5 things to know about Hilton Head’s beach rebuild

More than two million cubic yards of sand will be dumped on about eight miles of Hilton Head Island beach to fend off years of erosion, starting Wednesday.

This is the town’s third major renourishment since 1990, the last being in 2007. Its purpose: to bulk up the town’s top tourism draw for the next eight to 10 years.

1. When and where will it take place?

About 1.5 miles of shoreline between the Barker Field area and the island’s heel along Port Royal Sound, east of the Westin Resort, will be renourished between mid-June and mid-July.

About one mile of shoreline at Sea Pines near South Beach will be completed between late July and mid-August.

About 5.5 miles between South Forest Beach and The Folly at Singleton Beach will be completed between late August and October. Work will move south to north in Forest Beach through September, stopping short of Palmetto Dunes. It will then head to The Folly and work its way south in October.

2. What’s the cost and who pays?

Tourists are primarily paying the $20.7 million tab. The money was collected through the town’s 2 percent beach-preservation fee that is charged to visitors staying in short-term lodging.

The rebuild requires about 19 years worth of collected revenue from the beach-preservation pot, which generates about $1.1 million per year.

3. How does renourishment work?

A hydraulic dredge excavates sand from Barrett Shoals in Calibogue Sound for the southern renourishment and from Baypoint Shoals across Port Royal Sound for the northern work. The sand is pumped through above-water and underwater pipes onto the beach, where bulldozers move the sand into place.

4. How will this affect my beach plans?

Work will occur 24 hours a day on 1,000-foot sections of beach at a time. Those sections will be closed during the work, and the town will provide temporary beach access ramps for beachgoers.

After each 1,000-foot section is finished, the area will reopen. The new sand will appear dark because the dredge also picks up mud and shells. After a few days, the sun oxidizes the shells and mud to match the beach’s original lighter sand color, according to town officials. Islanders Beach Park will also be used as an access point for equipment, which will cause parts of the beachfront and parking lot there to be closed at times.

In the past, the biggest noise complaint has been at night concerning the beeping of bulldozers and other vehicles when they are in reverse.

5. What about birds and sea turtles?

The renourishment will affect sea turtles, whose nesting season is between May 1 and Oct. 31.

As of Thursday, volunteers with the Sea Turtle Protection Project had relocated about 70 of the 130 nests on the island’s beaches. The project also has to consider that the hatchlings of those first nests need careful placement so as not to be disturbed when they emerge in about two months.

The project documented 325 nests last year, up from 131 in 2014.

The work should not affect the endangered piping plover and red knot, which have already migrated from the Port Royal Sound area.

This story was originally published June 10, 2016 at 5:24 PM with the headline "5 things to know about Hilton Head’s beach rebuild."