Army Corps continues to dredge Manasquan Inlet

POINT PLEASANT BEACH/MANASQUAN — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) continued work this week to dredge the Manasquan Inlet in response to the formation of a shoal on the southeastern opening of the inlet.

Steve Rochette, Army Corps of Engineers public affairs officer for the Philadelphia District, confirmed dredging occurred as recently as Monday, Aug. 12.

“They’ve removed more than 20,000 cubic yards of sediment so far,” Rochette said, confirming the sand is being deposited in the ocean a short way off Riddle Way beach in Manasquan.

“Right around Riddle Way beach is what we call a ‘nodal’ zone,” said Rochette. “This is where the sand can flow north once it’s deposited to build up (the beach).”

The large sandbar formed on the Point Pleasant Beach side of the waterway earlier this month, following a series of heavy thunderstorms. According to the corps, the buildup of sand, called “shoaling,” within narrow channels like the Manasquan Inlet, can make navigation unsafe by decreasing the average depth of the river.

“In response to rapid shoaling on the inside of the inlet’s south jetty, USACE completed hydrographic surveys on Aug. 6, 2024,” Rochette shared previously. “These surveys have been shared with the U.S. Coast Guard and are available to mariners on the USACE webpage.”

The USACE Dredge Murden completed two cycles of dredging on Aug. 6 and the plan was to continue dredging. Rochette had said, “Work is expected to last one to two weeks.”

The Dredge Murden returned on Saturday, Aug. 10, according to Rochette.

DANGEROUS CONDITIONS

The Army Corps cautioned visitors against traversing the sandbar, as it would be particularly unstable directly following the recent dredging cycles.

“Additionally, people should avoid walking/recreating on the unstable shoal given the dynamic nature of the inlet and sea conditions. The shoal is vulnerable to collapsing particularly after dredging operations,” Rochette said.

On Monday, Aug. 5, the U.S. Coast Guard Station Manasquan Inlet in Point Pleasant Beach cautioned residents and visitors not to enter the water or “traverse the shoal.”

“As many are aware, the inlet is experiencing significant shoaling on the south side. We urge all mariners to transit the inlet with caution, and remind everyone not to enter the water inside of the jetties or leave the rocks to traverse the shoal. We are monitoring the situation and request all courtesies towards vessels working in the inlet as they begin dredging operations in the coming days,” said the Coast Guard.

Despite these warnings, dozens of surfers took to the sandbar as a launching point for their boards on Friday, Aug. 9, when the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby caused high surf inside the Manasquan Inlet.

“The Coast Guard manages the safety of the navigation channel, but…(the surfing) was concerning,” said Rochette. “It is an active navigation channel and we do have dredging going on, so it’s not a great idea.”

Though lifeguards from the borough of Manasquan and Jenkinson’s (the company which owns a majority of Point Beach’s coastline) patrol beaches to the north and south of the inlet, respectively, they do not patrol the inlet itself, as it is federal property.

“I’m grateful to the USACE Wilmington, New England, and New York Districts for their flexibility and re-arranging dredging operations at other locations to enable this work to move forward this weekend as opposed to later in the month when it was originally scheduled,” said Lt. Col. Jeffrey Beeman, Philadelphia District commander for the Army Corps in an Aug. 9 Army Corps press release. “I also want to thank our survey crews and the Murden crew for their efforts.”