What’s going on with the barge near the Cherry Grove Pier in North Myrtle Beach?

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What’s with the barge near the pier in North Myrtle Beach?

According to Cherry Grove Pier Manager Edgar Stephens, it belongs to the Outflow Watershed Project.

Construction on their current $35 million project at the 18th Avenue North beach access first began on Jan. 11, 2023, an archived news release said, with experts estimating for work to go on for approximately a year.

According to a statement from the City of North Myrtle Beach, the construction goal is to remove drainage pipes from the active beach, help prevent further beach erosion, and maintain healthy water quality near swimming areas.

During construction, the city told residents to expect some lane closures on Ocean Boulevard and along nearby streets.

Some of the old drainage pipes from South Carolina Department of Transportation roads discharge directly onto the beach, the statement said.

“By moving the storm drain discharge further offshore, the City is helping prevent beach erosion and helping maintain healthy water quality in the swimming zones,” a City of North Myrtle Beach press release said. “Stormwater discharge into deeper water has been proven through rigorous water quality monitoring to reduce near-shore bacteria levels.”

This construction is the city’s sixth project since the program launched in 2002. The program’s cost has exceeded $60 million and is governed by the state-funded Rural Infrastructure Authority.

The program provides benefits such as reducing pollutants, potential illness, inland flooding, damage to the Federal Beach Renourishment Project, and improving public safety.