In a letter to Army Corps Commander Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Beeman, Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester) today called on the Army Corps of Engineers to take immediate action to mitigate the growing navigational hazard in the Manasquan Inlet posed by a dangerous build-up of sand following weekend storms.

            Smith’s letter comes as a follow-up to conversations he initiated with Army Corps officials and local boat captains over the weekend as the shoaling began to develop. Smith noted that Point Pleasant Beach Mayor Doug Vitale has also raised critical and important concerns.

            “The build-up of sand on the Point Pleasant side of the inlet against the jetty has reached unprecedented proportions,” said Smith. “This is not only a grounding hazard to vessels, but the waves created inside the inlet as a result of this shoaling are enough to capsize boats that regularly traverse the channel.”

            Smith, who noted that the Army Corps was scheduled to perform maintenance dredging on the inlet this week before a mechanical failure postponed that operation for two weeks, emphasized that “this new development calls for a more urgent response, especially during this busiest boating time of the year on the Jersey Shore.”

            “Based on these concerns and understanding that the safety and viability of recreational, for-hire and commercial vessels is of utmost importance, especially during these last few weeks of summer when inlet traffic is at its peak, I respectfully request that the Army Corps take immediate corrective action to mitigate this dangerous navigational hazard,” Smith said.

            Manasquan Inlet, which is categorized as a dynamic inlet with constantly shifting sands created by the currents, has been prone to shoaling before.

            When similar safety hazards plagued the Manasquan Inlet in August 2022, Smith secured an emergency survey of the inlet from the Army Corps in addition to continued, close monitoring of the river floor to ensure the channel remained navigable.

###