Coos Bay’s north jetty made it through the recent storms, but much-needed repairs have been delayed because the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is having a tough time finding the right rocks.

Rough seas damaged the breakwater last December, taking a large chunk out of its western end and weakening other sections as well.

Repairs were slated to begin in September, but a series of delays has postponed the work to mid-January at the earliest.

The problem is finding rocks for the job, said Jennifer Sowell, a spokeswoman for the corps.

“The contractor is having a problem getting the right rock at a cost to meet their bid price,” she said earlier this week.

The jetty needs about 30,000 tons worth of rock, said John Craig, the corps project manager. So far about 6,500 tons have been collected and moved by semi-truck from quarries in Springfield and Bandon.

The rock must pass a series of tests to ensure it will be sturdy enough to withstand the constant pounding it must endure. The tests can take weeks to complete, and so far, a lot of the rock hasn’t been able to pass muster.

The corps awarded the project to Kerr Contractors Inc. of Woodburn for $1.8 million in late summer.

Craig said there is about a 50 percent chance the jetty could breach without the emergency work.

“I am concerned about it. Very concerned,” he said before going out to inspect the barrier Wednesday afternoon.

He said there didn’t appear to be any additional damage caused by the most recent storm, though he would keep checking the barrier after storms to make sure nothing has worsened.

The western end, where a halfmoon-shaped chuck about 90 feet long and 40 feet deep, is the most likely candidate for a breach, Craig said.

The jetty normally has a 30-foot top, but damage a year ago reduced it to 10.

Kerr Contractors has said it should be able to get the repair work done within six weeks once it gets its rocks staged, Craig said. It’s the staging that has been the problem. The start of construction has been pushed back at least four times as the contractor looks to find the right rocks.

Meanwhile, the south jetty appears to be holding up a bit better.

“I’ve had no reports there is any damage with the south jetty,” Craig said. “I’m not as concerned about it.”