Repairs Set For Barnegat Inlet, Bay Channels

Damage along Barnegat Inlet's north jetty caused by Superstorm Sandy will be repaired as part of a larger project that will also include dredging the heavily-trafficked Oyster Creek Channel, officials said.

The north jetty of the inlet, which runs along the south end of Island Beach State Park opposite Long Beach Island, was impacted by storm surge during Sandy, leading to shoaling which occurred at some points and the loss of some jetty rocks.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers crews conducted a side-scan SONAR survey of the north jetty and inspected for toe failure, said Stephen Rochette, spokesman for the Corps' Philadelphia district. The channel remains open and active, though the scan revealed "moderate damage" of the jetty which will be repaired in late summer or early fall.

"We are identifying the critical areas that have shoals and will be dredging those," said Rochette.

Dredging will begin June 1 and run through December, and encompass a number of areas, including Oyster Creek Channel, the primary channel used by boaters to access the inlet from the Intracoastal Waterway in Barnegat Bay.

"In terms of the channels, they are currently open for navigation, but we are continuing to survey stretches of the Intracoastal Waterway," said Rochette.

Work on those channels will be undertaken during late summer or early fall. A combination of the Corps' own dredge boat Currituck and contractors will complete the work.

Oyster Creek is one of two channels boaters use to access Barnegat Inlet from the bay. The second channel, the Double Creek Channel, is normally used by boaters accessing the inlet from Long Beach Island and points south.

Double Creek – which starts at buoy marker 42 in the bay and is known for its close-in, dog-leg style turns – is a state channel, said Bob Considine, spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Protection.

The channel was not on a list for dredging before Sandy struck, though the state Department of Transportation is currently performing surveys on all channels, including Double Creek, and "from there the State will evaluate and have a better idea of what channels need to be [dredged] due to Sandy," said Considine.

The state's waterway debris removal project includes language which allows for the dredging of channels that experienced Sandy-related shoaling and are eligible for Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursement.

Despite any work that will be ongoing, state officials this week confirmed that coastal waterways will be open for the summer season.

"We want everyone to know that New Jersey's waterways are open for your enjoyment," said state Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Robert Martin. "We just ask you to use common sense and caution as cleanup continues."

Martin said during a conference call with reporters this week that the only restrictions on boat access will be when areas are marked off while recovery work is going on, or if there is a known hazard in a particular spot.