A significant restoration project for the Charlestown Breachway is set to begin this month. The project will cost $8.4 million.
The breachway suffered severe erosion during coastal storms in the winter of 2023 to 2024, resulting in the loss of 135 feet of beach in one year. This unprecedented erosion led to the breachway’s failure in early 2024, prompting an emergency repair using boulders to fill a large gap. However, a long-term solution is now underway.
Charlestown Coastal Geologist Steve McCandless explained, “It’s all designed for water quality, so by dredging these areas out we open it up for the flow to come through a more natural channel and get back into the pond to feed the rest of the pond and keep it healthy.”
The project will involve removing material from the channel to create two storm buffer dunes. McCandless added, “We’re going to have a third one that’s going to be out here in the front a little bit further, and we’re kind of calling that more of a sacrificial dune.”
Once completed, the restoration will enhance water quality for oyster farming in Ninigret Pond and ensure safe passage for boats through the breachway, while also rebuilding the beach. The project is designed to last 100 years, considering sea level rise due to global warming. McCandless noted, “It’s supposed to last 100 years, I want to get 75 out of it.”
The project is expected to be completed by February 2026. The Charlestown Breachway and campground will close on Oct. 31 and are scheduled to reopen on April 1.
