Six things to know about beach renourishment as work reaches the beach by Ocean Lakes

The much-needed beach renourishment work is expected to reach the beach by Ocean Lakes Family Campground this week.

Crews work on the renourishment project the week of July 24 north of the pier in Surfside Beach.

Crews have been steadily progressing up the beach since starting the $26.3 million sand-pumping project just north of the Surfside Beach Pier in late July.

Officials can’t pinpoint an exact day when the work will start by Ocean Lakes because of factors including weather (not only on the beach but out in the ocean where the boosters operate) and potential mechanical issues, which have stopped work at times since Friday. 

On Tuesday morning, the blocked-off work area extended to just south of the Holiday Inn Oceanfront at Surfside Beach. A mechanical issue was keeping sand from pumping Tuesday morning, but crews were working to fix the issue and resume their work. Work is expected to resume Wednesday morning.

Once the work resumes, crews with Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co. expect to reach the southern border of the campground by the Holiday Inn in two to three days. Beach-goers can track the progress using a real-time map.

A kite flies next to the renourishment work area Tuesday morning just south of the Holiday Inn Oceanfront at Surfside Beach.

The project pumps sand from offshore onto the beach, where crews use front-end loaders and other heavy equipment to distribute the sand and build up the beach.

Crews with Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co. met with officials at Ocean Lakes Family Campground and Horry County Stormwater Management on Monday to review details about the renourishment work.

Here are some key things to remember as the work approaches the beach by Ocean Lakes:

Will I still have access to the beach?

Yes. Crews are blocking off 1,000-foot sections of beach at a time for the work and anticipate each section will be closed about two or three days. 

The beach by Ocean Lakes stretches nearly 5,000 feet, so guests still will have access to the majority of the beach by Ocean Lakes at any given time during the work – it just may not be their usual favorite spot on the beach.

How noisy will the work be?

Crews plan to work 24 hours a day, seven days a week to finish the project as quickly as possible. There will be noise from the bulldozers, front-end loaders and other equipment, including the back-up alarms that are required by federal law and cannot be shut off.

Why are you doing this work during the peak beach season? Couldn’t you wait until the fall?

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers set the timing for this project; it was beyond Ocean Lakes’ control.

Corps officials said the money for the project came through emergency funds, which have to be spent as soon as possible. Also, there was a short window this summer when the equipment needed for this project was available.

The beach by Ocean Lakes Family Campground the day after Hurricane Matthew hit in October.

The renourishment work is crucial to rebuild the beach and dunes, which help protect the area from storms. Hurricane Matthew in October wiped out our dunes and battered our beaches.

“Beginning the construction project now enables the major, long-term benefits of protecting people and property from storm damage to be realized as soon as possible and before peak hurricane season,” said Glenn Jeffries, spokeswoman for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Charleston.

Is there a way to know where crews are working before I head to the beach each day?

Yes. Beach-goers can track the progress on a real-time map to see where the work is taking place.

How long will crews be working on the beach by Ocean Lakes?

Crews will work in 1,000-foot sections and are expected to complete about 500 feet a day. It will take crews about 10 to 14 days to complete the stretch of beach by Ocean Lakes, though at any given time the majority of the beach will be open and available to beach-goers.

Beach-goers should use the sand ramps to cross over pipes outside the blocked-off work area.

What’s the deal with this pipe running along the ocean?

The pipe runs up the beach outside of the blocked-off work area and is used to pump the sand onto the beach.

Please do not sit on the pipe or try to climb over it. Use the sand ramps over them to cross safely.

We thank all of our guests for their patience and cooperation during this much-needed work. Enjoy your stay with us!