Hereford Inlet to Cape May Inlet, NJ

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS: NJ-2

APPROPRIATION / PHASE: General Investigations / Feasibility

BUSINESS PROGRAM: Flood & Coastal Storm Damage Reduction

AUTHORITY: The Hereford Inlet to Cape May General Investigation was undertaken by authority of The New Jersey Shore Protection Study, by resolutions adopted within the Committee on Public Works and Transportation of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the U.S. Senate in December 1987.

LOCATION The study area includes Five Mile Island, located on the Atlantic Coast of New Jersey between Hereford and Cape May Inlets in Cape May County. 

DESCRIPTION: The project area consists of the municipalities of North Wildwood, Wildwood, Wildwood Crest and Lower Township. These municipalities are vulnerable to storm damage all year round from a combination of hurricanes and nor’easters. The project area will be restricted to the beachfront, and tapered at the southern and northern ends at Hereford Inlet and the USFW/Coast Guard properties.  The Non-Federal sponsor is the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). The City of North Wildwood is experiencing significant erosion of its berm and dune. What was the largest beach in the state now suffers from tidal flooding and wave run-up over a formerly protective beach. The municipality of North Wildwood has lost approximately 1,000 feet of beach during the past 5-10 years.  In contrast to North Wildwood, sand accretion in Wildwood and Wildwood Crest is causing extensive maintenance problems and health hazards with their storm water management system. The excess sand clogs storm-water outfalls, creates pools of stagnant water, produces unhealthy beach conditions and causes associated interior flooding . During combined periods of heavy rain and high waves the City can not access the outfalls for excavation and rainwater becomes trapped within the pipes. The subsequent high volume discharge of impounded storm water can also cause spikes in poor water quality.

The Project Partnership Agreement was executed with the NJDEP in 2017 and design plans are approximately 65% complete. The recommended plan includes a berm and dune system along the Atlantic oceanfront for the communities of North Wildwood, Wildwood, Wildwood Crest, and Lower Twp. The total project length is approximately 25,000 linear feet, with a berm of varying widths at elevation 6.5 feet NAVD88 and a dune with crest elevation at 16 feet NAVD88 along the entire length of the project. The project would be accomplished by backpassing sand from those areas along the project in Wildwood and Wildwood Crest that have an excess accumulation of sand. 

Since the Project Partnership Agreement was executed, the sponsor has begun to acquire the necessary real estate to construct the project. Construction cannot move forward until the real estate is in place. 

PROJECT GOALS:  The purpose of this project is to evaluate erosion and storm damage potential for the municipalities on Five Mile Island. It presently includes a constructed berm and dune extending from Hereford Inlet in North Wildwood to existing dunes in Wildwood and Wildwood Crest using backpassing technology. The creation of a dune and berm from Hereford to Cape May will reduce risk from coastal storms.

BACKPASSING TECHNOLOGY: Provides high quality sand as  an alternative to offshore borrow areas, reduces beach maintenance, has lower emissions than traditional dredging and will not impact cultural or environmental resources within Hereford Inlet.