HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (WSAV) -- Two million cubic yards of beach sand will be dumped along five areas of the Hilton Head Island shoreline, and the goal is to protect and maintain the beach for visitors and wildlife.
“This project will be the most expensive one yet,” said Shawn Colin, Hilton Head Island's assistant town manager. “We're estimating in excess of $40 million to execute this beach renourishment program.”
Town officials said every eight to 10 years, they take on a beach renourishment project. It replaces sand lost to natural erosion.
The last project, completed in 2016, cost a little over $20 million.
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“We are currently waiting for permits from the U.S Army Corps of Engineers and the state of South Carolina,” Colin told News 3.
The town uses money from beach preservation fees, a portion of accommodation tax dollars. Colin said if the town didn’t invest in beach renourishment projects, residents and visitors could see catastrophic effects.
“There were areas that had to be supported with large boulders, a rock revetment, because the erosion would then impact some properties and structures were in threat of significant damage,” Colin explained. "I think you'd see some areas where the environment and those areas over time could be very significant and catastrophic.”
Five areas will be impacted, including South Beach, Central Island, The Heel, Fish Haul Creek and Pine Island.
This project will be carried out in four phases, with the first set of pumps going in around the beginning of summer.
“The town has 14 miles of beach,” Colin said. “Not all of the beach will be renourished. About 1,000 feet of beach will be impacted at any one time.”
The town said project construction is expected to last approximately six months.
“Town council and town councils over time have understood the importance of the beach as a resource and the environment that the beach and dune systems provide to help draw people here to help with our economy,” said Colin.
Construction is expected to start in June. Town officials encourage the public to subscribe to their beach renourishment updates to plan summer activities.