From an email:

Beach Sand Replenishment Continues

Hauling began on February 10.  By the close of business on Monday, February 15, the contractor had hauled 7,730 cubic yards to the beach.  This material was spread between Ships Watch Court and the VB Resort & Conference Center, about 1,700 feet, working west to east.  The fill rate is approximately 3.2 cubic yards per foot, yielding a beach berm approximately 70 feet wide at elevation 5 feet, NAVD.

The total volume of sand available at the Maple Street Dredged Material Management Area for the truck haul is approximately 25,000 cubic yards.  This is less than we had hoped, but is a sufficient amount to place the above described beach cross section on the entire beach from Ships Watch Court to First Landing State Park.  We will completely evacuate the Maple Street site, take all available sand.

Given the contractor’s production rate of about 1,720 cubic yards per day, we anticipate that hauling will be complete by the end of February or very early March.

The operation involves 6 ‘quad’ on-road dump trucks cycling between Maple Street and Oak Street (0.75 miles).  The material is dumped on the beach at the Oak Street access, then transferred by an excavator to 2 off-road dump trucks for the beach transit to the placement area.  A bulldozer is stationed at the placement area to shape the fill into a beach berm.  The beach access at Oak Street has been temporarily graded and lined with timber mats, and will be fully restored at the conclusion of the haul.

Work hours at 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday thru Friday and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. of Saturday.

We have received two ‘concerns’ so far, one by e-mail from the Bailey family wanting to know whether the beach access will be restored.  We responded the same day (Saturday) with an assurance that the access will be restored, and they responded in a positive and appreciative manner.  The second ‘concern’ was voiced in the field to our inspector regarding the potential that the cross beach drains could be blocked by the fill.  Our inspector assured the citizen that the grading operation will provide positive drainage at the outfalls.

We are monitoring the condition of Oak Street for wear and potential damage from the operation.  PW/Operations is standing by to repair or overlay the street at the conclusion of the project as necessary to restore it to ‘as good or better’ condition than prior to the operation.

Please let me know if you need any further information.  Thanks.

Phill Roehrs, P.E.
Water Resources Engineer
City of Virginia Beach
Public Works Engineering
757-385-8985