Winter storm causes Lewes dune fence damage
A strong storm at the end of January caused damage to the rope fence installed along the length of Lewes Beach. At high tides, rising Delaware Bay waters also caused some erosion of the dune.
Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control staff surveyed the area Feb. 3.
“Our first priority will be to collect or secure loose poles and rope so that additional impacts are prevented,” said Mike Powell, DNREC Shoreline and Waterway Management Section administrator.
He said DNREC staff will reinstall the post-and-rope fence in areas where it was damaged, and move the fence landward to the base of the dune to open up as much recreational beach space as is practical. “The timing for completion of these repairs has not been scheduled,” Powell said.
“As far as loss of sand goes, the dunes in this area are quite wide and show a long-term trend of increasing in size. The storm erosion of some sand from the front of the dune onto the beach or into the sandbar system is expected during storms, and does not result in significantly increased vulnerability at this location,” Powell said.
Powell said a boat was seen stored in the dunes where accessing it will cause additional damage to the dune and dune vegetation. “This is an example of the type of harmful activity that DNREC discourages,” he said.
