s homes, businesses and infrastructure from future storms for decades to come,” Rouzer said in a statement. “I am proud to have been a part of this effort, and I thank all who have been involved for their great work to make this a reality.”
Surf City Mayor Teresa Batts called the approval a significant milestone for the town.
“Today’s announcement marks a major milestone for Surf City and the future of our coastline,” Batts said. “The approval to move this project forward reflects years of hard work, collaboration, and a shared commitment among the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and our federal, state, county, and local partners.”
The project will include beach and dune nourishment along Surf City’s approximately six-mile shoreline. Plans call for construction of a new dune and an estimated 50-foot-wide beach berm designed to provide additional protection against future coastal storms.
According to Rouzer’s office, the project has been in development for more than a decade.
Surf City and the Topsail Island Shoreline Protection Commission began a feasibility study in 2010 to evaluate long-term beach restoration. In 2021, North Topsail Beach withdrew from the joint project, requiring Surf City to continue independently and prompting additional federal reviews that delayed progress.
Rouzer said he worked to advance the project through the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), including language in WRDA 2024 directing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to expedite completion of the project’s Chief’s Report. That report was finalized in July 2025.
Town officials, including Mayor Batts and Town Manager Kyle Breuer, also met with federal officials in Washington, D.C., earlier this year to discuss the project’s timeline.
According to Rouzer’s office, the proposed WRDA 2026 legislation would provide long-term authorization for the project, including $362.3 million in federal funding for future renourishment efforts. The legislation would also formally separate Surf City’s project from the original joint authorization with North Topsail Beach.
Construction timelines have not yet been announced.
