US Army Corps of Engineers address pause in Carolina and Kure Beach renourishment project

CAROLINA BEACH, NC (WWAY) — On Thursday, the US Army Corps of Engineers held a public information session in Carolina Beach to explain why a beach renourishment project was temporarily put on hold.

Colonel Brad Morgan with the Army Corps of Engineers Wilmington District stated that this pause was always planned, but it may not have been communicated effectively to the public before the project began.

The more than $20-million project aims to replenish eroded sand, and it will be pumped from offshore onto Carolina and Kure beaches.

It started back in mid-November and temporarily paused in December while the dredging equipment used to get sand was switched out and taken to another project.

Carolina Beach resident Kim Gaughren said she attended the information session to get some questions answered.

“I had some questions regarding the piping that’s placed right now, how long that was gonna be on, well, be on the beach, as well as how long it was going to be there,” Gaughren said. “Obviously, we know it’s there for a purpose, but obviously it’s right there. And then also some concerns or questions regarding the erosion that we’re already seeing from the project, which we know is natural.”

The project completed about half of the work by the time it paused, adding 970,000 cubic yards of sand to the beach.

It will resume later this month and should wrap up by mid-to-late April.