SACO — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is seeking public input on a proposed Camp Ellis shoreline damage mitigation project.
The proposed project would offset beach erosion caused from the Saco River jetty, which was built on the mouth of the Saco River in the late 1800s to create a smooth shipping channel.
“The Camp Ellis beach shoreline has shown continued erosion since the early 1900s,” said Project Manager Richard Heidebrecht, of the U.S. Army Corps New England District, Engineering and Planning Division, in a written statement.
A number of studies by the Army Corps and other entities indicate the Saco River is the primary sediment source for Saco Bay, and the sediment moves from south to north. Construction of the jetty has restricted movement of these sediments, and thus inhibited natural beach renourishment in Camp Ellis, according to Heidebrecht.
The Army Corps has a draft report on proposed mitigation, which is available on the city’s website, www.sacomaine.org.
The federal plan involves the construction of one 750-foot-long spur attached to the existing north jetty, about 1,475 feet from the shoreline; along with reinforcement of about 400 feet of the existing jetty. The proposal would also include the placement of 365,000 cubic yards of sand on the Camp Ellis beach, and beach renourishment every 12 years.
The cost of this proposal, not including future beach replenishment and initial planning and design, is estimated to cost nearly $19.5 million. Under the proposal, the city would have to pay 50 percent of future beach replenishments.
Nearly $27 million of federal money has been appropriated for a mitigation project.
City Public Works Director Patrick Fox did not comment on the proposed scenario, but said there needs to be mitigation.
“This winter was bad for coastal erosion,” he said. “We feel it significantly in Camp Ellis.”
According to the Army Corps, Camp Ellis has lost more than 30 buildings and residential structures in the past 50 years due to erosion.
Beach erosion has been an issue at Camp Ellis for a long time, and Fox said the publication of the draft report is “a big milestone.”
Public comments on the project can be mailed to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, Engineering and Planning Division, Attn: Richard Heidebrecht, 696 Virginia Road, Concord, MA 01742-2751. Comments can also be emailed to cenae-ep@usace.army.mil.
— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.
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