DNREC to Resume Sand Bypass Operations At Indian River Inlet After Signing Contract With First State Crane Service

March 4, 2026

delaware.gov

DNREC has announced that sand pumping at the Indian River Inlet will resume later this month as the department begins operating the upgraded Sand Bypass System. The system moves sand across the inlet to nourish beaches and dunes.

Visitors should expect temporary closures and restricted access near the inlet while crews stage equipment and piping. The machinery used during bypass operations can be dangerous, so please follow posted safety signage and stay clear of work areas.

Having signed a contract March 3 with First State Crane Service to operate the new Indian River Inlet Sand Bypass System, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control is set to resume sand pumping later this month for beach and dune nourishment with the new bypass system under the joint supervision of DNREC and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The runup to resuming bypass operations began Tuesday when the contractor moved equipment to the inlet work site within Delaware Seashore State Park. Fencing and signage is to be posted today around the work area cautioning “Do Not Enter” to park visitors and recreationalists. Disregarding the caution as the bypass system ramps up may result in prosecution.

The new construction crane integral to resuming sand bypass operations is being assembled onsite. Starting next week, DNREC Shoreline and Waterway Management Section crews will move pipe into position for startup.

The prep work and pipe placement beginning March 9 (weather permitting) will require intermittent closures of the beach crossovers adjacent to the inlet’s Southside jetty. Stressing public safety, DNREC will further restrict access to the inlet’s Southside during pumping operations – with signage and detour markers posted in the area. Similar access restrictions to the Northside beach and dune will be in place for pipe placement and during installation of piping in the inlet.

Operation of the new bypass system – which features electric engines that went online late last summer for a successful trial run – is tentatively scheduled to start the week of March 16.

The State contract that DNREC signed with First State Crane Service calls for the company to operate the bypass system from March 3 through May 15, then to restart the system after Labor Day and to pump sand continuously through May 15, 2027. For more information about the sand bypass system, visit the de.gov/sandbypass webpage.