INDIAN RIVER INLET, DE - Delaware Governor John Carney has announced emergency repairs aimed to strengthen the dunes just north of the Indian River Inlet to combat an increasing frequency of breaches.
According to the Governor’s office, the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) will add additional metal sheets to create a wall while the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) will perform emergency sand replenishment ahead of the winter storm season to protect Route 1 and the beach.
Both DelDOT and DNREC have been battling erosion in the area for several weeks, according to officials, and have created a temporary dune. Truckloads of sand were added to the beach in response to the erosion, but most of it has already been washed away.
“This area is one of the most visible signs of the increasing effect of storms on our state,” said Governor Carney. “State crews have been engaged in continuous repair work over the last month, but we are still seeing threat to the dunes and the highway at many high tides, so we need to put larger protections into place in the near term. I appreciate all the crews for their tireless work to keep our community and our roadways safe every day.”
DelDOT plans to add sheets of steel in the ground to create a wall in the coming weeks to protect the Route 1 roadway, Carney’s office says, while DNREC has already identified a dredging contractor to begin a renourishment project in November.
Dune breaches along Route 1 have caused increasing concern from nearby residents and commuters, with the two breaches in 2024 drawing the attention of gubernatorial candidates on both sides of the aisle.
Governor Carney’s office says DNREC will hold a public community information session to give the history of efforts to maintain the inlet beach area as well as details about the new emergency replenishment plans. The meeting is slated for Wednesday, September 25th, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at Bethany Beach Town Hall.
