Work continues on beach restoration project in Harrison County
HARRISON COUNTY, Miss. (WXXV)- If you’ve noticed construction along the beaches in Biloxi, it’s all part of a major shoreline restoration project in Harrison County. Phase one is now under way.
Crews are hard at work along the Harrison County shoreline as part of a $45 million partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The project started in April. Right now, work is focused in Biloxi.
Contractors are pumping in nearly two million cubic yards of sand, rebuilding the shoreline and restoring beaches to their full 250-foot width, helping protect the Coast from future storms.
This work is key to help protect Highway 90 and nearby properties along the beach. Harrison County Administrator Bobby Trosclair said, “We started the project about a month ago. Started at White Avenue working our way back to where we are now at lighthouse and then we will go west from there. What you see behind me is a barge, it’s pumping sand from areas we’ve identified through our engineering team. They pump it up and then they work the sand, spread it.”
It’s designed to replace sand lost due to erosion. The sand is coming from just offshore, where it has naturally shifted over time. “What’s happening behind me is there’s a pipe from the barge where they pump the sand here. Then you have excavators and dozers that are moving it around and spreading it to get to the distance we’re after, which is about 250 feet. From there, the weather, sun, and rain will bleach the sand back to white.”
Beach and dredging work are expected to continue through late 2027.
The project also includes a second phase focused on restoring dunes. About two million dune plants will be installed to strengthen existing dunes and build new ones in areas where they don’t currently exist.
