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Home My WebLink About2025-06-11 Minutes Access 2, 17Sept2024 HLB 18Sept2024 PostTS8, DRGFall 2023 DRG 1964 vs. 2024 courtesy of NC State Ports Notes/Discussion: Chairman Barbour led introductions. May meeting minutes approved. N.C. Ports update hopefully coming later this summer. •USACE awarded $23.5 million contract to Norfolk Dredging Company on May 8 th •Norfolk given Notice to Proceed •USACE will have scheduling conversation with Norfolk in upcoming months Carolina Beach and Kure Beach FY26 Coastal Storm Risk Management (CSRM) Looking N from Golden Sands Notes/Discussion: Once preliminary Norfolk schedule/plan released, it will be passed along. Carolina Beach Inlet CSRM Borrow Area FY22 FY26 Notes/Discussion: Pictures taken from USACE bid plans. Upcoming FY26 USACE CSRM borrow area within CB Inlet appears to be larger than previous events. Box C-1 is the typical borrow area, FY26 borrow area includes beach compatible material within additional boxes C-2, C-4, and C-6. Feb 27 Carolina Beach Inlet Maintenance Dredging •Merritt still working in Big Foot Slough and now scheduled to stop by Bogue Inlet prior to Carolina Beach Inlet. USACE targeting an early July event •Potential for an emergency request from Maryland •If submitted and granted, a Carolina Beach Inlet event would be pushed to late July •Murden in for maintenance in Louisiana until August 6/2/25 USACE survey Notes/Discussion: Chairman Barbour discussed location of buoys and how boaters need to follow deepwater instead of following buoys or else they will run aground. Discussion around an “emergency request” and how if granted, the priority supersedes any normally scheduled stops. Notes/Discussion: Mason Creek AIWW Crossing •USACE notified New Hanover County (NHC) on 2/20/25 of shoaling within Mason Creek AIWW crossing •Per federal permit conditions associated MIRP, NHC required to maintenance dredge •+/-75,000cy within Section 3 Tangent 12 template per USACE •Plan is to include work as an option in upcoming USACE FY26 AIWW Maintenance contract with placement on Figure 8 Island •Preliminary cost estimate of $1.7 million •If cost shared with NC DWR (75%/25%), then local share is ~$425,000 •USACE working to finalize needed real estate consent requirements prior to solicitation USACE 5/14/25 AIWW survey Mason Creek AIWW Crossing •USACE notified New Hanover County (NHC) on 2/20/25 of shoaling within Mason Creek AIWW crossing •Per federal permit conditions associated MIRP, NHC required to maintenance dredge •+/-75,000cy within Section 3 Tangent 12 template per USACE •Plan is to include work as an option in upcoming USACE FY26 AIWW Maintenance contract with placement on Figure 8 Island •Preliminary cost estimate of $1.7 million •If cost shared with NC DWR (75%/25%), then local share is ~$425,000 •USACE working to finalize needed real estate consent requirements prior to solicitation USACE 5/14/25 AIWW survey Mason Inlet Relocation Project (MIRP) •“Shorebirds among species in steepest decline in latest count” •Decline in shorebirds including Least Terns, American Oystercatchers, Piping Plovers, and Black Skimmers –2025 State of the Birds by North American Bird Conservation Initiative •https://coastalreview.org/2025/06/shorebirds-among-species-in-steepest-decline-in-latest-count/ “Given the decline of suitable barrier island waterbird nesting habitat along the entire Atlantic seaboard, the long-term nesting success documented within the WMA is particularly important” –Mason Inlet Waterbird Management Area Final Report 2024 Mason Inlet Waterbird Management Area Nesting SuccessState/Federally Listed SpeciesTotal SpeciesYear Least Terns, Wilson's Plovers, Common Terns, Black Skimmers, American Oystercatchers12752016 Least Terns, Wilson's Plovers, American Oystercatchers19792020 Least Terns, Wilson's Plovers, Black Skimmers, American Oystercatchers19812022 Least Terns, Wilson's Plovers, Black Skimmers, Common Terns, American Oystercatchers16762024 Notes/Discussion: Davey Resource Group continues bird monitoring. GBA has finished surveying and is starting to process data/survey for their annual report. The success of the Waterbird Management Area is another benefit of the Mason Inlet Relocation Project. Update to NC Beach and Inlet Management Plan (BIMP) •Update to BIMP has passed the House •“Each plan shall be as complete as resources and available information allow. The Department of Environmental Quality shall revise the plan every two years and shall submit the revised plan to the General Assembly no later than March 1 of each odd -numbered year.” •$400,000 budgeted for BIMP update •Responsibility of NC Department of Environmental Quality •Interim report on progress due by 3/1/2026 with formal update due 3/1/2027 Notes/Discussion: Great news and another thank you from NCBWIA to the PWBC for submitting a letter of support to update the NC Beach and Inlet Management Plan Next Meeting: July 9th Notes/Discussion: Vicechair Andrew asked for an update on the Shoreline Mapping Program. It was reported that the new contract with Moffatt & Nichol has been completed, their partners (Geodynamics) have completed surveying efforts, and Moffatt & Nichol have begun compiling data/surveys for the report. The survey efforts remain the same as past contracts with Moffatt & Nichol using GBA’s survey data that is collected as part of the Mason Inlet Relocation Project. Chairman Barbour reiterated the poor state of Carolina Beach Inlet and how a maintenance event is needed. Pu blic Comment: Chairman Barbour adjourned the meeting. Next meeting is July 9th.