Charlestown Breachway Restructuring Development

 

In collaboration with the RI Department of Environmental Management (DEM), Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC), and the Town of Charlestown, long-term repairs to the Charlestown Breachway are being developed to improve safe navigation, stabilize the coastline, and preserve essential water flow to maintain ecological balance, water quality, and economic stability for the town.

 

 

Live Updates:

 

November 14, 2025 

 

Update on the progress of the Breachway West Wall Restoration Project.

Construction is officially underway, and overall progress has been strong. The Blue Shutters staging area is fully active, stocked with a significant volume of material, and continues to receive roughly fifteen 30-ton tractor-trailer loads of granite boulders each day.

As of November 14, more than 2,000 tons of the required 7,000 tons of stone have been delivered to the staging area, with approximately 800 tons already placed at the breachway. One excavator has been completing initial site preparation and working on improvements to the lower section of the wall. A second, larger excavator is scheduled to arrive on November 18, which will accelerate visible progress along the shoreline.

On November 14, the restoration team—RMA and CAB Construction—met with our dredging contractor, J.F. Brennan, for a productive coordination meeting. J.F. Brennan is scheduled to mobilize on December 1, with equipment setup occurring through early December. They remain on target to begin dredging shortly after the New Year, consistent with the approved dredge window.

Overall, the project remains on schedule, and progress will continue to become increasingly apparent throughout the week of November 18–22.

Since construction began, my assistant, Luke Slom, and I have been conducting routine drone flights to document the project’s evolution. Below is a link to a short video showing the beginning stages of the restoration:

Project Mobilization 11/01/25-11/14/25 (YouTube)

More updates will follow as work continues. Thank you for your continued support as we move forward with this important coastal infrastructure project.

 

October 10, 2025 

 

Beginning November 1, 2025, access to the Breachway jetty from the west will be closed to vehicles due to the Breachway restoration work and public safety concerns. Visitors are encouraged to observe the progress from the Charlestown Breachway Campground/State Beach parking lot on the east side, which offers ample parking. Additionally, a CoastSnap station, installed by URI’s Sea Grant, is available at this location for those interested in contributing to citizen science by capturing shoreline monitoring photos.

 

October 7, 2025 

 

September 29, 2025

The Charlestown Breachway long-term repair project is scheduled to begin in mid-October 2025, with initial mobilization of equipment and materials. Construction is expected to be completed by April 2026, with vegetation restoration to be finished in the fall of 2026. Please note that due to the heavy equipment needed and limited space, there will be additional traffic and possibly temporary driving access restrictions on the East Beach barrier section during parts of the project. This activity may result in additional traffic along East Beach Road. We recognize that the Breachway area is popular year-round, and we are committed to minimizing disruptions whenever possible.

 

Project Details:

  • Pre-Staging Area: A portion of the Blue Shutters Town Parking Lot will serve as the pre-staging area for this project and may have restricted access. The public is encouraged to use the East Beach parking lot during this time.
  • Boulder Delivery: Large boulders needed for the repair will be delivered and stored in the town parking lot, beginning in early November. These materials will then be transported along East Beach to the Breachway construction site.
  • Construction and Restoration: Heavy equipment will be operating on the beachfront between the Blue Shutters Town Beach and the Charlestown Breachway.

Timeline: The project is estimated to be completed by April 2026.

  • Oct 20: Mobilization – staging equipment and construction materials will begin being delivered to the site, continuing throughout the project timeline.
  • Nov. 1: Construction – primary stone wall repair work will begin at the Breachway and continue through April.
  • Jan. 7: Dredging, beach and dune restoration work begins and will continue through April. Dredging will be mobilized from the Charlestown Breachway State Campground.

 

Minimizing Disruption: You may notice increased activity in the town parking lot and along East Beach during this time. We appreciate your understanding and patience as we work to make long-lasting repairs to safeguard our coastal infrastructure, environment, and community.

 
 
August 27, 2025
The emergency repair of the breachway held up well during the storm surge from Hurricane Erin. While some high waves did break through the natural west side dunes, the stonework of the west seawall and the majority of the artificial dune created during the emergency repair remained in place. The effects of the storm surge would have been much worse had the emergency repair not been done. Post storm, the beach has started to naturally recover.
 
August 8, 2025
An informational meeting was held at the Kettle Pond Visitor's Center. After a welcome by Executive Director of Salt Ponds Coalition, Alicia Schaffner, an overview of outreach and communication efforts thus far were provided by Casey Tremper, Coastal Specialist with RI Sea Grant. Information was provided about how to access this website as well as details about our new CoastSnap station which will support volunteer monitoring of the restoration progress.
Stephen McCandless, Charlestown GIS coordinator and coastal geologist, announced the funding that has been obtained:
  - $5 million from DEM's request which will be allotted by the state through CRMC
  - $2 million from CRMC for dredging
  - $1.4 million from Charlestown town budget to support efforts as necessary
Emily Hall, CRMC coastal geologist and Stephen McCandless then walked through the permitting and design. Permits have not been finalized, but all parties are hopeful that construction on the West wall will start after Charlestown Breachway State Campground closes for the season on Oct. 31. Construction will be paused, and the Charlestown Breachway State Beach will be open as usual during beach season. Planting of the dunes will be completed in the Fall of 2026.
 
July 15, 2025
Learn about the status of the Charlestown Breachway repairs and plans on August 7th, at 6 p.m. We will be meeting at the Kettle Pond Visitor Center to discuss the progress and next steps of the repair process. Speakers include Stephen McCandless, Charlestown GIS coordinator and coastal geologist, Emily Hall, CRMC coastal geologist, and Alicia Schaffner, Salt Pond Coalition Executive Director. 
Please register for the event here
 
June 17, 2025
Residents gathered at the Charlestown Breachway for an informative session on emergency repairs, social science findings, funding goals, and the future of the Breachway Project. Stephen McCandless, Charlestown’s Coastal Geologist and Geographical Information System Coordinator, shared the progress made so far and how much recovery has been seen by the West Beach since October. He also detailed next steps and how the plans may be done in phases due to funding uncertainty. 
CRMC Coastal Geologist Emily Hall outlined the process and purpose of adding armor stones to reinforce the jetty. She emphasized that the right timing will be vital for effectively restoring the Breachway. Graduated URI Master's student Jamie-Lynn Ward, also presented recent research highlighting community perspectives on the breachway.
You can read the full article—including the Q&A session and timelines—[here].
You can also see the Powerpoint that was used and a recording of the meeting.
 

 February 18, 2025

Across the southern coast of Rhode Island, the tides in our coastal ponds are heavily influenced by wind direction and intensity. Sustained north winds tend to push water out, resulting in extreme low tides, while south winds drive water in, significantly increasing water depth.

Recently, a persistent, high-speed north wind caused a substantial outflow of water from Ninigret Pond through the channel and into the ocean. As a result, large areas of sand were exposed within the channel. Although this may appear to be a setback in our progress, it is actually a positive development.

As the water was pushed out of the breachway, it carried with it a considerable amount of sediment, effectively eroding the sand deposits located near the mouth. This natural movement of sand has contributed to the ongoing deepening of the channel, advancing our efforts to maintain navigable water depths.

 Breachway at Low Tide, 4:32 on February 18, 2025. (video)

 

January 29, 2025:

Research and Development on the next stage of building continues. G.I.S is monitoring and documenting the area daily!

 

October 30, 2024:

Stage one of the Breachway rehabilitation has been completed.
 
The core segment built in the damaged portion of the west wall is an emergency temporary fix, integral to the completion and full rehabilitation of the Breachway.