Work has begun to restore eroded shoreline north of Delaware Indian River Inlet

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An emergency dredging project to restore severe beach erosion along a popular surfing and fishing spot north of Delaware’s Indian River Inlet began this week.

The $15 million initiative aims to restore the shoreline on the north side of the Indian River Inlet Bridge.

Two separate storms earlier this year triggered dune breaches along the coastline, closing portions of the Coastal Highway.

The project is a crucial step to protect the highway, which serves as an emergency evacuation route, according to Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.

The project will also prepare the area for the increasing intensity of storms caused by climate change, said the agency’s secretary, Shawn Garvin.

“[The area] is in a position where it tends to lose sand faster than other areas of the coastline, and does not naturally regenerate,” Garvin said. “It is at the foot of the bridge. It is a very popular area for fishing and surfing, and general beach use. So, we’re looking to try to get it back into a stable situation.”