Sand Replenishment to Begin at Riis

The sand is coming to Riis. According to a press release, the National Park Service has authorized placement of approximately 360,000 cubic yards of sand along 5,000 feet of shorefront at Jacob Riis Park as part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York State, and New York City’s East Rockaway Inlet to Rockaway Inlet, and Jamaica Bay Coastal Storm Risk Management project. 

 In 2022, sections of the beach at Jacob Riis Park were closed due to beach erosion which created unsafe conditions and exposed deteriorated wooden groins, rockwork, and other structures. The exposed structures were not always visible, especially at high tide, and were dangerous to swimmers. The 2023 sand placement project will improve these unsafe conditions. 

 Sand placement is scheduled to begin in mid-April at the western end of the beach at Jacob Riis Park and progress east. The west-east sand placement direction is necessary to protect piping plovers, a federally threatened species protected under the Endangered Species Act, that nest at Fort Tilden beach at the western side of the beach at Jacob Riis Park. It is expected that the sand placement will be completed by mid-June and that all equipment will be off the beach by June 30.   

 During the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sand placement project, from mid-April to the end of June, sections of the beach at Jacob Riis Park will be closed to public access.  While lifeguards will be on duty at Jacob Riis Park from Memorial Day through Labor Day, short-term closures of the beach will occur to ensure visitor safety during sand placement operations. Bays 3-5 will remain closed until sand placement has been completed. The Jacob Riis Park boardwalk will remain open. 

Photo by Katie McFadden.