Hurricane Relief and Coastal Restoration with the Ellicott® Series 370
The Problem: Hurricane Flooding and Beach Closures
Following the 2005 hurricane season, the communities of Spring Lake and Sea Girt, New Jersey, faced a severe environmental and logistical crisis centered around Wreck Pond.
- Catastrophic Flooding: Radical tides from the hurricanes filled the 80-acre pond with sand and clogged the 7-foot diameter discharge pipeline. This caused the pond to overflow, flooding the town of Spring Lake.
- Environmental Degradation: The pond is a critical natural resource—a spawning ground for herring and a habitat for the piping plover. The lack of tidal flow threatened these sensitive ecosystems.
- Economic Impact: Pollution from accumulated waterfowl waste in the pond frequently washed onto the Atlantic beaches, causing closures. The New Jersey tourism industry, generating $30B annually, relies on these beaches remaining open.
The Solution: The Ellicott® Series 370 Dragon®
Marine contractor Trevcon Construction Co., an expert in pier and dock work, decided to expand into hydraulic dredging by purchasing their first-ever dredge: an Ellicott® 12-inch, 370 HP Series 370.
The Equipment: The Series 370 was selected for its portability and ability to handle both pond deepening and beach replenishment.
Efficient Sand Relocation: Dredging began in December 2005 to clear the hurricane-deposited sand. The dredge removed approximately 80,000 cubic yards of material, deepening the pond from 3 feet to 7 feet.
Long-Distance Pumping: The Ellicott® 370 demonstrated impressive power by discharging the sand through a 5,000-foot pipeline directly onto the oceanfront beaches of Spring Lake and Sea Girt.
Infrastructure Support: The dredging was the first step in a larger initiative to extend the pond’s pipeline 400 feet into the ocean to improve tidal flow and prevent future flooding.
The Outcome: Flood Relief and Shoreline Protection
The deployment of the Ellicott® 370 provided a triple benefit to the local environment and economy.
- Immediate Flood Relief: By clearing the sand from the pond and its pipeline, the dredge successfully drained the flooded areas of Spring Lake and restored the pond’s hydraulic capacity.
- Beach Nourishment: The 80,000 cubic yards of sand were “recycled” to build up the Atlantic beaches, protecting the multi-million dollar tourism industry and providing a buffer against future storm surges.
- Habitat Restoration: Deepening the pond restored the natural tidal exchange necessary for herring spawning and the health of the local piping plover population.
- Contractor Success: For Trevcon Construction, the reliability of the Ellicott® 370 allowed them to transition from subcontracting to successfully self-performing dredging work on a high-visibility municipal project.