U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Awards $25.7M Contract to Replenish Ocean City Beaches Following Nor’easter

2 hours ago

Sophia Peters,

OCEAN CITY, Md. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District, has awarded a $25.7 million contract to a Houston company for renourishment of the beach in Ocean City following a powerful Nor’easter resulting in flooding and beach erosion.

Officials say the renourishment will involve the placement of roughly 982,000 cubic yards of sand to restore the engineered beach berm to its full design elevation. The sand will be supplied from Weaver Shoal, located more than seven miles offshore of Ocean City. Work on the beach is projected to begin between late 2026 and early 2027.

Ocean City’s beaches are typically renourished every four years. While this routine cycle was scheduled prior to the storm, officials say the timing allows USACE to directly address the recent erosion during the upcoming work. Project Manager Todd M. Beser explained that the renourishment efforts help supplement the natural rebuilding process that occurs over time.

“The Ocean City beach is designed to be in a dynamic equilibrium with the wave and tidal forces. During a nor’easter, powerful waves pull sand from the beach and move it just offshore, but this sand is not lost from the system,” Beser explained.

U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks (both D-MD) helped to secure $20 million for the beach renourishment project through the last fiscal budget.

“With these federal funds, we will be able to restore and expand the shoreline, helping to ensure that Ocean City can continue to be a destination point and the economic driver that it is,” Senator Van Hollen said of the investment. He also stopped in Ocean City in August to highlight the investment and observe then beach conditions.

Congressman Andy Harris (MD-01) celebrated the Army Corps’ newly awarded million contract, saying, “I spoke directly with Army Corps Baltimore District Commander Colonel Pera about restoring Ocean City’s beach following this weekend’s storm, and I applaud the new $25.7 million contract for the town’s berm reconstruction.”

In addition to the renourishment contract, Baltimore District teams will conduct on-the-ground inspections of Ocean City’s coastal infrastructure later this week. To learn more about the project, click here.