SOUTH PADRE ISLAND - The Texas General Land Office recently awarded a $4.6 million grant to South Padre Island for beach renourishment.

“The last time we had a beach renourishment on South Padre Island was 2016. When I say beach renourishment, I mean when sand was placed on the beach,” South Padre Island Mayor Patrick McNulty said.

The county and city plans to split the sand placement where it is needed most.

“This dredge that’s being proposed is 540,000 cubic yards of which we have an agreement with Cameron County. Where Cameron County gets 25 percent of it and we get 75 percent of it.”

The Mayor says the next step is to wait out the bidding process with the Army Corp which opens October 2.

“Our biggest problem in the past, at least last year, was the placement of the material has gotten so expensive that the Army corp had to reject that this last period,” he said.

Officials said the window for beach renourishment is between November and March.

McNulty said if everything goes to plan the project could start within the next 30 to 45 days.