Beach RenourishmentBeach Renourishment

By: Charlene Lloyd, Crystal Earle, Richard Byars, By: Charlene Lloyd, Crystal Earle, Richard Byars, Richard Tuckfield, Christine Burgess, Kaley FoleyRichard Tuckfield, Christine Burgess, Kaley Foley

What is Beach Renourishment?What is Beach Renourishment?

• Replenishment of sand for beachesReplenishment of sand for beaches

• Sand is dredged off the ocean’s floor Sand is dredged off the ocean’s floor

• Pump sand through pipes onto the Pump sand through pipes onto the beachbeach

• Sand is then shaped & built into Sand is then shaped & built into dunes and beachesdunes and beaches

Why Beach Renourishment?

How It WorksHow It Works……

Ecological CostsEcological Costs

• Hurts sea life on ocean’s floor from Hurts sea life on ocean’s floor from dredging.dredging.

• Sea turtle nesting areas are Sea turtle nesting areas are endangered by some renourishment endangered by some renourishment projects.projects.

• Seawalls and jetties accelerate beach Seawalls and jetties accelerate beach erosion.erosion.

How much does it cost? Is it a How much does it cost? Is it a waste of money?waste of money?

• 10-15 million spent annually and more on 10-15 million spent annually and more on hard structureshard structures

• 200 cubic yards of sand has gone to 200 cubic yards of sand has gone to renourish America’s beachesrenourish America’s beaches

• Sand can cost as much as $5 per cubic yardSand can cost as much as $5 per cubic yard

• A new beach can cost 2 million per square A new beach can cost 2 million per square milesmiles

• Beaches must be continually renourishedBeaches must be continually renourished

Does it work?Does it work?

• Yes, temporarilyYes, temporarily

• Not efficient in long Not efficient in long runrun

• Extensive costs are Extensive costs are not worth itnot worth it

Who benefits?Who benefits?

•Beach businessesBeach businesses

•TouristsTourists

•Property ownersProperty owners

•Historic Historic preservationistspreservationists

Who pays for beach Who pays for beach renourishment?renourishment?

• U.S. Army Corps U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of Engineers designs and designs and implements implements renourishment renourishment operations and operations and pays for them.pays for them.

Who pays…Who pays…

• Tax payersTax payers

• 65% paid for by federal tax and the 65% paid for by federal tax and the remainder of costs is paid by state remainder of costs is paid by state and local governments.and local governments.

• Increased cost of taxpayer-Increased cost of taxpayer-subsidized flood insurance payments subsidized flood insurance payments when floods and hurricanes occur.when floods and hurricanes occur.

How is this related to the How is this related to the Commons?Commons?

• Public beaches are a commons.Public beaches are a commons.• Property owners and businesses are Property owners and businesses are

the “economic man.”the “economic man.”• Individual gain in property values and Individual gain in property values and

tourism for businesses but all citizens tourism for businesses but all citizens paypay

• Temporary technical solutionTemporary technical solution• Maximizes one beach while Maximizes one beach while

diminishing surrounding beachesdiminishing surrounding beaches

Pros and ConsPros and Cons

ProsPros

• Increased Increased tourism/recreationtourism/recreation

• Economic positivesEconomic positives

• Aesthetically Aesthetically pleasingpleasing

ConsCons

• Adversely effects Adversely effects the habitat of the habitat of endangered endangered species. species.

• Hurts Surf Zone Hurts Surf Zone EnvironmentsEnvironments

• Program Hurts Program Hurts TaxpayersTaxpayers

ResolutionResolution

• Current beach renourishment Current beach renourishment programs do not work programs do not work

• Other possibilities…managed retreat Other possibilities…managed retreat and the UK and the UK

• 55thth Amendment implications Amendment implications

Questions?Questions?

Work CitedWork Cited• http://www.wrightsville.com/story_of_beach_renourishment_at_http://www.wrightsville.com/story_of_beach_renourishment_at_

wrightsville_beach.htmwrightsville_beach.htm

• http://www.greenscissors.org/water/beach.htmhttp://www.greenscissors.org/water/beach.htm

• http://www.beachtobay.org/html/beach_renourishment.htmhttp://www.beachtobay.org/html/beach_renourishment.htm

• http://wps.prenhall.com/http://wps.prenhall.com/esm_thurman_introocean_9/0,7305,348174-,00.htmlesm_thurman_introocean_9/0,7305,348174-,00.html

• http://comewalkwithme.com/Beach.htmlhttp://comewalkwithme.com/Beach.html

• http://www.islandtime.com/ShiftingSands/http://www.islandtime.com/ShiftingSands/

• http://nhs.needham.k12.ma.us/cur/enviro_9697/beach/http://nhs.needham.k12.ma.us/cur/enviro_9697/beach/

beach.html beach.html