Issue No.

1 Project Update — June 20, 2022

2022 Avon Beach Nourishment

Project Update — June 20, 2022 Issue No. 1

For updates and additional information, visit MoreBeachToLove.com.

Construction Progress
After two and half years of planning,
designing, permitting, and selecting
contractors, construction of the Avon
Village beach nourishment commenced
on schedule this summer. Great Lakes
Dredge & Dock Company (GLDD) used
America's largest hopper dredge, the
Ellis Island, to deliver the first load on
Cape Hatteras National Seashore in
front of the Village of Avon at 1:40 p.m.
on Sunday, June 19, 2022. Throughout
the rest of afternoon, Dare County
Commissioner Danny Couch along with
other members of the general public
watched the dredge as she was setting
up and pumping slurry through the
submerged pipeline.

954 Marshall C. Collins Drive Manteo, NC 27954 (252) 475-5903 www.MoreBeachToLove.com

Page 1 of 6
 Issue No. 1 Project Update — June 20, 2022

The Ellis Island, America’s largest hopper dredge, arrived on June 19 and delivered her first
load around 1:40 p.m. at approximately 1 mile south of the Avon Pier.

The discharge point is located between Ocean View Drive and Greenwood Place (approximately 1 mile south of the
Avon Pier). Construction will proceed south for ~3,200 ft to the end of the village (just north of ORV Ramp #38).
GLDD estimates it will take 10–15 days to complete this section.

954 Marshall C. Collins Drive Manteo, NC 27954 (252) 475-5903 www.MoreBeachToLove.com

Page 2 of 6
 Issue No. 1 Project Update — June 20, 2022

After the southernmost section of the project is completed, GLDD will return to the discharge point between Ocean
View Drive and Greenwood Place to begin pumping north for ~3,300 ft toward the Avon Pier to Yucca Street.
Afterward, the dredge will use another subline located north of the Avon Pier to complete the rest of the project.

GLDD’s survey vehicle, the Coastal Research

Nourishment sand is excavated from a borrow Amphibious Buggy (CRAB).
area located 2–3 miles offshore. The new sand is
similar in texture to the native beach but slightly
darker. It will soon be bleached by the sun over the
next few weeks to the point that the nourished
beach and the native beach will be
indistinguishable.

GLDD's survey team is collecting before-dredging

(BD) and after-dredging (AD) measurements of the
beach with the Coastal Research Amphibious Buggy
(CRAB). This 35-foot-tall three-legged survey vessel
can operate in 20 feet of water and helps surveyors
measure the beach safely.

954 Marshall C. Collins Drive Manteo, NC 27954 (252) 475-5903 www.MoreBeachToLove.com

Page 3 of 6
 Issue No. 1 Project Update — June 20, 2022

Prior to the dredge's arrival,

GLDD mobilized land-based
equipment (dozers, front-end
loaders, dump trucks, office
shacks, fuel tanks, lighting
plants, shore pipes, etc.) to
the staging area located at
the NPS Ramp #38 parking lot.
With construction going on,
most of the equipment will
be moved to and stored in
the active construction zone.

Solutions for Coastal Erosion

All sedimentary coasts evolve as sand moves in response to winds, waves, currents, and changing water levels.
Shoreline recession is often inevitable, particularly under extreme weather events. A nationwide survey in 2019
showed that the two most common challenges facing coastal communities were increasing storm activities and
chronic beach erosion. Avon certainly faces both of these challenges. It experienced an average shoreline recession
of approximately 10 ft each year over the past twenty years, according to the feasibility study conducted by Coastal
Science & Engineering in 2020. Accelerated beach erosion in recent years has caused frequent washover and
flooding to N.C. Highway 12 during inclement weather events.

There are generally two types of solutions in defense against coastal erosion: hard solutions (ie – shore-protection
structures such as seawalls, revetments, jetties, or groins) and soft solutions (ie – placing sediment through beach
nourishment, beach scraping, dune restoration, etc.). As the dominant soft solution, beach nourishment is the only
solution that adds sand to the beach system, preserves the recreational beach, and protects upland development.
Sand placed on the beach will further enhance natural dune growth through wind-generated sediment transport
and will increase the level of storm protection. The primary purpose and goal of the Avon nourishment is to protect
N.C. Highway 12 and state and federal infrastructure. Other crucial benefits include increased storm protection,
enhanced coastal resiliency, and the creation of additional habitats for wildlife.

Beginning in Coney Island (NY) nearly 100 years ago, beach nourishment has become a dominant method of
domestic shore protection. During the last century, the beaches of over 475 communities in the United States
have been restored with over 1.5 billion cubic yards of nourished sand. Many project sites have been nourished
multiple times for a total of about 3,200 distinct events throughout the nation.

954 Marshall C. Collins Drive Manteo, NC 27954 (252) 475-5903 www.MoreBeachToLove.com

Page 4 of 6
 Issue No. 1 Project Update — June 20, 2022

Summer Construction and

Environmental Protection Measures Loggerhead
Nourishment during the summer months is necessary in the northern Outer Banks
because of the occurrence of high wave conditions during the remainder of the
year. Consequently, state and federal permits require a series of environmental
protection measures. These measures include relocation trawling ahead of the
dredge, qualified endangered species observers on the dredge, and daytime and
nighttime sea turtle monitors on the beach to coincide with project construction.
In addition, beach morphology, sand character, and biological composition will be
monitored before and after nourishment by the Coastal Studies Institute
(Wanchese, NC) to quantify possible impacts to the ecological system. Green Turtle

Amphipod Coquina

Polychaete Mole Crab

Job Site Safety and NPS Ramp #38

Job site safety is GLDD's top priority. The general public is required to stay
away from the active construction zone and keep off the shore pipes that
are stored on the beach.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore Ramp #38 and its parking lot have been
designated as the project's staging area and beach access. Visitors with
beach driving permits can expect some intermittent, short-term
delays entering and exiting the ramp while beach nourishment
equipment is moved safely to and from the beach.

954 Marshall C. Collins Drive Manteo, NC 27954 (252) 475-5903 www.MoreBeachToLove.com

Page 5 of 6
 Issue No. 1 Project Update — June 20, 2022

Anticipated Impacts to Beachfront Properties

About 1,000 feet of the beach will be directly impacted during construction at any one time, and a portion of this
area may be closed. When construction operations are underway, backup alarms from bulldozers and trucks will
occur (as required by federal law). Lights will also be used on the beach throughout the night and may be visible
from homes. Construction is anticipated to impact individual properties between 3–6 days. On average, 200 to 400
ft of progress is expected to be made each day. Once a section is pumped into place, it is expected to be re-opened
for use within 24–48 hours. Sand ramps over the shore pipes will be built every 200 to 300 ft along the complete
sections. The public is required to use these ramps when crossing the shore pipes.

There will be a very wide beach immediately after nourishment, and the beach face will initially be steeper than the
natural slope. These results are intentional and are part of the construction process, designed to take advantage of
natural forces, such as waves and currents, to move sand offshore. Following nourishment, it is typical for the newly
constructed dry-sand beach to become narrower and for the beach face to adjust to its natural slope.

Construction Schedule and Progress Map

Dare County and various resource agencies have approved the final nourishment plans. The county reserves the right
to adjust the plans within permit conditions based on the beach condition at the time of construction.

The second hopper dredge, Liberty Island, is scheduled to arrive at the job site in early July. She will take over the
Avon project while the Ellis Island moves downshore to begin beach nourishment in Buxton. The Avon project
calls for the placement of 1 million cy of sand along approximately 2.5 miles of shoreline from 4,000 ft north of
Avon Pier at Due East Road to the southern limit of Avon. GLDD estimates that, on average, approximately 30,000
cy can be pumped each day onto the beach, and it will take 40–60 days to complete the project under normal
weather conditions. GLDD currently anticipates the Avon project will be completed by August.

For updates and additional information

visit MoreBeachToLove.com.

954 Marshall C. Collins Drive Manteo, NC 27954 (252) 475-5903 www.MoreBeachToLove.com

Page 6 of 6