Chris Smith U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey's 4th district | Official U.S. House Headshot
Chris Smith U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey's 4th district | Official U.S. House Headshot
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers commenced operations on Tuesday to remove a significant accumulation of sand on the southern shore of the Manasquan Inlet, which has raised concerns among local officials.
Crews from the Corps have begun dredging the waterway and removing sand on the Point Pleasant Beach side of the inlet, according to Rep. Chris Smith, R-4th Dist.
In a follow-up letter to Army Corps Commander Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Beeman on Monday, Smith urged immediate action to address what his office described as a “growing navigational hazard.”
“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,” Smith said in a release. “(Point Pleasant Beach) Mayor (Doug) Vitale was also quick to help ensure that this important safety issue was raised and addressed as soon as possible.”
Smith added that while weather and sea conditions would likely impact dredging efforts, he was confident that “the Army Corps will continue to see this critical operation through to its end as quickly as possible.” He advised beachgoers to avoid the sandbar at all times due to potential instability caused by ongoing work.
A spokesman from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers stated Monday that they were working on obtaining hydrographic surveys of current inlet conditions. Once completed, these surveys would be posted online for mariners and shared with the Coast Guard.
According to Smith, this survey was completed earlier Tuesday.
The same spokesman mentioned that dredge crews managed two cycles before adverse weather halted operations. Dredging is expected to resume early next week when sea conditions permit, with additional work planned later in the month.
It remains unclear how long it will take for the Corps to complete dredging and removal of the shoal, which Mayor Vitale suggested may have formed “due in large part to the southerly wind we’ve been having.” An Army Corps spokesman did not immediately respond to requests for further information on Tuesday.
This article was published by Star Ledger/NJ.com on Aug. 7, 2024.
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