Beach Restoration

Jones Inlet Dredging and Point Lookout Beach Restoration Has Begun

Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray, Congressman Peter King, Senator Dean Skelos and Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg joined with dozens of Point Lookout residents to kick off the dredging of the sand-clogged Jones Inlet and the restoration of the storm-ravaged shoreline at Point Lookout beaches. Also present at the event were Councilwoman Angie Cullin, Legislator Denise Ford, Point Lookout Civic Association President Herb Abbe and Colonel Aniello L. Tortora, New York District Commander and District Engineer, US Army Corps of Engineers.

Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray inspected operations from the shore as the dredging of the sand-clogged Jones Inlet and the restoration of the storm-ravaged shoreline at Point Lookout beaches commenced.

“Today is a great day for boaters, residents of Point Lookout and everyone who enjoys these local beaches,” said Murray. “Instead of bracing for more boating tragedies and the destruction of local homes, we are celebrating the return of our quality of life in Point Lookout.”

Sand has begun to be deposited on Middle Beach today (Tuesday). Subsequently, Civic Beach and then Point Lookout Town Park will benefit from beach re-nourishment. The project, which is being executed by a US Army Corps of Engineers contractor, will involve the removal of up to 700,000 cubic yards of sand from a channel that has become sand-clogged and dangerous to boaters. The removed sand will then be pumped onto the three eroded beachfronts which are located on the eastern end of the Long Beach Island.

The situation in Jones Inlet has been called critical and the lives and property of Point Lookout residents depends on the project. Three boaters have died in the treacherous inlet over the past few years, and tidal ocean water has breached the dunes, flowing into local streets and threatening to destroy area homes.

The work is expected to be completed within 30 to 40 days. Under the law, the project must be completed before April 1, the beginning of the mating season for piping plovers, a protected species of shorebird.