NEWS RELEASE

U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS NEW ENGLAND DISTRICT

696 VIRGINIA ROAD, CONCORD, MA 01742-2751
http://www.nae.usace.army.mil

Corps of Engineers proposes repair to Bearskin Neck

Jetty in Rockport Harbor; public meeting on May 22
CONCORD, Mass. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, plans to repair the Bearskin Neck Jetty
in Rockport Harbor in Rockport, Mass., beginning in October 2014 and extending over a 5 to 6 month period. The work
of this project consists of repairing the 540-foot-long jetty that was damaged during Hurricane Sandy.
In anticipation of this work, the Corps of Engineers and the town of Rockport will hold a public meeting to discuss the
upcoming project on Thursday, May 22, 2014 at 7 p.m. in the Rockport Public Library, Brenner Room, in Rockport,
Mass.
The Bearskin Neck Jetty is located at the northern most end of Bearskin Neck Road in Rockport, Massachusetts,
approximately 35 miles north of Boston, Mass., and 20 miles south of the New Hampshire-Massachusetts border. The
jetty extends into the ocean from the end of Bearskin Neck Road to the east and provides protection to Rockport
Harbor. The existing jetty consists primarily of 3-5 ton armor stone. The ocean side of the jetty has retained its
shape/authorized dimension while 400 feet of the jetty contains voids 5 feet deep along the crest profile and voids 5-10
feet deep along the harbor side slope.
Approximately 3,500 tons of 14-19 ton armor stone and 4,500 tons of 4-8 ton armor stone will be required to repair the
jetty to authorized dimensions. The completed repairs will provide a crest width of 18 feet for the first 400 feet, widening
for the next 70 feet to a fixed width of 28 feet for the last 30 feet, at the head of the breakwater. Crest elevation is +18.8
feet Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW) and side slopes are 1 vertical: 2.5 horizontal for the entire length of the jetty. The
work includes replacing displaced armor stone to fill in existing gaps in the jetty. A majority of the 14-19 ton stone will be
used to reconstruct the last 30 feet, which is the head of the jetty. Repairs will require substantial moving and rehandling
of existing stones to obtain the required interlocking placement.
It is expected that a crane and barge, anchored on the harbor side of the jetty, will be required to handle the 14-19 ton
stone. Some of the rework/handling of the smaller 4-8 ton stone can be performed by equipment on the jetty. That
equipment can access the jetty via a temporary ramp from the culdesac at the landside end of the jetty, or by placing the
equipment on the jetty with the crane. Some 10,500 SF of staging area will be provided at the culdesac on the land side
end of the jetty. An additional 48,000 SF of staging/storage area will be provided at the Town-owned Granite Pier, 0.5
nautical miles north of the jetty. This larger area includes bulkhead space and access to the Town boat ramp. Its
expected that delivered stone will be stockpiled at Granite Pier and delivered to the jetty for placement via partially
loaded barges based on the required draft of the barge.
The Corps of Engineers has been working closely with the US Coast Guard and will be installing a new base to receive
a new Aid to Navigation (ATON) at the head of the jetty. The contractor will also remove what remains of the old ATON
base.

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U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS NEW ENGLAND DISTRICT

696 VIRGINIA ROAD, CONCORD, MA 01742-2751
http://www.nae.usace.army.mil