MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Charleston District, has completed sand placement in the City of North Myrtle Beach as part of the Grand Strand Renourishment Project and will soon begin work in the City of Myrtle Beach.
Sand placement in North Myrtle Beach, identified as Reach One, concluded January 31, 2026. Final grading work is ongoing and will wrap up soon, including tilling, smoothing, and installation of sand fencing. To date, 88 acres have been tilled, with approximately 194 acres remaining.
Tilling is an important environmental component of the project. The process loosens compacted sand to a depth of two feet to improve conditions for sea turtle nesting by making it easier for turtles to burrow and lay eggs. A metal bar behind the tiller fills ruts and smooths the beach surface.
Work in Myrtle Beach, identified as Reach Two, is expected to begin within the next two weeks. The contractor is demobilizing dredge and land-based equipment from Reach One and mobilizing to Reach Two. The dredge Galveston Island, currently undergoing repairs in Charleston, is scheduled to return within the next two weeks, with dredging and pumping operations expected to begin shortly thereafter.
Initial sand placement in Reach Two will occur between 63rd Avenue North and 52nd Avenue North. Crews will also complete limited work nearby before transitioning to the Arcadian Shores area. After that, operations are scheduled to begin near 3rd Avenue South. While some sections may appear to be skipped, the project team is following a planned construction sequence to maximize efficiency and reduce equipment movement.
Work in Arcadian Shores is a separate, locally funded project undertaken by the City of Myrtle Beach in partnership with Horry County. Although it will occur concurrently and use the same contractor, Great Lakes Dock and Dredge, it is outside the Corps’ authorized project limits. The work does not use federal funding and does not affect the federal project budget.
The concurrent approach is based on the configuration of the dredge pipeline system, allowing material to be placed efficiently while equipment is already in position. Because the local project uses the same contractor during the federal construction window, USACE approval was required to ensure there is no impact to the authorized federal effort. Work in Arcadian Shores is expected to take approximately one month to complete. The contractor will then resume full operations on the federally authorized project without extending the overall federal timeline.
The project is scheduled to continue to Garden City and Surfside Beach in April, with completion anticipated in June 2026. As with all large-scale coastal construction projects, the schedule remains subject to weather conditions and equipment availability.
There is an online tracker available on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Charleston Districts website which will be updated daily to show the exact locations where the beach is being impacted by the project.
Link to tracker: https://arcg.is/1bbrfr3