Beach Closures begin September 11th

The Mirror reported last week that dredging will begin in September and parts of the beach will be closed. In a public notice, Cape Charles announced that the initial area of closure will begin on September 11, 2023, and extend from the north end of the beach to the Madison Avenue beach entrance. 

Below is the full notice provided by the Town:

Public Notice 1
Cape Charles Public Beach Closures
September 1, 2023

Due to significant annual erosion on the Town’s public beach, there is an ongoing requirement to replenish the sand lost to these natural forces each year.  The Town has therefore requested, and has been granted, the opportunity to receive sand from a Kings Creek Channel dredging project that has been in the planning stages for several years. 

This dredging project is being run through Northampton County and the A-NPDC (Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission); and is set to begin this September.  Unfortunately, the Town was not made aware that this project was moving forward this year until just two weeks ago.  The Town immediately requested a meeting with the contractor to get their operational plans for a public notice, but this meeting was not scheduled until August 30^th.  We are therefore very sorry for the limited notice being provided regarding this project, but the Town is passing information along as quickly as we are being made aware. 

This project will require partial closures of the Cape Charles public beach as the project dredge materials are deposited and spread throughout the beachfront. 

The contractor will begin mobilization of equipment on the beach the week of September 11^th; with actual dredge work expected to begin a week or two after that.  The total duration of the project could run until the end of November. 

This project involves pumping sand/water through a pipeline brought up onto the beach.  Heavy equipment (bulldozer and excavator) will move the sand around as it is pumped ashore.  This operation will begin on the north end of the beach, and gradually work its way south.  For safety reasons, nobody will be allowed in the areas where this work is being performed. 

The initial area of closure required for this project will begin on September 11, 2023 and extend from the north end of the beach to the Madison Avenue beach entrance.  Residents and visitors can continue using the remaining southern portions of the beach until the project reaches those areas. 

Until work actually begins, we will not know the pace that this project will proceed, or when it will encroach upon the more southern areas of the beach.  The Town will meet with the contractor weekly to coordinate this activity so that we can continue providing these public notices as timely as possible.