MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. -- After two months of delays due to mechanical and scheduling conflicts, contractors will continue renourishing the Myrtle Beach area known as the Grand Strand. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Charleston District’s also has an updated timeline to help the public know what to expect.
Sand placement in North Myrtle Beach, or Reach One, ended January 31, 2026. Work moved into Reach Two, or Myrtle Beach, as expected by USACE following completion of North Myrtle Beach. However, a series of unexpected delays halted further progress.
“Everyone on the team, from the Corps, the municipalities and the contractor, is disappointed by the delays and the impacts to the public,” said Sonja Carter, USACE project manager. “We recognize renourishment during the summer months can be disruptive,” she said. “However, it’s imperative we complete the project before peak hurricane season as these projects are designed to protect the community from storm surge.”
Renourishment provides a wider, higher beach and dune system to absorb the energy of storm waves, which protects oceanfront homes, businesses and infrastructure such as roads and utilities from flooding and structural damage. The wide, sandy beach also offers an inviting shoreline for tourists and the public, though that is not the project’s primary purpose.
Due to previous machinery placement, work in Arcadian Shores will start in early May. This is a separate, locally funded project undertaken by Horry County in partnership with the City of Myrtle Beach.
Contractors plan to start placing sand in Reach Two towards the end of May and complete that section in July. Crews will make efforts to avoid the City’s large scale beach events. They will also maintain safe access areas for the public to get to the beach.
Officials expect the project to continue in Reach Three, Garden City and Surfside Beach, in July, and anticipate completing it in August 2026. As with all large-scale coastal construction projects, the schedule remains subject to weather conditions and equipment availability.
With the start of sea turtle nesting season, the Corps, in conjunction with Horry County, will conduct migratory shorebird and sea turtle monitoring daily and relocate sea turtle nests if necessary. If there are any sea turtle nests in the construction area, they will be monitored and protected until the hatchlings have emerged from the nest. After daily environmental species monitoring and sea turtle nest relocations have been completed, beach work will commence. However, construction operations in the area will cease if sea turtles are present at any time.
There is an online tracker available on the Charleston Districts website, which staff update daily to show the location where the beach is being impacted by the project. The public can also access the tracker directly, here: https://arcg.is/1bbrfr3
Media Availability: 8:00am – 11:00am, Wednesday, May 6, 2026