State proposes realignment of Broadkill Beach dune

The state has issued a public notice calling for a project in Broadkill Beach that would rebuild the severely eroded beach at the center of the Delaware Bay community and realign the dune so it corresponds to the current shoreline orientation.

According to a June 8 notice, the Division of Watershed Stewardship is proposing to realign a one-mile section of the protective dune. All project work will occur above the mean high tide line and entail shifting the existing dune landward, redistributing sand to reconstruct the eroded center section of the beach and removing existing scarping at beach access points.

There are a number of documents included with the notice, including a technical narrative prepared in March by the Shoreline and Waterway Management Section. The document says a recent desktop review and subsequent thorough topographic survey suggest the equilibrium shoreline of Broadkill Beach is misaligned with the constructed dune template. The project site extends from Georgia Avenue to Bay Front Road.

Work to fortify Broadkill Beach’s shoreline has been taking place since 1957. According to a table in the technical narrative, there have been 15 beachfill projects in the last 68 years that have brought nearly 3 million cubic yards to the bayfront town. Nearly two-thirds of that amount came from the Delaware River main channel deepening project in 2016.

A few of those beachfill projects have been done with trucks, which was considered for this project but ultimately not chosen for a number of reasons, including costs associated with transporting sand, wear and tear on existing roadways, increased emissions and traffic.

This method is expensive and not ideal for a short-term fix or long-term sand management, said the technical narrative. In addition, the center section of Broadkill Beach will continue to erode faster than the adjacent areas north and south since the shoreline and dune alignments would remain unchanged.

All construction activities are planned above the high tide line. No work will occur during the peak horseshoe crab spawning months of May and June to avoid any potential disturbance. The fill material being used will be from the existing beach.

According to a construction schedule included as part of the notice, the tentative plan calls for construction to begin by Oct. 1 and be completed by April 1, 2026.

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control did not answer questions on the project. This is a potential DNREC plan dependent on future environmental impacts to the Broadkill Beach area, said Michael Globetti, DNREC spokesperson.

Comments concerning this application will be accepted through Tuesday, July 8. Comments may be sent to: DNREC Coastal Programs, Jesse Hayden, Administrator, 100 W. Water St., Suite 7B, Dover, DE 19904, or electronically to DNREC_DCP_PublicComment@delaware.gov. For more information, go to de.gov/dnrecnotices or call 302-739-9283.