A long-term repair project of the Charlestown Breachway in Rhode Island will begin in mid-October 2025 with an initial mobilization of equipment and materials. The state's Department of Environmental Management (DEM), the town of Charlestown and the Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) announced the effort on Oct. 7, 2025.
The human-built channel connects Charlestown's Ninigret Pond to the Atlantic Ocean.
In October 2024, town officials and the DEM announced emergency repairs to the west wall of the breachway after having warned boaters of passing through the channel due to damage from several winter storms in 2023.
Funds totaling $8.4 million have been allocated for the latest project, with $5 million contributed from a DEM request and allocated by the state through the CRMC. In addition, the latter agency will contribute $2 million for dredging and $1.4 million will be provided by the town of Charlestown.
The work is designed to restore the Breachway's structural integrity, improve safe navigation, stabilize the coastline and preserve essential water flow to maintain ecological balance and water quality.
To do so, granite boulders will be added to raise the breachway's western wall, while dredging in Ninigret Pond will remove storm-deposited sand to rebuild the beach and dunes. These repairs will safeguard coastal infrastructure, the environment and the community, according to the Rhode Island DEM.
Construction at the Charlestown Breachway site is expected to be completed by April 2026 ahead of the camping and beach seasons, with vegetation restoration slated to be finished later that fall.
"This project is the result of strong collaborative planning between state agencies and the Town of Charlestown to improve the long-term resiliency of the breachway," said Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee. "Charlestown, like many of our coastal communities, is on the frontlines of climate change impacts, and by working together we're making the necessary repairs to this critical infrastructure."
In a news release from his agency, DEM Director Terry Gray said, "[We appreciate] the collaborative efforts of the town of Charlestown and CRMC to work together to make long-term repairs and upgrades necessary to protect this important coastal infrastructure from climate change impacts.
"The Charlestown Breachway, Ninigret Pond and the beachfront are important for our environment, recreation and coastal resiliency," he said. "We recognize the Breachway area is popular year-round, and we're committed to minimizing disruptions whenever possible."
Major Work Gets Under Way in November
The repair work is a three-part project with RMA GeoEnvironmental of Wickford, R.I., providing engineering oversight, CAB Construction, located in Foster, R.I., handling the breachway, beach and dune reconstruction; and LaCrosse, Wis.-based J.F. Brennan conducting the dredging for the channel's west side restoration.
During the construction, a portion of the nearby Blue Shutters Town Parking Lot will serve as the breachway repair's pre-staging area and may have restricted parking, but there will still be pedestrian access to the beach.
The required boulders will be delivered and stored in the lot in early November before being transported along East Beach to the breachway site. Stone wall repair work also will begin in November 2025 and is expected to continue until spring 2026.
Due to the construction equipment needed for the work and the limited space available, 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.
A coastal habitat restoration project is also under way at Ninigret Beach led by DEM in partnership with Save The Bay, a local nonprofit.
Heavy equipment will be operating on the beachfront between the Blue Shutters Town Beach and the Charlestown Breachway, causing increased traffic and potential temporary driving access restrictions on the East Beach barrier section and roadway. Portions of the CRMC-permitted sand trail will also close, and new traffic patterns will be in place during the project.
"CRMC is proud to continue supporting our coastal communities through the upcoming dredging and restoration work at Charlestown Breachway," said Jeffrey Willis, CRMC executive director. "The improved structure has been designed to account for sea level rise and coastal storms and should hopefully benefit coastal users of all types — from the aquaculture farmers to the boaters to the beach goers — for decades to come."
Charlestown Town Administrator Jeffrey Allen noted the importance of the breachway to his community and the connectivity it provides to the coastal environment and the town's economy.
"Restoring the Breachway and dredging Ninigret Pond will improve water quality, protect aquatic habitats, enhance our local and state economy and ensure public safety," he said. "This project safeguards not only Charlestown's natural heritage but also the recreational and economic vitality that benefit the entire State of Rhode Island."
