Seament bid on a breakwater and beach nourishment project in 2005 in Northumberland Co. VA at the mouth of the Potomac. The area is just south of point Lookout and has a 33 mile fetch to the NE and a 27 mile fetch to the NW.
The Association Beach had seen severe erosion over the years as 3 wooden groin projects successively failed. They decided to try a breakwater project as a last ditch effort to save the beach before the river broke though to a brackish water pond behind the beach. Seament won the bidding over several rip rap breakwater designs and installed the series of 3 breakwaters in November and December of 2005. 36 concrete boxes, each weighing 6.1 tons empty and measuring 10 feet by 8 feet by 7 foot six inches high, were floated offshore and sunk.
Beach nourishment sand was then dumped behind them to restore the rapidly eroding beach. The upriver breakwater where, because of the endangered Tiger Beetle, no sand was placed has started to form a tomblolo to match that of the two downriver breakwaters.
Beach with failed wood groins |
Storm washing away beach |
Boxes on the beach |
Sinking the boxes |
Sand filling box |
Stable beach formed |
After beach is formed |
