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Thompson Island living‑shoreline installed; town reports progress on loop‑canal dam and bulkhead work
Summary
The meeting included a technical update on a Thompson Island living‑shoreline project where 380 concrete wave‑attenuation devices were installed, initial monitoring shows sediment accumulation, and town engineers reported progress on a loop‑canal retaining wall and steps toward permitting an operable flap 'dam' to reduce back‑bay flooding.
Presenters at a Bethany Beach committee meeting provided technical updates on two coastal protection efforts: a recently completed living‑shoreline installation at Thompson Island and ongoing flood‑control and bulkhead work at the loop canal.
Bob, the project presenter, described Phase 1 at Thompson Island: an artificial‑reef array made from 380 concrete wave‑attenuation devices (WADs) manufactured at a Delaware facility, staged near James Farm, loaded onto barges and installed offshore. He said each unit weighs about 2,500 pounds and that the array is intended to break wave energy, reduce erosion and allow sediment to accumulate behind the devices.
"Ideally it's going to help rebuild Thompson Island," the presenter said, and meeting materials and photos shown to the committee indicated early signs of sediment accumulation in the protected area. The team plans follow‑up monitoring in February and May and described two additional southern arrays and smaller oyster‑castle structures for the eastern side facing Dewey Beach.
Funding for Thompson Island combines federal, state and private grants. The presenters identified Clean Water (Section 319) grants, state parks trust support, a $25,000 donation from Steel Equipment Corporation and environmental-penalty funds among the sources used for the project.
On the loop‑canal projects, town staff reported substantial progress: the retaining‑wall project spans about 855 linear feet, and as of the recent update approximately 533 linear feet of sheet piles and 654 linear feet of whalers have been installed. Contractors expect the major piling work to be finished in mid‑February, after which planting and finish work will proceed, using native vegetation where possible.
Town officials also described the loop‑canal 'dam' concept: an operable, mechanical flap roughly 3.5 feet tall that would normally lie flat and be raised for storm events to block back‑bay intrusion. Presenters said parks and state agencies had approved the concept in principle and that attorneys are reviewing deed and navigability issues; they estimated permitting and legal work could take roughly a year to two years before implementation.
Terry Teeman, assistant town manager, said the living‑shoreline permit had to be re‑submitted to the correct division, but staff expect the permit process to move forward now that the issue is corrected. She also reported that a Penoni sea‑level‑rise study and a Bethany West drainage study are in staff review and will be integrated into the town GIS for future planning.
The committee noted monitoring commitments and volunteer roles for future phases and asked staff to keep the public informed about timing and access restrictions. The meeting closed after brief additional town updates on playground grant funding and outreach materials for homeowners about flood‑reduction measures.
