The first large-scale beach-nourishment project on the Outer Banks is making progress after getting under way May 24.

The project entails the dredging and placement of up to 4.6 million cubic yards of sand, which will be placed on 10 miles of Nags Head’s beach from Bonnett Street at mile post 11 south to the town line at mile post 21.

The project will advance the shoreline anywhere from 50 feet to 125 feet, depending on the erosion rate of the particular area being nourished.

Robert Thuman, administrative assistant with the Town of Nags Head, explained the original purpose of the project.

“Dare County had been working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on a federal beach-nourishment project, like the projects at Wrightsville Beach,” he said. “When (the Nags Head) project was never funded, we realized we were going to have to finance a project with local funds to provide protection for our community. So, we’ve been working on this project for many years. The project is designed to provide up to 10 years of protection for our community.”

The project includes two dredges. The Liberty Island dredge is working in waters off the central part of the town, moving south.

The Texas dredge started working in waters off the south end of town June 14.

The project has a life expectancy of 10 years, meaning the time in nourishment in which a measurable quantity of nourished sand remains on the recreational beach within the project limits.

The erosion rate along Nag’s Head would have to average 23 cubic yards to 35 cubic yards per foot per year for the project to wash completely in two years. Such rates of sand loss would be five to seven times higher than the historical rate of erosion along Nag’s Head, according to officials.

The $36 million project is expected to be completed by Oct. 1. The project is funded solely with town and Dare County money.