Dredging Underway On Manasquan Inlet Shoal

POINT PLEASANT BEACH, NJ — Dredging to address shoaling along the south jetty of Manasquan Inlet has begun, a day after local officials contacted the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers seeking help.

The Army Corps Dredge Murden began removing sand from the inlet on Tuesday, Rep. Chris Smith announced in a news release. Smith and Point Pleasant Beach Mayor Doug Vitale had been in contact with the Army Corps on Monday morning as photos and videos showing a large shoal made the rounds on social media.

Stephen Rochette, public affairs officer with the U.S. Army Corps Philadelphia office, on Monday said the Army Corps was aiming to begin addressing the shoaling as early as Tuesday, weather permitting.

A hydrographic survey of the inlet — showing the water depths through the inlet to help define the size and area that needs to be dredged — was conducted Tuesday morning. You can see the survey on the Army Corps website; a photo of it is at the bottom of this article.

The Army Corps dredge Murden, which has been working on a pre-planned project in Shark River Inlet, was able to move south to begin the work of removing the shoaled sand, which Rochette on Monday said was a likely response. Read more: Large Shoal Develops In Manasquan Inlet, Dredging Already Planned, Army Corps Says

"We are very grateful to Lt. Col. Jeffrey M. Beeman and his team from the Philadelphia Army Corps for their quick response to our concerns over the dangerous shoaling in the Manasquan Inlet that poses serious navigational hazards to boaters during this especially busy time of the year on the Jersey Shore," said Smith, who represents New Jersey's 4th Congressional District.

"Mayor Vitale was also quick to help ensure that this important safety issue was raised and addressed as soon as possible," Smith said.

The storm moving in Tuesday afternoon meant the dredging would have to stop temporarily for the safety of the crew, but Smith said it was anticipated the work would resume fairly quickly after the bad weather passes.

"I am confident that the Army Corps will continue to see this critical operation through to its end as quickly as possible," Smith said.

Manasquan Inlet, which is categorized as a dynamic inlet with constantly shifting sands created by the currents, has been prone to shoaling before. In August 2022 a significant shoal developed along the south jetty, prompting calls for a survey and dredging. A survey at the time found the inlet was safe for boat traffic, and in September the shoal dissipated as storms washed the sand away.

Manasquan Inlet was dredged in early 2023.

Rochette said the Murden has a more extended dredging operation scheduled for Manasquan Inlet later in August.

Manasquan Inlet is 450 feet across and about 11 feet deep and is one of the entry points for boats that want to sail down the Intracoastal Waterway, a 3,000-mile stretch of natural and some man-made inland waterways that stretch from New England to the Gulf of Mexico.