Edisto Beach nourisment permit applied for Posted August 3, 2005 
The Town of Edisto Beach, in conjunction with SC Parks Recreation and Tourism (PRT), has applied for a permit to nourish Edisto Beach. The public notice was issued by the US Army Corps of Engineers on 10 June. CSE has served as the town's coastal engineering consultant since the early 1990s and prepared the present design. The plan for nourishment of Edisto Beach is based on a study for the town prepared by CSE in 2003. At that time, funding was uncertain. However, CSE recommended placement of at least 560,000 cubic yards (cy) between the pavilion (groin 1) and the "Point" (groin 24) at a cost ranging from ~$4.5 million to $5.5 million.
Town officials worked closely with state representatives, Colleton County officials, and PRT to secure additional funds for the project. This allowed the project to expand into Edisto Beach State Park. During the just-ended legislative session, the South Carolina House of Representatives approved funding for beach nourishment activities totaling $5 million. Portions of that fund are earmarked for the Town of Edisto Beach as well as the state park. Colleton County is also contributing funds that, when combined with town and state funds, should total ~ $7.5 million. The permit application reflects the larger budget for the project that is now possible. Plans call for up to ~ 1.1 million cy to be placed between the park and groin 27 at the "Point." Sand will be obtained from an offshore borrow site situated ~3000 ft seaward of the "Point" at the south end of Edisto Beach. This is the same general area used for sand borrowing in 1995.
The scale of the proposed project is at least six times greater than the 1995 nourishment project. It is expected to bury many of the groins upon completion. CSE and the Town of Edisto Beach are also evaluating alterations for groin improvements. However, the present permit application omits work on the groins to avoid delays in obtaining permits. There is a critical need for new sand along the beach front. Once in place, the wider beach will facilitate groin improvements such as lengthening. Ultimately, a combination of longer groins and nourishment is needed to provide adequate protection to properties and maintain a healthier recreational beach for residents, tourists, and turtles.
 Edisto Beach update: April 25, 2006
The Edisto Beach nourishment project is scheduled to begin construction around March 15. The project encompasses about 3.5 miles of oceanfront from Edisto Beach State Park to the southern tip of the island. Permits and bids were received in January. Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company (GLD&D) was awarded the contract by the Town of Edisto Beach. When pumping begins, it will mark nearly 11 years since the last nourishment of Edisto Beach. GLD&D assisted Weeks Marine in 1995 when ~150,000 cubic yards were placed. This time, the project calls for 850,000 cubic yards, which coincidentally is the same amount pumped in 1954 from a marsh deposit. The borrow source now is a large shoal off the southern tip of the island. Previous CSE studies showed this offshore source contains excellent sand for nourishment. In 1995, some of the contractor's personnel remarked that it was one of the best sources they had ever pumped. South Carolina Department of Natural Resources also noted that the borrow area filled in with fresh sand very rapidly after the 1995 project. We expect the sand quality for the 2006 project to be much better than the 1954 project. This means losses will not be as rapid as they were 50 years ago. Funding for the $7.5 million project is by a combination of state, county, and local revenues. Construction will be completed by May 15.
The Edisto Beach nourishment project began construction on April 2. Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company (GLD&D) has the dredge, Illinois, onsite and expects to complete the ~850,000 cy project by May 15. The first beach sections to be filled are in groin cell 20 (vicinity of Edings Street). Work will progress south to Point Street terminating at groin 27, then shift north as more pipe is brought to the site. The work at the southern end has been completed up to approximately Dawhoo street. The equipment will soon be moved to the central staging area around Portia Street. Work will progress north and south from that point and then shift to the pavilion area. The project will terminate about 3,200 ft north of the pavilion in Edisto Beach State Park. We encourage visitors to view the project from high ground while construction is ongoing. However, the immediate area around the discharger will be cordoned off for safety. Visitors should keep in mind that the new beach is very soft upon placement of nourished sand. Once the sand is spread, graded, and fully drained (within about 24 hours of placement), the new beach will be safe for beach combing and shell collecting. Please obey signs and help GLD&D make this a safe and successful project for everyone.
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