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Home My WebLink About2025-10-8 Minutes Access 2, 17Sept2024 HLB 18Sept2024 PostTS8, DRGFall 2023 DRG Port, Waterway, & Beach Commission Meeting October 8, 2025 Notes/Discussions: Vice-Chair Andrew led introductions. 9/10/25 meeting minutes approved. No Wake Zone piling and sign at the southern extent of the No Wake Zone along the AIWW underneath the Trask Drawbridge was replaced on 9/26. New Hanover County is responsible for the signage of a few No Wake Zones in the County. Moffatt & Nichol is targeting next month’s PWBC meeting to present the annual Shoreline Mapping Program findings. •Town of Kure Beach upgrading outfalls •Town is replacing outfall pipes and coordinating with USACE to ensure compatibility with CSRM project •Norfolk aiming to start early in environmental window •Preliminary plan is for land-based booster pump placed on north end of Carolina Beach with hope of removing as much sand from inlet as possible Carolina Beach and Kure Beach FY26 Coastal Storm Risk Management (CSRM) Looking N from north end of CB Notes/Discussion: Thanks again to the Town of Kure Beach and USACE for working closely together to coordinate the outfall work. Feb 27 Carolina Beach Inlet Maintenance Dredging •USACE targeting an October 12th to October 25th Merritt Event •Merritt finishing emergency dredge request in Bogue Sound •Merritt was down for a few days for repair work which slightly pushed back the schedule •Murden out of shipyard and finishing up repairs, then scheduled out through the end of the year USACE Survey 7/31, 8/5-8/6, 9/10 Notes/Discussion: It was stated in the meeting that the USACE will have an updated survey shortly. Since the meeting, a new survey dated 10/9/25 is available (https://eft.usace.army.mil/saw- nav/INLETS/CAROLINA_BEACH/Carolina_Beach_Inlet.pdf). Also, since the meeting, the Merritt is now moored in Snow’s Cut. Mason Creek AIWW Crossing •CAMA Minor Modification and USACE authorization letter received •Local funds ($250,000) have been transferred to NCDWR on 9/4, NCDWR will transfer total to USACE within 30 days of receiving local funds •No official schedule from Southwind yet USACE Bid Plan Notes/Discussion Carolina Beach AIWW Crossing •~200,000cy from AIWW crossing and additional ~75,000cy from Snows Cut USACE Bid Plan Notes/Discussion: Mason Inlet Relocation Project (MIRP) Davey Resource Group Drone Shot 9/15/25 •CAMA Major Permit #151-01 renewal request submitted on 10/6/25 •CAMA Major Permit expires 12/31/25 •Davey Resource Group continues monitoring efforts •Education of County staff of project history in preparation for Mason Inlet Preservation Group education as 2031 federal permit expiration date approaches Notes/Discussion: Wilmington Harbor 403 (Wilmington Harbor Deepening Project) •Draft environmental impact statement and letter report were released 9/19/25 •USACE Open House Public Meeting TONIGHT at Cape Fear Community College Union Station Building, Daniels Hall until 7pm •Comments can be submitted by November 3rd to WilmingtonHarbor403@usace.army.mil •Quick takeaways from Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Letter Report •Tentatively selected plan is -47’ deep, including some widening of certain reaches and extend the entrance channel ~9 miles offshore •Alternatives were No Action or -46’ deep •Impacts •Increase of salinity -~2ppt increase in area of Cape Fear Memorial Bridge •Loss of ~1,071 acres of tidal freshwater wetlands •No new/increased saltwater flow into aquifers, if small changes occur it’s due to existing flow field changes •Reduction in ship wake created erosion because fewer number of ships traversing river channel •~50% of material would be beneficially used (beaches, bird islands, intertidal placement, fish habitat enhancement) •17% of spoil in project is beach compatible material •Mitigation •Fish passage improvement at Lock & Dam #1 and Lock & Dam #2 •Restore a section of coastal wetland habitat adjacent to Alligator Creek (adjacent to Brunswick River and US17) with removal of ~120 acres of Phragmites, restore tidal flow, and plant native coastal wetland species •Preservation, monitoring, protection of ~550 acres of swamp forest wetlands along Black River Notes/Discussion: Discussion around saltwater intrusion into aquifers. Council Member Healy and Town Commissioner Panicli asked to be sent a copy of the section of the groundwater section of the Draft EIS. Next Meeting: November 12th Public Comment/Open Discussion Notes/Discussion: A shorter meeting to allow for time for people to make it downtown to the USACE Wilmington Harbor 403 Open House. Discussion/congratulations that if this was in fact Mayor Mills’ last PWBC meeting, we thank him for all his work and what he has done for the New Hanover County coast. Vice-Chair Andrew adjourned meeting. Next meeting on November 12th.