Ocean County Leader

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has commenced dredging operations at the Manasquan Inlet to address a hazardous accumulation of sand along the jetty on the Point Pleasant Beach side of the channel, according to Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester). Smith has maintained ongoing communication with Army Corps officials aboard the USACE Dredge Murden.

"We are very grateful to Lt. Col. Beeman and his team from the Philadelphia Army Corps for their quick response to our concerns over the dangerous shoaling in the Manasquan Inlet that poses serious navigational hazards to boaters during this especially busy time of the year on the Jersey Shore," said Smith. "Mayor Vitale was also quick to help ensure that this important safety issue was raised and addressed as soon as possible."

"With a storm coming in later today, weather and sea conditions may impact their ongoing work, but I am confident that the Army Corps will continue to see this critical operation through to its end as quickly as possible," Smith added.

"In the meantime, beachgoers should remain off the sandbar at all times as the removal of sand in the inlet could make the temporary sandbar extremely unstable and unsafe," Smith cautioned. "Safety is the absolute number one priority."

The Army Corps' action follows discussions initiated by Smith with local boat captains and Army Corps officials over recent days as shoaling began to develop.

In a follow-up letter to Army Corps Commander Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Beeman on Monday, Smith urged immediate action to mitigate what he described as a growing navigational hazard.

Consequently, earlier today, a survey of the inlet floor was conducted by USACE personnel who promptly began removing accumulated sand.

Manasquan Inlet, characterized by constantly shifting sands due to currents, has experienced similar issues before. When safety hazards emerged in August 2022, Smith secured an emergency survey from USACE along with continuous monitoring of riverbed conditions to ensure navigability.