More Beach Replenishment Questions Answered

At the February OPCL meeting, Dan Adams and Jim White gave an update on the upcoming Ocean Park beach restoration project (February General Meeting Minutes. ) Folks had some follow up questions about the project which is still on schedule: “GLD&D (contractor for the project) maintains that they will begin channel dredging operations the first half of April and will begin beach restoration efforts on Ocean Park Beach by mid-May.”

• In answer to concerns about the additional erosion (scarping) since the project design: The contractor will add sand to the dunes that have undergone additional scarping prior to commencement of sand placement activities.The reference point for the new dune line is the line shown as ‘BERM CREST’ on the beach fill plan sheets.  The contractor will place sand from the landward limit of the current beach profile and build the beach out to the BERM CREST limit.“
• Re concerns about the outflow pipe for 3556 Shore Dr. near Lesner Bridge: “Public Works Stormwater Operations (PWSO) has worked out an agreement with the 3556 condo to inspect and clean out the 12” pipe when a service request is received.  PWSO checks the pipe periodically when they check other outfalls within the Ocean Park Beach neighborhood.  The beach restoration within the vicinity of the 12” outfall pipe will be constructed such that the pipe is not obstructed.”
• Regarding the truck haul project to move sand from the Lynnhaven site: “Sand hauls from this site are not new. The city performed annual truck hauls from this site to the Oceanfront for over 20 years prior to the City/USACE Virginia Beach Hurricane Protection Project (VBHPP) beach restoration in 2001.  The primary sand source for the VBHPP is now dredged from Thimble Shoal Channel in the lower Chesapeake Bay. Since 2001, sand truck hauls have been performed as needed to evacuate the site to provide storage capacity and/or to augment sand placement along the Bay Beaches.  As with any project, safety and mitigation of impacts to the community will be addressed in the project plans and specification. The city recently obtained a permit to transfer non beach quality sand from the northern part of the EBLR channel from this site. We plan on using this site for other waterway maintenance activities in the future.”