U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and City of Virginia Beach Partner on Oceanfront Beach Replenishment

Beach replenishment efforts have begun at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront as a joint environmental sustainability initiative led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in partnership with the Virginia Beach Department of Public Works to restore the coastline, eroded by severe storms, wind, waves and flooding.

Beginning Dec. 30, contractor Manson Construction Co., mobilized at Virginia Beach via the 37th Street access, establishing a work center for its construction crew, heavy machinery, support equipment and work trailer. Mobilization, lasting a few weeks, is a prerequisite for the actual beach replenishment starting in January. About 950,000 cubic yards of sand will be deposited between 15th and 45th streets for beach replenishment completion in the Resort Area before the initiative moves to Croatan.

Beach visitors are asked to stay on the boardwalk at the 37th Street access area or outside the safety fencing, while the contractor mobilizes equipment, places orange safety fencing, and installs signage. The beach will remain open throughout the beach replenishment outside of orange safety fencing areas.

The City of Virginia Beach estimates that its $20.2 million in investments in beach replenishment throughout the Resort Area since 2002 have averted more than $1 billion in storm-related damages. The City’s last beach replenishment effort was completed in 2019 and occurs about every five to seven years.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers leads the beach replenishment effort of this partnership and has contributed $13.13 million (or 65% of the total) to the $20.2 million total cost of the replenishment project, with the City investment at $7.07 million (35% of the total and taxpayer dollars). Taxpayer dollars are being saved because placement of the sand is a beneficial use of dredged sand from the nearby Atlantic Ocean Channel in Norfolk. The channel is being dredged as part of the Norfolk Harbor Deepening Project that USACE is completing in partnership with the Virginia Port Authority.

Beach replenishment provides storm damage reduction protection to safeguard the City’s pump stations, seawall, and commercial and residential property, along with other infrastructure that would be subject to flooding without such an environmental measure. Additional benefits include protecting the beach’s coastline and longevity; defending the coastline against storms; improving the beach environment for recreational activity, attracting vacationers and economic development; and increasing land value of adjacent properties.

For further information about beach replenishment 2025, visit VirginiaBeach.gov/BeachReplenishment.