Ocean City Continues Repairs to Dunes, Crossovers After Winter Storm Season

 

OCEAN CITY, MD – : Ocean City experienced a number of severe coastal storms during the recent fall and winter season, culminating with winter storm Jonas in late January. The overall impact of these storms varied, however Ocean City’s beach and dune system were severely damaged as a result of the storms.

Since then, Ocean City and the State of Maryland have worked diligently to remove debris from the beach, as well as repair the dune to provide adequate storm protection for the summer hurricane season. In addition, the Town of Ocean City is currently working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to perform a full beach replenishment project next spring.

While repairs to the dune itself have been successful, repairs to dune crossovers have not been completed. “Unfortunately, until the beach itself is restored, the dune slopes and crossovers will be steeper than normal and more difficult to traverse,” commented Town of Ocean City Engineer, Terry McGean. “We understand that this can make beach access difficult for some and would ask that our residents and visitors bear with us for the summer season.”

A fully restored beach, along with new dune crossovers, fence, and dune grass, is expected in time for the 2017 beach season. “Until the dunes can be fenced and vegetated, they are extremely vulnerable,” McGean continued. “We ask for everyone to respect the dunes and refrain from walking or sitting on them. We appreciate your patience and apologize for any inconvenience this causes our beachgoers.”