Big Progress in Delray Beach Sand Replenishment Project: Here’s a Bird’s Eye View

Crews from Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company are continuing their north-to-south beach replenishment project in Delray Beach, with seasonal visitors taking in the unusual site of sand-pumping and heavy equipment on the beach, and locals dutifully monitoring the progress as their beaches get larger by the day.

The large boat most onlookers notice first is the Illinois, a red-colored 309-foot cutter-head dredge that uses a rotating mechanical “cutter head” to loosen sand on the bottom of the ocean slightly offshore. The sand dredged up using the cutter tool is then pumped through a snaking network of large metal pipes that float on the top of the ocean surface and ultimately land on the beach. The pipe, at the beach, is connected to a square-shaped filtration device that ensures no materials but sand make their way onto the beach before bulldozers, excavators and other pieces of heavy equipment spread the sand out, enlarging the beach berm.

Beach replenishment in Delray Beach, March 1, 2026, (Photo: Boca Daily News)

Beach replenishment in Delray Beach, March 1, 2026, (Photo: Boca Daily News)

Bulldozers expand the dune line where needed and grade the beach berm at a pre-determined angle. It is expected that, over time, the beach berm will naturally get smaller as some sand is washed out into the ocean where it forms a protective berm that attenuates wave action as an extra way to mitigate storm damage.

The city’s beachfront last received replenishment in 2019, following a string of storms that took a chunk out of Delray Beach’s 2.8 mile stretch of shoreline. Previous projects were performed in 2014, after Hurricane Sandy affected beaches in 2012, and on six other occasions dating back to the 1970s. The current federal project will add approximately 450,000 cubic yards of sand, while Delray Beach added a “template beach repair” with an additional 750,000 cubic yards of advanced fill sand to provide additional storm protection and widen its recreational beaches.

Beach replenishment in Delray Beach, March 1, 2026, (Photo: Boca Daily News)

Beach replenishment in Delray Beach, March 1, 2026, (Photo: Boca Daily News)

Back on the water, the Illinois is accompanied during its daily duties by a crew boat which transports personnel to the vessel, as well as tugs and other utility boats that facilitate the operation. When the boats are not working – such as a foul weather day or when maintenance is required – all of the boats involved in the project can be seen anchored inside Lake Worth (Palm Beach) Inlet, south of Peanut Island, where they are sheltered from the ocean swells.

The project has occasionally prompted questions from visitors about the nature of the work and why some beach entrances are closed. Consistent with beach replenishment contracts up and down the east coast, a work area on a given day will close about three blocks worth of beachfront – one or two entrances – ensuring sun worshipers only have to walk a short distance out of their normal way. When work on one beach is completed, the crews move south to the next several blocks to widen the beaches there.

Beach replenishment in Delray Beach, March 1, 2026, (Photo: Boca Daily News)

Beach replenishment in Delray Beach, March 1, 2026, (Photo: Boca Daily News)

Beach replenishment in Delray Beach, March 1, 2026, (Photo: Boca Daily News)

“This important work helps protect our shoreline, strengthen our dunes, and preserve a healthy beach for years to come,” the city said in an announcement about the project on its social media pages. “Thank you for your patience and cooperation — please follow posted signs and avoid construction zones.”