Residents who fought against a dune project in Margate are fuming after what they predicted would happen occurred over the weekend.

Weekend rains created a huge “lake” due to the rainwater becoming trapped between their homes and the ocean.

The dunes were constructed as part of the Federal Beach Replenishment project and raised concerns for many homeowners. A judge dismissed their concerns over rainwater becoming trapped, but their fears became a reality Friday night in the form of what they’re calling “Lake Christie.”

Crews installed “No Swimming” signs Monday to keep people out of the water that had collected.

Engineers are now scrambling to find pumps, the town may go back to court to start fighting again, and residents are grumbling as they either drag sand chairs on blocks-long detours or slog through knee-deep standing water.

“I have fear a young child could get in that water and get harmed,” says Mayor Mike Becker. “This is something that has to be resolved immediately.”

The town used to dig trenches to let storm water flow back to the sea, but the half-built dunes now make that impossible.

Mayor Becker says that his town knew this would happen and has a message for any other New Jersey town that is conflicted on sand dunes.

“Fight until you lose your last breath,” he says. “This is what we predicted, everything that’s happened here and it’s all bad.”

The mayor called an emergency meeting Wednesday morning to secure a private attorney and prepare to request an injunction to halt all dune construction.

The Army Corps of Engineers released a statement saying that they would consider filling some of the basins with sand as well as building up temporary walkways to the beach over the dunes.