Sherwood Island State Park in Westport is part of Sherwood Island, a low coastal area separated from the mainland by Sherwood Pond to the west and small tidal creeks to the east. The park has two beaches that lie on either side of Sherwood Point -- Alvord Beach on the east and Elwood Beach on the west.

The Corps has helped to control erosion on the Alvord and Elwood beaches with two major projects constructed at different times. The first project, which cost $600,000, consists of:

• A 500-foot-long groin at the western end of Elwood Beach. This was built in October 1956.
• Two training walls at Burial Hill Creek, situated on the eastern end of the beach. The walls, which have lengths of 400 and 500 feet, were constructed in February 1957.
• The widening of both beaches (A total of 6,000 feet of shoreline) to 150 feet by the direct placement of sand. About 2,000 feet of beach (1,000 feet east and 1,000 feet west of Sherwood Point) was widened an additional 100 feet. This work was completed in June 1957.

The second major improvement was a small project, built under Section 103 of the Corps’ Continuing Authorities Program. It was completed in January 1983 and cost $1.5 million. This work involved:

• Widening 1,800 feet of Elwood Beach, from the western groin to Sherwood Point.
• Constructing a 430-foot-long groin about 900 feet west of Sherwood Point.
• Lowering the height of the western groin’s landward end.