TheOcean County Board of Commissioners agreed last month to pay half that cost, and mayors of oceanfront towns have been lobbying, so far unsuccessfully, for the state to pay the remaining $4 million. Surf heights at the Shore ranged from 3 to 6 feet Sunday, 6 to 12 feet Monday, and 5 to 10 feet Tuesday. Jim Lowney | For NJ Advance Media. The city says they're looking to work with engineers on a short-term fix for the problem. The loss of sand causes the beach to become narrower and lower in elevation (Figure 1). Right now, traditional erosion and flood control structures such as seawalls and revetments are common along Connecticuts shoreline and are found in towns such as East Haven and Branford. This story was produced as part of an independent study project under the guidance of UConn Associate Journalism Prof. Marie K. Shanahan. It will require some work and maintenance, and well find out what the lessons are, he said. They keep washing out, but the Army Corps keeps on pumping sand. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism -- Jan Jesse, Morristown, TN. Major erosion can include loss of beachfront berms, as well as severe dune erosion and "scarping," when waves carve sand away from the base of the dune, according to the DEP. Rough surf caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ian damages beaches and dunes in Beach Haven, NJ, Tuesday, October 4, 2022. Amtrak:Reasons behind Amtrak's nationwide breaking system outage due to investigators next week. The amount of erosion was so substantial that waves removed a 10-meter wide beach and a line of dunes that were built to a height of 8' to 9' above the normal high tide line. CENTRE STREET BADGE OFFICE IS CLOSED Badge office: 609-492-9193 (the line is not in use when the office is closed) Your Content Goes Here SEASONAL BADGES ARE IN: Come to the Clerk's office, during normal weekly business hours (Monday thru According to Murphys Washington, D.C., office, there has been no action on the Living Shoreline bill since the last Congress, but there are plans to reintroduce it to the Senate. Barrett, the educator from Connecticut Sea Grant, is confident people will grow used to the idea of a living shoreline when it comes to protecting the states coast once they understand how a living shoreline works. The two circles near the Grand Haven pier. DEEP is actively discouraging the construction of new flood and erosion control structures in Connecticut, according to Jacobson. Beaches are virtually nonexistent in places. In Bay Head, large swells that hit the shore during a prolonged period of strong winds and higher-than-normal tides eroded big portions of the beach, and sliced deeply into the dune line. Beach erosion occurs when waves and currents remove sand from the beach system. Mountains of sand piled up along the beach are stockpiles meant for beach replenishment, and this storm took about a third of that sand, according to Rosenello. Hurricanes and other extreme storms generate storm surge and large waves, eroding the beach and dune system and reshaping the coastal landscape. He is urging residents to stay away from the beachfront. There are green techniques that use moldable biodegradable logs shaped to fit the shoreline and also make use of plants to both prevent erosion and create habitat. He thinks it will connect the beach to the park once again and bring more visitors as a result. In between renourishments conducted by the corps, beach maintenance is the responsibility of the DEP and local towns, he said. A survey of Jersey Shore beaches conducted by the DEP's Division of Coastal Engineering following the storm looked at 81 sites up and down the coast. . Ocean County Comptroller Julie N. Tarrant briefs the Board of Commissioners on its plan to subsidize beach replenishment on Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022. Beach erosion impacted the New Jersey coastline andin some points in Beach Haven on Long Beach Islandthe resulting sand cliffs now stand 10-12-foot-high, James Sferra, the recycling. During the most extreme events, changes can occur across the width of an entire barrier island. Brianna Kudisch may be reached at bkudisch@njadvancemedia.com. All Rights Reserved. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. She's also passionate about the Shore's storied music scene. Harvey Cedars and Beach Haven on Long Beach Island . Florida's Fourth Estate: Barton Beef (12-02-22) VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. - A nor'easter brought waves between 6 and 9 feet tall to Volusia County this week, adding insult to injury for the county . The sand dune can recover over a period of years, gaining in elevation and volume through deposits of wind-blown sand. And weve gotten used to seeing them, Barrett said. Its not just building [the living shoreline] and wiping your hands and walking away, Krofta said, but building it and then setting up a pretty robust monitoring program and adjusting as time goes on as needed to make sure not only that they are working well but also that were learning from the examples that were able to implement.. Preview. Thanks. The overall objective is to improve real-time and scenario-based predictions of coastal change to support management of coastal infrastructure, resources, and safety. in Old Saybrook was created because the beach and dune system were breached during a bad storm, Barrett said. In Downbeach, Ventnor officials said the storm wreaked havoc on some of their beaches as well. He says Flagler County will also discuss beach erosion at their meeting on Monday. She's also passionate about the Shore's storied music scene. Another drawback of traditional flood control measures like seawalls is the cost to replace them, said Alex Krofta, an ecological restoration project manager from the New Haven nonprofit environmental action group Save the Sound. Ortley Beach supermarket fired new mom for pumping breast milk, lawsuit claims, Fire guts Scojo's Eatery on Long Beach Island. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. There, the dune was completely in one section completely erased, he said. Living shorelines are still being encouraged at the federal level. Thanks for reading Scientific American. GRAND HAVEN, MI - Large concrete circles have emerged on the Lake Michigan beach at Grand Haven as the result of erosion from high water levels. 9), although it may also be triggered by the severe erosion and overwash of the coastal dune system. 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Because of this, he thinks these structures are not a good long-term solution. Read our community guidelines. As the wind starts to die down by Wednesday, Sferra said the department will bring out its bulldozers and begin pushing the sand back in place, so people have access to the beach. The next renourishment is planned. This investment may be worth it. However, these structures can physically block coastal habitats from the water, according to. "We don't have the capability to fix this," he said. Beach Haven Resort. According to Jacobson, as sea level rises, the sediment accumulation from this process could theoretically increase and strengthen coastal habitats. 10). In Atlantic City, the inlet jetty through the southern border sustained major sand loss, with up to 140 feet of sloped beach erosion. Hill pointed out that the dunes "did their job," as there were no breaches or property damage in Ortley Beach. When wave energy hits the wall, this energy travels downward and scours out the sand. Continue reading with a Scientific American subscription. High lake levels allow waves to pound the beach farther inland, leading to greater amounts of erosion father up the beach front. Without those defenses, were basically at the mercy of every tide, said Mike Cahill, emergency management coordinator and fire chief for Ventnor. Rough surf caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ian damages beaches and dunes in Beach Haven, NJ, Tuesday, October 4, 2022. If you value the story you just read please consider making a donation. Copyright 2023 WPVI-TV. Contact her: @jeanmikle, 732-643-4050, jmikle@gannettnj.com. Inundation is most likely to occur on an island that is naturally low in elevation (Fig. Inundation occurs when the beach system, or the sandy profile located between the most seaward (primary) dune and the shoreline, is completely submerged under the rising storm surge. When I was there over Christmas, the Marriott, on one side had room for 3 beach chairs side by side and the other side the sea was up to the wall ( but not deep). The storm that hit the Jersey shore last weekend wasn't record-breaking by any means. Unless we build dunes appropriately and restore marshes and tidal wetlands, they cannot protect our coast against beach erosion or protect property from storm surge.. The state and local municipalities are responsible for the remainder of the cost. Storms and high wave energy have eaten away at this thinning beach, and the few patches of vegetation are in the process of being flooded. About 12 miles north on the island, Harvey Cedars also experienced significant dune damage, said Harvey Cedars Police Department Chief Robert Burnaford. Seas 2 to 3 FT. Living shorelines are still being encouraged at the federal level. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat. These preventative measures have ended up isolating the beach from the park even more, said New Haven City engineer Giovanni Zinn. 1-5 of 5 replies Sorted by 1. headgtw . CT Mirror Explains: Proposed College Budget Cuts, Building emissions are the climate change contributor you hadnt heard of until now, Unanimous PURA vote on utility rates belies rifts among regulators, used to be part of the harbor itself. + Caption. A Feasibility Report Completed in September of 1999 recommended a 22 foot high dune with a 125 foot long berm at an elevation of 8 feet above the water line to protect the island from wave and storm damage. Some dunes in Beach Haven on Long Beach Island have 10 to 12-foot vertical drops, said James Sferra, the recycling coordinator in the public works department. The non-profit research and technology group. Sea Breeze is an abandoned town, though, its properties bought out by the DEP through the Blue Acres program in recent years, after a storm washed out a bulkhead in 2007. It started with the super moon, and it's gradually gotten worse. That amount of sea level rise does not bode well for Connecticut beaches when combined with an increased number of severe storms hitting the state every year, as, higher sea levels can worsen erosion and lead to more frequent flooding. These projects are engineered to work like natural beaches. Erosion is a continual natural process; material is constantly being shifted around to change the shape of a stream, riverbank, or beach. All Rights Reserved. Florida's beaches provide habitat for vital native species, protect the coastline from damaging storms, attract millions of tourists, and overall contribute economic value to the state. Discover world-changing science. Leaders of oceanfront towns have expressed concern that the storm has made beaches vulnerable at the start of nor'easter season. It also means a high tide or storm surge will cause extensive damage. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Dune erosion makes properties behind the dune more vulnerable to future storms and the potential foroverwash(Figure 4). When people dont have the option of putting in walls, theyre going to have living shorelines as their only other option, Jacobson said. 55 reviews. There is an Army Corps of Engineers project in development that would build a continuous berm or dune to help protect the Wildwoods from Hereford Inlet all the way down to Cape May, but that likely won't start construction until next year. Stone Harbor officials were still assessing the erosion on Monday afternoon. Our project is designed to reduce erosion and property damages associated with these events. Beach Haven LBI Surf Report & Weather Conditions Wave Height 3.02 ft Water Temp 53.8 F Swell 1.31 ft (0.4 m) @ 10.5 s 100 E 2.62 ft (0.8 m) @ 9.1 s 96 E Wind S 10 mph Weather 52 F Slight Chance Rain Showers Surf Report for Beach Haven Today SE winds 5 to 10 KT increasing to 10 to 15 KT this afternoon. If someone wants to put in a more hardened structure, like putting up some kind of wall, its actually a lot harder to permit these projects, Lund said. Smaller breaches often fill with sand in the months following the storm, while larger breaches may become permanent inlets. However, permitting a living shoreline is an easier process, Lund said. I'm honored to be a 10 time N.J. Press Association award winner and a Certified Broadcast Meteorologist. I earned my degree from Rutgers and have been at The Press since Fall 2017. (This) is going to be the last of it for now, Farrell said. There is some evidence that living shorelines can work in Connecticut. With three weeks. Is beach erosion a natural cycle or is it getting worse with rising sea levels? that is degrading to another person.Be Proactive. Our journalism needs your support. The latest nor'easter came less than two months after a strong storm in mid-December that also caused severe erosion in Bay Head, Ortley Beach and the Holgate section of Long Beach Township, according to DEP. Its a fairly expensive project, Zinn said, but it is a pretty extensive project.. Jim Lowney | For NJ Advance Media About 12 miles north on the island,. The storm started with the remnants of Hurricane Ian, which transferred off the Mid-Atlantic coast and formed a coastal low pressure system. You could enter the water from stairs from the far side of the pool, but all other stairs were closed off. Farther south, in the Ortley Beach section of Toms RIver, one of the ramps leading down to the sand near Third Avenue was damaged, and there was erosion on part of the dune line,township Engineer Robert J. Chankalian said. Your message. The Army Corps' nearly $130-million project to enlarge beaches and build dunes from the Manasquan to Barnegat inlets, Many Bay Head oceanfront homeowners along with some in neighboring Mantoloking and Point Pleasant Beach opposed the Army Corps project. Jean Mikle covers Toms River and several other Ocean County towns, and has been writing about local government and politics at the Jersey Shore for nearly 36years. Fifty-four of those were found to have minor beach or dune erosion; 18 had moderate erosion, and nine including Bay Head, Ortley Beach, Beach Haven, Harvey Cedars, and Loveladies and. You may be buying yourself some time, but its foolish to think that youre going to put in one particular thing, wipe your hands and be like, OK, Im done. in New Haven arent easily able to stroll along the beach there. 1 year ago. Watch the video above to see waves pound the shore in Seaside Heights during the December storm. In Bay Head, the storm cut into the dune line, leaving drops of up to 8-feet from the top of the dunes to the beach. Beach erosion impacted the New Jersey coastline andin some points in Beach Haven on Long Beach Islandthe resulting sand cliffs now stand 10-12-foot-high, James Sferra, the recycling coordinator in the public works department, told NJ.com. Brianna Kudisch | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. Is this a usual cycle that will self-correct, or are these beaches permanently gone from sea level rise or other environmental causes? When storm-induced waves exceed the height of the dune, sand is transported over top of the dune and deposited inland. For more information about marsh erosion, visit the website of theWetland and Aquatic Research Center. Wine and Cheeseburger: Harley and Lara Pair Falafel with Wine. That is, they allow sand to shift in response to natural variations in waves and water levels. Another cause of beach erosion is high water levels in the Great Lakes proper. About $30 million in funding from the bipartisan infrastructure billhas been set aside to pay for the project, the corps' first major beach repair project in northern Ocean County since thethenearly $129million beach expansion and dune-building program in the area that finished in 2019. All rights reserved (About Us). Jersey Shore city closes beaches after severe erosion from Ian remnants Morgan Mccarthy October 7, 2022 A Cape May County borough has decided to close all of its beaches for safety reasons after they were damaged by the remnants of what was once Hurricane Ian. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. "I'm just very concerned.". "We've had coastal engineers come out and check it. Hurricanes and other extreme storms generate storm surge and large waves, eroding the beach and dune system and reshaping the coastal landscape. That amount of sea level rise does not bode well for Connecticut beaches when combined with an increased number of severe storms hitting the state every year, as higher sea levels can worsen erosion and lead to more frequent flooding. People insist on driving through saltwater, Farrell said. You know, if you put a groin in to stop erosion, you may get some [sand accumulation] growing on one side and then youre starving the beach. 90% of our revenue is contributed. We lost a lot of sand. , a supervising environmental analyst from DEEP, said Connecticut will soon have to deal with the threats of sea level rise and coastal erosion. each comment to let us know of abusive posts.Share with Us. United States. During the overwash process, portions of the dune are often completely eroded, and sand is deposited inland in large layers called overwash fans (Figure 5). Officials in shore towns across New Jersey are urging residents to take precaution as Hurricane Ian causes beach erosion and coastal flooding. Tidal wetlands inside the park will also be expanded, creating more habitat. It's not closed; it's being physically cut off from the rest of the park by erosion. The $30 million in fundingrepresents only about 50% of the estimated cost of the repair work. The impacts are there. ", "Is something that we haven't seen before," added City Commissioner Ken Bryan, "I was on the beach yesterday. The city is attempting a new solution to both protect and integrate the beach back into East Shore Park: a living shoreline. Were trying to maintain the natural relationship with these shoreline features, Jacobson said. And much of the shoreline in New Haven, especially in the Long Wharf area, used to be part of the harbor itself. Luckily, better weather conditions are expected to return on Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. These strong currents may carve a channel in the island, causing the island to be bisected in a process known as island breaching (Fig. Ottawa County Emergency Manager Nick Bonstell . Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, , another supervising environmental analyst with DEEP, has a simple explanation for separating living shorelines from traditional erosion and flood control structures. This project focuses on understanding the magnitude and variability of extreme storm impacts on sandy beaches. The rough surf also gouged away up to 25 feet of the depth of dunes in Harvey Cedars, and damaged crossovers, cutting off beach access for vehicles, pedestrians and those with disabilities. Fortunately, it wasnt during the summertime, so it wasnt heavily populated, he said. This Monday, Feb. 8, 2021 photo shows severe erosion to a beach in the Ortley Beach section of Toms River, N.J. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry) . Curtis said he is writing a letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as well as the state Department of Environmental Protection, asking if the agencies can do anything to shore up the beach. The bill made its way to the Senate, where it was co-sponsored by Connecticut Sens. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Living Shoreline Act in 2019, which directs NOAA to award grants to state and local governments in order to build more of these projects. The project includes a process called beach nourishment that consists of replenishing the beach with sand, as well as rock sills that break wave energy. According to Murphys Washington, D.C., office, there has been no action on the Living Shoreline bill since the last Congress, but there are plans to reintroduce it to the Senate. "The back bay flooding was minor which is great for the stores but it's mostly beach erosion," said Zeke Orzech of Cape May Courthouse, N.J., who owns commercial property in Stone Harbor. St. Augustine Beach experienced significant erosion. "Mo" Hill Jr. said the township is still lobbying Gov. Luckily, the damage isn't completely irreversible, and once the winds die down on Wednesday, workers will be able to use their bulldozers to patch up the sand dunes and restore access to the beach. The overall volume and elevation of the dune is reduced due to the erosion process (Figure 3). The modern automobile and saltwater do not go well together.. Phil Murphy to assist northern Ocean County towns in paying the municipalities' portion of the next Army Corps beach replenishment in the area, which is expected to start in late winter or early spring. Living shorelines are erosion control projects that focus on safeguarding coastal habitats. The one being built at East Shore Park will consist of native plantings that stabilize the beach and mimic natural erosion control processes, as well as stone walls called sills placed just off shore that break the wave energy but dont block off the shore entirely. For now, the ocean remains swollen and New Jersey residents are using social media to show how far onto the beach the water has moved. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Does beach replenishment work? This has led the. Regarding beach erosion in general in St. Johns County, Hammond said Nor'easters as well as hurricanes often contribute to . In many ways, with none of these things, whether its a living shoreline or a traditional flood and erosion control structure, youre not going to [prevent erosion] if youre in an area thats absolutely prone to severe erosion. However, these structures can physically block coastal habitats from the water, according to Dr. Juliana Barrett, an associate extension educator for Connecticut Sea Grant. Steve Rochette, a spokesman for the Army Corps' Philadelphia District, said the corps is still getting updates from the DEP about the extent of erosion to beachfront areas. $500M later, Jersey Shore's fate in powerful storms is uncertain. We want to make sure there's no impact to public facilities like roadways or other kinds of things," Witson said. Visitors to East Shore Park in New Haven aren't easily able to stroll along the beach there. The St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum. No problem here. The high tides and intense ocean activity brought by Ian led to the creation of some dramatic cliffs across New Jersey's beaches. I'm 6 ft tall, and the top of the dune area, normally the dune itself, was all just flat. There was a problem saving your notification. City officials say this all started a couple of weeks ago. The project includes a process called beach nourishment that consists of replenishing the beach with sand, as well as rock sills that break wave energy. The worst beach erosion he said he saw was in Strathmere, an unincorporated area in Upper Township, in Cape May County. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. LaTourette asked the Army Corps to seek funding from Congress if money is not available right away for the beach work, which he wants to see completed by the second quarter of this year. This destroys sea life, turning the ocean floor into a desert. "From charming spots on the west coast to New England gems and quintessential Florida towns, consider one of these for your next beach . 2 cousins sought after quadruple shooting leaves several teens dead, Bride killed in Folly Beach golf cart DUI crash, ESPN: Harper to return to lineup 159 days after Tommy John surgery.
