Marine Construction in Millsboro, DE

Tidal river water: the Indian River, Millsboro Pond and Iron Branch — about 20 miles southeast of the shop.

The dam at Millsboro is a hard line: above it the pond is fresh and still, below it the Indian River is tidal and moving, and a property on the wrong side of that line gets the wrong advice surprisingly often. The river below town narrows and speeds up, so scour at the toe is the usual failure.

Access. Good highway access on both sides, and we can get a barge up the river from the bay when the land side is impossible. We cover ZIP code 19966 and the surrounding Sussex County shoreline.

What that usually argues for. The fix has to be keyed in below the scour line, which is why toe protection matters more than freeboard here. Rip-rap, engineered bulkhead with proper embedment, or a graded living shoreline where there is room for one.

Shoreline work in Delaware is regulated, and almost anything built in or over the water needs approval from the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. We handle that in house — preparing the plans, completing the applications and coordinating with the agencies.

Budget three to twelve months for agency review depending on the complexity of the project. It is the part of the schedule most people underestimate, so it is worth starting the conversation well before the season you want to be using the water.