Local Politicians Expand Beach Dredging Project

HAMPTON BAYS: Congressman Tim Bishop, NYS Senator Ken Lavalle and Assemblyman Fred Thiele announced that work to replenish the badly eroded beaches west of Shinnecock Inlet (WOSI) and Tiana Beach will be expanded further. The work initially began on November 30, and it is now expected to take until the end of the month, weather permitting.

The new deal will allow for an expansion of the beach rebuilding project to an additional 2,000-plus feet of beach shoreline. Approximately 450,000 cubic yards of sand will have been pumped onto the shore when the project is finished.

The work includes a previously approved project to restore the beach at WOSI to its pre-Hurricane Irene condition by adding 128,000 cubic yards (CY) of sand. An additional 115,000 CY will be dredged from the Inlet and placed west of the WOSI project area in the vicinity of Tiana Beach using funding secured by Senator Lavalle and Assemblyman Thiele through the NY Works Program.

All work will be performed under the supervision of the US Army Corps of Engineers by Great Lakes Dock and Dredge of Illinois. A cutter-head dredge named “Illinois” arrived at Shinnecock Inlet this week after completing work to close a breach in the barrier island near Cupsogue County Park on Tuesday.