Avon Beach Nourishment Completed; Beach Grass Planting Contract Awarded 

Dare County’s contractor, Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company, completed the beach nourishment project in Avon on Thursday, June 25, 2026, placing approximately 375,000 cubic yards of sand along the beach from just south of Avon Pier to the project’s southern boundary near Greenwood Place.

During the Dare County Board of Commissioners meeting that was held on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, the board unanimously approved awarding a $95,000 contract to Coastal Transplants of Bolivia, N.C., for dune vegetation plantings associated with the Buxton and Avon beach nourishment projects. The board also authorized Dare County Manager Bobby Outten to execute the contract.

The dune vegetation plantings are a required permit condition for the beach nourishment projects and will help stabilize the newly constructed dunes by establishing native, salt-tolerant vegetation. Plant species may include American beachgrass, sea oats and bitter panic grass, which help trap windblown sand, reduce erosion and strengthen the dunes over time.

In Avon, Coastal Transplants will install up to 90,000 native plants on the newly nourished dune crest and dune face along approximately 6,000 linear feet of Cape Hatteras National Seashore south of Avon Pier. The plantings will consist of native, salt-tolerant species, including American beachgrass, sea oats and/or bitter panic grass, installed approximately 24 inches apart to promote healthy dune establishment and long-term shoreline stability.

June 29, 2026 Avon & Buxton Beach Nourishment Update

Dare County’s contractor, Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company, has announced an updated timeline for the Buxton beach nourishment project, with sand placement now expected to begin the week of July 20, 2026.*

The revised schedule reflects adjustments to the contractor’s construction timeline as the dredge that will perform the work—the Liberty Island—completes repairs and scheduled maintenance before arriving in Buxton.

Beach nourishment in Avon was completed on Thursday, June 25, 2026, allowing the contractor to begin demobilizing equipment there and transition to Buxton. Residents and visitors will begin seeing mobilization activities in Buxton over the coming weeks in preparation for the start of beach nourishment. These activities will primarily consist of staging and stockpiling equipment on private lots located along Cottage Avenue, Cape Court and Old Lighthouse Road.

Great Lakes currently expects the dredge to arrive in Buxton in mid- to late July, at which point sand placement will begin. Approximately 2 million cubic yards of sand will be placed on Buxton’s oceanfront beaches over a period of approximately 95 days, depending on weather and ocean conditions.

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company has announced that on Saturday, June 20, 2026, its hopper dredge, Liberty Island, completed sand placement within the northern portion of the Avon beach nourishment project area. 

With work in the northern section complete, the contractor began moving south from Pampas Drive toward the project’s southern limit near Greenwood Place. On Monday, June 22, 2026, the Liberty Island departed the site in Avon for Norfolk, Virginia, to undergo maintenance. Great Lakes’ hopper dredge Amelia Island is expected to arrive onsite today (Tuesday, June 23, 2026) to finish sand placement in Avon. 

Based on current progress, Great Lakes estimates that the remaining work can be completed within the next 10 days, weather permitting.*

Since beach nourishment operations began on Thursday, May 28, 2026, approximately 289,228 cubic yards of sand have been placed on the beach—representing roughly 77% of the project’s total volume. To date, approximately 65% of the planned one-mile project area has been completed.

Beachgoers are reminded to use caution around active construction areas and follow all posted signage and instructions from project personnel.

Click here to view Issue 2 of Coastal Science & Engineering’s Avon beach nourishment newsletter. 

June 1, 2026 Avon Beach Nourishment Update: 

Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company has reported that the dredge Liberty Island has returned to Avon, NC and has resumed pumping sand within the middle of the Avon beach nourishment project area. The contractor will continue to work north toward Avon Fishing Pier. Once pumping within the northern portion of the Avon project area is complete, contractors will begin working south from Yucca Street until they finish with the southern taper.

Friday, May 29, 2026 Avon Beach Nourishment Update:

Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company has reported that the dredge Liberty Island—which began pumping sand onto the beach in Avon on Thursday, May 28, 2026—has experienced a mechanical issue and is heading offsite for repairs. The dredge is currently expected to return to Dare County and resume pumping early next week.   

On the afternoon of Thursday, May 28, 2026, the contractor began pumping in the middle of the Avon project area, near Seaside Street (across from Food Lion), and worked north toward Avon Fishing Pier. Once the dredge returns and pumping within the northern portion of the Avon project area is complete, contractors will begin working south from Seaside Street until they finish with the southern taper. 

Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company estimates that it will take approximately 2 weeks (14 days) to place approximately 375,000 cubic yards of material on the beach in Avon, NC (weather dependent).* 

The parking lot located at Cape Hatteras National Seashore's off-road vehicle ramp 38, located south of Avon, N.C., will be closed through July 15, 2026 to accommodate Dare County’s beach nourishment project. During this time, visitors to the beach at ramp 38 can expect intermittent, short-term delays entering and exiting the ramp as workers move equipment to and from the beach.

*NOTE: Please note that information regarding the timeline(s) for each project is subject to change due to a variety of factors, including weather, equipment issues and other unforeseen circumstances. More detailed information for 2026 beach nourishment projects in Dare County will be provided as it becomes available.  

Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company has reported that the dredge Liberty Island will arrive in Avon, NC on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, and expects to begin pumping sand in the afternoon. The contractor will begin pumping in the middle of the Avon project area, near Seaside Street (across from Food Lion) and work north toward Avon Fishing Pier. Once pumping within the northern portion of the Avon project area is complete, contractors will begin working south from Seaside Street until they finish with the southern taper.

Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company estimates that it will take approximately 2 weeks (14 days) to place approximately 375,000 cubic yards of material on the beach in Avon, NC (weather dependent).

Dare County’s contractor, Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company, currently expects to begin mobilizing equipment for the beach nourishment project in Avon on May 18, 2026. Pumping/sand placement is expected to begin May 24-26, 2026, depending on weather.* 

Great Lakes estimates that it will take approximately 2 weeks (14 days) to place approximately 375,000 cubic yards of material on the beach in Avon (weather dependent).* The exact location where they will begin in Avon has not yet been determined by the contractor. The parking lot at Ramp 38, which is the staging area for the Avon project, will be closed until July 15, 2026 or completion of the project, whichever comes first.

Great Lakes then expects it to take approximately one week to demobilize all of their equipment and begin moving it to Buxton. The contractor currently expects to begin beach nourishment in Buxton in mid-June 2026, placing 2 million cubic yards of sand onto the beach over a period of approximately 95 days, depending on weather.*

*NOTE: Please note that information regarding the timeline(s) for each project is subject to change due to a variety of factors, including weather, equipment issues and other unforeseen circumstances. More detailed information regarding any plans and potential schedules for 2026 beach nourishment projects in Dare County will be provided as it becomes available.  

May 12, 2026 National Park Service Update:
"Beach Nourishment Activities Close Ramp 38 Parking Lot and Delay Access to Beach Route"

MANTEO, N.C. — From May 18 through July 15, Cape Hatteras National Seashore will close the parking lot at off-road vehicle ramp 38, located south of Avon, N.C., to accommodate Dare County’s beach nourishment project. During this time, visitors to the beach at ramp 38 can expect intermittent, short-term delays entering and exiting the ramp as workers move equipment to and from the beach. For more information, contact caha_public_affairs@nps.gov.

Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company currently expects to begin mobilizing equipment for the beach nourishment project in Avon on May 18, 2026. Pumping/sand placement is expected to begin May 24-26, 2026, depending on weather. Great Lakes estimates that it will take approximately 2 weeks (14 days) to place approximately 375,000 cubic yards of material on the beach in Avon (weather dependent). The exact location where they will begin in Avon has not yet been determined by the contractor. The parking lot at Ramp 38, which is the staging area for the Avon project, will be closed until July 15, 2026 or completion of the project, whichever comes first.

Great Lakes then expects it to take approximately one week to demobilize all of their equipment and begin moving it to Buxton.

*Please note that this information is subject to change. More detailed information regarding schedules and timelines for beach nourishment projects in Dare County will be provided as it becomes available.

Dare County’s contractor, Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company, is planning to start beach nourishment in the Village of Avon, prior to performing beach nourishment in the Village of Buxton. The exact location where they will begin in Avon has not yet been determined by the contractor. Great Lakes expects to start pumping sand onto the beach in Avon between May 6, 2026 and May 14, 2026, depending on weather conditions.* 

Great Lakes currently estimates that it will take approximately 2 weeks (14 days) to place approximately 375,000 cubic yards of material on the beaches in Avon (weather dependent). The contactor also expects it to take approximately one week to demobilize all of their equipment and begin moving it to Buxton.

Great Lakes expects to start pumping sand on the north end of Buxton and then continue working south; however, this is subject to change based on their ability to do so. Great Lakes expects to start placing material on the beaches in Buxton the first week of June 2026. Great Lakes expects for the base amount of approximately 1,351,616 cubic yards to take approximately 65 days to place on the beach in Buxton (weather dependent).*

If the county receives notification from FEMA regarding additional funding, more material will be placed on the beach, which could extend the project in Buxton until end of September 2026.

*Please note that this information is subject to change. More detailed information regarding any plans and potential schedules for future renourishment/maintenance projects in Dare County will be provided as it becomes available.

In 2022, approximately 2.5 miles of shoreline from 3,000 feet north of Avon Pier at Due East Road to the National Park Service Station/Avon Boundary at a construction cost of $11,730,962. The nourishment project began on June 19, 2022, and was completed on June 27, 2022.

January 2025 Update:

The Dare County Board of Commissioners voted during its January 6, 2025 meeting to authorize Dare County Finance Director David Clawson to sign the Designation of Applicant’s Agent (DAA) and State-Applicant Disaster Assistance Agreement (SAA). These agreements are necessary to apply to receive federal and state funding following loss of sand in the project area in Buxton during Potential Tropical Cyclone #8 last September.  

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) declared Dare County eligible for disaster assistance due to the storm’s impacts, which resulted in approximately 175,000 cubic yards of sand loss in Buxton. A post-storm survey conducted by Coastal Science and Engineering placed the cost of replacing this sand at $10.2 million. If the funding is approved, the county plans to integrate this effort into its larger 2026 maintenance project, leveraging efficiencies and cost savings.

2022 Avon Beach Nourishment Project Reports:

July 27, 2022: Avon Beach Nourishment is Now Complete with Demobilization Underway

July 18, 2022: Significant Progress on the Avon and Buxton Beach Nourishment Projects

July 15, 2022: Avon Beach Nourishment Expected to Reach Northernmost Project Boundary

July 8, 2022: Beach Nourishment Operations to Resume in Avon

June 30, 2022: Beach Nourishment Operations in Avon Paused

June 28, 2022: Beach Nourishment in Avon Continues

June 27, 2022: Avon Beach Nourishment Operations in Avon Paused

June 18, 2002: Estimated Start of Beach Nourishment Construction in Avon- June 19

June 8, 2022: Projected Dredge Arrival Dates and Project Start Dates

June 2, 2022: Avon Beach Nourishment Equipment Staging

Issue No. 3 of Coastal Science & Engineering’s Avon Beach Nourishment Newsletter (7.27.22)

Issue No. 2 of Coastal Science & Engineering’s Avon Beach Nourishment Newsletter (7.11.22)

Issue No. 1 of Coastal Science & Engineering’s Avon Beach Nourishment Newsletter (6.20.22)