The Army Corps of Engineers finished the latest dredging project in the Carolina Beach Inlet last week, however it is expected that more projects will be needed in this area soon, starnewsonline.com reports.
The funding for this project was secured, but further funding for dredging of this area could not be guaranteed.
A federal earmark ban last year eliminated the funding stream to pay the corps to routinely dredge shallow-draft inlets in the state.
Capt. Robert Schoonmaker and several others in Carolina Beach created the Carolina Beach Inlet Association to educate state and federal officials about the need for funding to maintain the inlet.
The state agreed to contribute $250,000 to dredge the inlet if local governments also contributed the same amount.
New Hanover County and each of the county’s beach towns collected money for last year’s Hurricane Irene damage repairs, and $500,000 of this amount was set aside for Carolina Beach Inlet dredging.
These funds are still available in case the corps needs to dredge the inlet.
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Dredging Today Staff, June 26, 2012; Image: usace