The City of Isle of Palms continues to prioritize beach restoration and coastal management to protect the island's unique environment, support local wildlife, and safeguard property and the community.
March 31, 2025
U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE)
The City is working with the US Army Corps of Engineers to place sand on the beach in the 200 block of Ocean Boulevard. Within the next few weeks, this portion of the project should be complete, and the expectation is that the contractor will move to the 300 block of Ocean Boulevard, possibly in early April.
The average rate of production for the contractor has been about 4,000 cubic yards per day. The contractor has been achieving this rate by working 24 hours per day, seven days a week. The project could take approximately five months, extending through the end of August. A best guess would be that the contractor would be progressing up the beach, completing about one block or a block and a half per month.
Given this cadence, the contractor could be in the 300 block in April, the 400/500 blocks in May, the 500/600 blocks in June, the 600/700 blocks in July, and the 800/900 blocks in August.
Please note: Due to the flexibility of this project, predicting the exact location of work at any given time is challenging. The City will provide updates to the community to the best of its ability.
City's Supplemental Contractor
The city's supplemental contractor continues to deposit sand in areas as needed. A new dune will be created from 9th Avenue to Breach Inlet, starting in early April.
Wild Dunes Shoal Management
The project includes harvesting sand from an incoming shoal and placing the sand in critically eroded areas. This will provide interim protection against erosion and prolong the life of large-scale nourishments, providing substantial cost savings.
Work is anticipated to begin in April with a completion date in June.
Project Overview:
- Work Hours: Daily from 5:00 AM to 10:00 PM, seven days a week (excluding Easter Sunday)
- Work Schedule: Operations will primarily occur four hours before and after low tide, as the work is highly dependent on tide accessibility. On certain days, contractors may be able to work during two low tide cycles.
Scope of Work:
A total of approximately 120,000 cubic yards of sand will be excavated and redistributed:
- 80,000 cubic yards in the Beachwood East area
- 40,000 cubic yards in front of Seascape Villas and Ocean Club Villas
The project will be completed in three phases:
- Phase 1: Excavation and redistribution of 40,000 cubic yards of sand in front of Beachwood East (approximately two weeks).
- Phase 2: Relocation of 40,000 cubic yards of sand to the Seascape and Ocean Club Villas area.
Phase 3: Return to Beachwood East to place the remaining 40,000 cubic yards of sand.
Equipment and Safety:
- The operation will utilize six large dump trucks and two excavators.
- Initially, the equipment will be staged on the beach near the access point just south of the Property Owners’ Beach House.
- Once a new beach is established at Beachwood East, the staging area will move to that location.
Please be advised that in accordance with OSHA regulations, trucks will emit a beeping sound when reversing.
Important Safety Notice:
For your safety, we ask that all residents and visitors avoid the active construction zones, especially the wet sand areas within the project boundaries. We appreciate your cooperation in keeping these areas clear.