The Delaware beaches are dealing with the effects of a coastal storm that is expected to persist into Wednesday.
“The beach itself took a pretty good pounding over the last couple of high tides,” said Rehoboth Beach Public Works Director Kevin Williams. “We did lose some dune protection; we lost about four or five feet overnight.”
At low tide on Tuesday, Rehoboth Beach was littered with debris, mostly from downed dune fencing. Notably, a beach shed (typically used to store umbrellas and chairs) was washed away during the storm, according to Williams.
Rehoboth Beach experienced significant scarping at dune crossings, which remain closed from Lake Avenue to Brooklyn Avenue. The public can still access the beach at points further north and south.
“We had some reduced protection as a result of the Mother’s Day storm that sat off the coast a few days and caused the original degradation of the dune,” Williams said. “Some of that sand worked its way back over the summer but it never really got back to the dune.”
Other Delaware beach towns experienced similar storm damage.
Scarping occurred at Roosevelt Inlet in Lewes, which saw wind gusts of up to 66 miles per hour over the past few days, according to the National Weather Service.
Dewey Beach Town Manager Bill Zolper said beach dunes there experienced erosion, as well. Some dune crossings remain closed in Bethany Beach, according to police.
Related:After nor’easter lingers at Delaware beaches, towns focus on repairing dune crossings
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is scheduled to replenish Rehoboth Beach over the winter, as well as Dewey Beach, Bethany Beach, South Bethany and Fenwick Island. Lewes is scheduled for replenishment next winter.
The storm system is expected to move out Wednesday, bringing sun and temperatures in the 60s Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.
Shannon Marvel McNaught reports on Sussex County, Delaware, and beyond. Reach her at smcnaught@gannett.com and on Twitter @marvelmcnaught
