Governor Ehrlich Announces BPW Approval of $101,360 to Repair Dunes at Assateague State Park
Dune project will complete multiyear rebuilding effort

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ANNAPOLIS, MD — Noting the role dunes play in protecting beaches and inland areas, Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. today announced Board of Public Works approval of $101,360 in Program Open Space funds to strengthen a line of dunes at Assateague State Park, located in Worcester County.

“Obstacles constructed by man and burgeoning development have disrupted the natural actions of waves and winds that once maintained coastal dunes,” said Governor Ehrlich. “In light of this fact, I enthusiastically support expenditures, such as the one approved today, to bolster our dunes, which are beautiful and effective shields against erosion and damage to low-lying inland areas when violent storms strike.”

The Board approved $101,360 from the Critical Maintenance Fund, the source of which is Program Open Space, to strengthen 500 linear feet of dunes at Assateague State Park. Approximately 3,500 cubic yards of sand will be installed along the southernmost line of dunes in the park. This 2005 maintenance project will complete the reestablishment of all 2 miles of primary dunes, which were damaged by coastal storms in the early 1990s.

Approximately 1.6 miles of these dunes were rebuilt in 2002 and 2003 by pumping 95,000 cubic yards of sand from Great Gull Shoal. This replenishment was done in conjunction with the Army Corps of Engineers project that placed 1.8 million cubic yards of sand on the north end of Assateague. In 2004, 15,000 cubic yards of sand were brought by truck to rebuild 0.3 additional miles of dune.

DNR’s Program Open Space is a nationally recognized program that provides funding for Maryland’s state and local parks and conservation areas. More than 4,600 county and municipal park and conservation projects have been completed through the program, improving the quality of life for millions of Marylanders.

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March 30, 2005

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 446,000 acres of public lands and 18,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 11 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov