Mobile District To Rebuild Hancock County’s Coastline

By Chuck Walker, Mobile Engineer District

More than 20 years after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Mississippi coast, a major restoration project is set to rebuild and strengthen Hancock County’s beaches and dunes.

The Mobile Engineer District is leading the Coastwide Beach and Dune Ecosystem Restoration Project, an effort to restore about eight miles of shoreline in Hancock County, Miss.

David Newell, coastal resiliency program manager for the Mobile District, said the project is important not only to Hancock County and its residents, but also to the Corps and the district.

“This work is part of a long-running multi-agency coastal restoration effort overseen by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,” Newell said. “The work began in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. This project represents a significant step in the ongoing effort to restore the Mississippi coast.”

Construction is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2026 and last about a year. The work will include placing about 300,000 cubic yards of sand to replenish the beaches. After that, about 170,000 native plants will be installed to help stabilize the newly formed dunes.

The project is part of a broader coastal restoration effort launched after Hurricane Katrina, which made landfall in Hancock County.

A 2009 planning report recommended rebuilding damaged beaches and barrier islands along the Mississippi coast, and that recommendation was authorized in 2014. Funding for the Hancock County work comes from a $77 million investment through the 2022 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which has supported numerous projects along the Mississippi coast.

“For more than two decades, our beaches have faced repeated storm impacts, beginning with Hurricane Katrina,” said April Shiyou, grant administrator with Hancock County. “As a vital part of Hancock County’s economy and quality of life, our partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District, is essential to restoring our coastline and protecting our communities.”

The Corps said the project reflects a long-term commitment, alongside state and federal agency partners, to creating a more resilient coastal environment. The contract for the Hancock County beach project is scheduled to be awarded in the second quarter of 2026.

Newell said the effort is intended to help the region recover from past storm damage while improving its ability to withstand future events.

“Hancock County was the epicenter of landfall for Hurricane Katrina and symbolizes the Corps’ commitment to work with Hancock County, the State of Mississippi, and other Federal agencies and stakeholders to rebuild a stronger, more resilient community and environment for coastal Mississippi,” Newell said. “The Hancock County beach project is scheduled to be awarded in the second quarter of calendar year 2026, with construction taking approximately 12 months to complete.”