Beach Replenishment Schedule Hopes Dashed, Pumping Expected in Season’s Prime

AVALON – Robert Burns’ famous 18th century poem “To a Mouse” gave a phrase that has never left the daily vernacular: “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” At Avalon Borough Council’s June 10 meeting, Business Administrator Scott Wahl had to announce the new schedule for its beach fill project while Councilman Richard Dean, presiding officer for the absent Charles Covington, conspicuously crossed his fingers. The plan had been quite different.
Avalon had meticulously planned its beach replenishment project, an effort calling for 700,000 cubic yards of sand to be pumped onto the borough beaches from the north end to 26th Street. Paying for the project itself with no reliance on state or federal dollars, Avalon was able to negotiate an advantageous schedule with Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company.
The work would begin at the start of June and be completed by June 29, in time for the Fourth of July 4 Weekend. The plan had actually included having Great Lakes leave the replenishment work in Strathmere to complete the project in Avalon before returning to the Upper Township beach.
Once a dredge is in place and all the beach-side preparations ready, the refill effort is a 24- hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week effort. The initial plan, therefore, had no room – to accommodate the fact that the dredge “Illinois” developed a mechanical problem while at work off Strathmere. After repair, the dredge was forced to remain in port for a week due to stormy conditions in the Atlantic. Through no fault of its own, the borough found itself with Plan B.
Wahl told council that, on June 11, Great Lakes would be beginning preparations for the arrival of the dredge. The expectation now is that Illinois will begin pumping sand onto Avalon’s north-end beaches “on or about June 20.”
Wahl said that the project should move from north to south at a rate of about 250 feet a day. There will be no 1,000 foot closures of any beaches in Avalon until Great lakes can commence pumping sand. As the effort moves along the Avalon coastline, 500 feet on either side of where the sand is being pumped will be closed.
No estimate for project completion was given to council. While there was disappointment that the replenishment will have to go into the busiest part of the summer, the borough feels that it is taking great care to ensure minimal disruption on the beaches and that the public shares the belief that the replenishment effort is important to “the resiliency of our community.”
Announcements in May that the bridge connecting Avalon to Sea Isle City would be open again days before Memorial Day also did not come to fruition when the contractor working on the bridge was unable to complete certain aspects of the work in that time frame. The new expectation is for the bridge to open around the June 19, just about when the Illinois will begin pumping sand. Wahl indicated that the current mid-June expectation is on schedule.
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.