2026 Offshore Renourishment Project
The city is planning a beach renourishment project as part of the City’s long-term Comprehensive Beach Management Plan. Up to 2.5 million cubic yards of material will be placed along 19,200 linear feet of beach (1.7M in Wild Dunes and 800K on the southern end of the Island.)
The nourishment will be separated into three separate reaches and involves construction of a dune and a berm.
The material will be dredged from an offshore borrow site located around ~2 miles southeast of the Island Pier.
The project will be put out to bid in February, receiving permits in March, and starting sand placement in late May/early June.
Alternatives Analysis
The Isle of Palms City Council has voted to hire Foth/Olsen to conduct a study of the City’s beach restoration strategy.
Bringing in a new contractor could introduce fresh and innovative approaches aimed at extending the longevity of future sand placements, reducing the frequency of large scale restorations.
Any recommended alternatives would need to be implemented within a few years of the 2026 restoration project to help maximize the lifespan of the newly placed sand.
Where will sand be placed?
What Will Construction Look Like?
Below is a video from 2018 which can serve as an example of what to expect for the upcoming 2026 project.
Easement Progress
| What is an Easement? |
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| An easement is a legal agreement that allows the City to use a limited portion of private property for a specific purpose — in this case, beach renourishment and dune maintenance. |
While most of the 2026 Beach Restoration Project will happen seaward of the mean high-water line, some portions of the project will take place landward of this line, which is privately owned.
The City is in the process of securing easements from 140 property owners along the North and South end of the Island in order to place sand and build dunes along these residential properties.
Funding
The City has received $1.5 million of the total $5.3 million requested in state funding for the major beach renourishment project. An estimated $27 million will come from local sources, including funds raised by the Wild Dunes Community Association, to complete the work. The amounts of each contribution are still to be determined.
All other City beach restoration efforts are being funded through a combination of the City's Beach Preservation Fund, Wild Dunes Community Association (WDCA) contributions, and state and federal sources.
Updates
