Avalon Authorizes Backpassing Beach Fill Project

AVALON – The Avalon Borough Council unanimously approved a contract for rental equipment during its meeting April 13 that will permit the Borough to conduct a sand backpassing project to fortify its beaches and dunes in advance of the upcoming summer tourism season.  The project will result in approximately 50,000 cubic yards of sand being relocated from beaches in the central part of the community back to its place of origin, the north end beachfront.
“This backpassing project is a very cost-effective way to restore the beaches in the north end of our community which are vulnerable to powerful coastal storms”, said Avalon Mayor Martin Pagliughi.  “This project will ensure that we have a protective and recreational beach in advance of hurricane season, and the summer tourism season”.
The Avalon Department of Public Works will conduct this backpassing operation in the coming weeks.  Sand that accreted on the Avalon beachfront between 32nd and 38th streets will be mechanically scraped and relocated back to areas of the north end beach front that were compromised during a four-day coastal storm event in early October, 2015, and during Winter Storm Jonas in January, 2016.  The sand will be placed on areas of the north end beachfront consistent with the United States Army Corps of Engineers beach profile for the Borough.  Various dune paths and crossovers that were damaged by these storms will also be restored as part of this project.  Work will be conducted around the daily tide cycle on the beachfront. 
Avalon receives quarterly updates on the placement of sand on its beaches from Dr. Stewart Farrell from Richard Stockton University.  Dr. Farrell noted that following these two coastal storm events, sand was transported just offshore of Avalon and on sections of central and south end beaches.  Avalon has received permits from both the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and from the United States Army Corps of Engineers to conduct this backpassing operation.
“Avalon will save a tremendous amount of money courtesy of this work being conducted by our Department of Public Works”, said Avalon Council President Dick Dean.  “We will continue to pursue future permitting opportunities to conduct additional backpassing projects in the future that will help extend the protection provided to our community from hydraulic beach fills”.
The Borough of Avalon has participated in a Corps’ 50-year beach management program since 2002.  Mayor and Council have been working with the Corps in advance of the next major hydraulic beach fill project;  that will occur sometime during the Fall/Winter season of 2016-’17.
For more, visit www.avalonboro.net.