Corps dumping sand to guard against breach near jetty

January 1, 2020 1:30 pm
Photos COURTESY ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS Trucks from Northwest Rock Inc. are dumping sand on the breach fill area of Westport’s south jetty. Crews are about halfway through a project to shore up the spit between the jetty and the mainland.
Photos COURTESY ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS Trucks from Northwest Rock Inc. are dumping sand on the breach fill area of Westport’s south jetty. Crews are about halfway through a project to shore up the spit between the jetty and the mainland.

The Army Corps of Engineers is midway through the placement of about 55,000 cubic yards of sand at the Westport south jetty breach fill.

A breach of the sand spit that connects the south jetty at the south entrance of Grays Harbor to the mainland could threaten the stability of the jetty and navigation channel and, in the event of a major storm, infrastructure in the City of Westport, including the water treatment plant, city businesses and the Westport Marina.

Sand is being placed in the most eroded portions of the spit, which will bring it back to a crest height of 35 feet. This will reinforce this area and provide necessary protection against a breach, according to the Army Corps. The breach fill area was last reinforced in 2012.

The Corps contracted Northwest Rock Inc. of Aberdeen for the work, which is taking place from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and is expected to be completed by mid-March.

Some trail access in Westhaven State Park will be restricted during the project.

COURTESY ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS Contractors with Northwest Rock Inc. of Aberdeen are about halfway through an Army Corps of Engineers project to shore up the breach fill area between the Westport south jetty and the mainland.

COURTESY ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS Contractors with Northwest Rock Inc. of Aberdeen are about halfway through an Army Corps of Engineers project to shore up the breach fill area between the Westport south jetty and the mainland.

COURTESY ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS The Army Corps of Engineers is about halfway through placing some 55,000 cubic yards of sand on the Westport south jetty breach fill. The project is expected to last to about mid-March.

COURTESY ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS The Army Corps of Engineers is about halfway through placing some 55,000 cubic yards of sand on the Westport south jetty breach fill. The project is expected to last to about mid-March.

Photos COURTESY ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS Trucks from Northwest Rock Inc. are dumping sand on the breach fill area of Westport’s south jetty. Crews are about halfway through a project to shore up the spit between the jetty and the mainland.

Photos COURTESY ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS Trucks from Northwest Rock Inc. are dumping sand on the breach fill area of Westport’s south jetty. Crews are about halfway through a project to shore up the spit between the jetty and the mainland.

COURTESY ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS Contractors with Northwest Rock Inc. of Aberdeen are about halfway through an Army Corps of Engineers project to shore up the breach fill area between the Westport south jetty and the mainland.

COURTESY ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS Contractors with Northwest Rock Inc. of Aberdeen are about halfway through an Army Corps of Engineers project to shore up the breach fill area between the Westport south jetty and the mainland.