Army Corps puts cost of Sandy’s sand damage to Folly at $2.7-$3.5 million

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers estimates it would cost up to $3.5 million to replace the sand that Superstorm Sandy washed away from Folly Beach.

The Corps released the results of their post-storm assessment this morning, estimating that Sandy stole 75,000 to 100,000 cubic yards of sand from the Edge of America. The minimum estimate to replace the lost sand is $2.7million, the Corps said.

In comparison, Hurricane Irene caused an estimated 300,000 to 350,000 cubic yards of lost sand at Folly Beach.

The Army Corps of Engineers’ estimate is based only on sand loss to the federal restoration project at Folly and does not include any sand loss beyond those lines. Fixing what Sandy did would cost at least $1.4 million just to mobilize the dredge for the project, officials said.

The Charleston District has forwarded the assessment to the Corps of Engineers headquarters in Washington, D.C. Should a disaster declaration be made for areas within the state of South Carolina and should federal funding become available, the Charleston District will work with the City of Folly Beach to see if the damage qualifies for assistance.

The federal project at Folly Beach reached the trigger point for regular renourishment prior to Superstorm Sandy. At this time, the Charleston District has received $400,000 for the federal project to complete plans and environmental assessments.

The president’s budget for the 2014 fiscal year, to be released in February, will determine if the project receives additional funding for renourishment of the beach, the Corps said.