Restoring beaches in New Jersey’s Delaware Bay protects people and helps wildlife

A $1.65 million project to restore five beaches along the Delaware Bay in New Jersey improves coastal wildlife habitat and provides enhanced storm protection for nearby residents, as well as public recreational opportunities. 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and partners have restored five beaches along the shoreline of Delaware Bay in Cape May County, New Jersey, including Kimbles Beach, Reeds Beach, Moores Beach, Cooks Beach and Pierces Point. More than 800 tons of debris, including chunks of asphalt and bricks, concrete pipes, slabs and pilings were cleared from 1.5 miles of affected beach area. Contractors brought in more than 45,000 tons of locally-mined sand to replace the 2-3 feet of original beach lost to storm surge and erosion after the storm.

Along with the restoration of coastal wildlife habitat, the project provides the added benefit of enhanced storm protection for nearby residents, as well as public recreational opportunities. The beaches play a critical role in providing quality seasonal spawning ground for returning horseshoe crabs, whose eggs serve as a food source for migrating shore birds like the ruddy turnstone, the shortbilled dowitcher and federally listed species like the red knot. The project is a partnership of the Service along with the American Littoral Society, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
 

Hurricane Sandy Recovery website
 

Photo gallery: (opens Flickr website)
New Jersey Beach Restoration Photos 

Videos: (opens YouTube website)
A #StrongAfterSandy Featured Community: Middle Township, NJ