WILMINGTON, NC -- Work is set to begin on the coastal storm risk management (CSRM) project at Carolina Beach next week. Sand placement work will take place along Carolina Beach, N.C., beginning mid-November 2025, and will continue for approximately four to five weeks, weather permitting. Here is the information you will need to know when navigating which parts of the beach will be open or closed.
To help residents and visitors stay informed, a sand placement tracker is available online showing which sections of the beach are open or closed for construction. Click here for the tracker.
• For those unable to use the hyperlink: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/309bcbf9e63c40a8aa96791332e6a0ec
Currently, the beach fill contractor has equipment staged near the Freeman Park vehicular beach access and at the North Pier parking lot. Residents can expect to see trucks transporting large sections of pipe and heavy equipment through Pleasure Island to the Hamlet Street beach access area.
Additionally, the contractor is placing pipe from the Carolina Beach Inlet to the beach adjacent to the North Pier. Sand placement will begin in this vicinity and progress southward as pumping continues. Once the Carolina Beach Inlet sand source is exhausted, the contractor will remove the pipe back to the offshore landing area and begin drawing sand from an oceanside borrow source to continue nourishment along the remaining sections of the beach.
Sand placement in the Carolina Beach portion of the project is expected to begin around November 15, 2025, and take approximately four to five weeks to complete, depending on weather and equipment conditions. All schedules are estimates and subject to change due to unforeseen factors such as weather or mechanical issues.
Safety reminders:
• Do not enter fenced construction areas.
• Only cross the pipeline at designated sand ramp crossings.
• Do not stand, sit, or walk on the pipeline.
• Maintain a safe distance from heavy equipment and the pipe discharge area.
• Follow all posted signage and contractor instructions.
The Carolina Beach CSRM project helps protect the community from erosion and the impacts of coastal storms. It also provides significant economic benefits by safeguarding infrastructure, private property, and supporting tourism and recreation. These projects are made possible through the long-standing partnership between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and local stakeholders.