erosion
Newsletter
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Citizen scientists map New Hampshire’s beaches
Citizen scientists have spent six years helping to track the changes in New Hampshire's coastline, providing crucial data on how different beaches respond to weather events.
In short:
- Volunteers monitor 15 beach stations, collecting data on elevation and sand volume to understand coastal changes.
- Training involves stringent procedures with UNH scientists to ensure accurate data collection.
- Findings help identify vulnerable beaches and foster community engagement with coastal science.
Key quote:
“Where are the beaches that need the most help to prevent the worst impacts of storms?”
— Larry Ward, one of the principal investigators of the University of New Hampshire’s Volunteer Beach Profile Monitoring Program
Why this matters:
New Hampshire’s coastline, though short, is a microcosm of broader environmental challenges. As sea levels rise and weather patterns become more erratic due to climate change, understanding how our beaches evolve is more important than ever.
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Headstones are restored to Poplar Island after 60 years
Gravestones from Poplar Island were returned after six decades, fulfilling a family's dream and marking a significant historical restoration.
In short:
- Poplar Island in the Chesapeake Bay, once lost to erosion, has been restored using dredged material from shipping channels.
- The Howeth family rescued five gravestones from the island in the 1960s and recently returned them as part of the island’s restoration.
- The gravestones were installed in a prominent location on the island, now serving as a historical marker for visitors.
Why this matters:
The erosion of Poplar Island is a poignant reminder of the urgency to address climate change. Each lost acre is not just land disappearing, but a fragment of history washing away, a community's memory sinking beneath the waves.
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Newsletter
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Oahu homeowners face hefty fines for unauthorized erosion control
As erosion continues to threaten homes, some North Shore residents are resorting to illegal methods to protect their properties.
In short:
- Homeowners on Sunset Beach are facing fines close to $1 million for using unauthorized sandbags and other erosion control measures.
- The Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) has granted contested cases for the homeowners, who argue they had no choice but to act quickly to save their properties.
- Critics argue these methods exacerbate public beach erosion and create hazardous debris, with calls for a legislative solution to manage beach and dune erosion.
Key quote:
“I think it’s just an affront to Hawaii residents in our North Shore community. That’s the problem, in my view, of offshore owners not doing their due diligence and not really giving a rip about the community or the beach.”
— Denise Antolini, a lawyer and community advocate for beach restoration
Why this matters:
The use of unapproved sea walls and other unauthorized structures has become a last resort for homeowners trying to stave off the encroaching waters. These actions, however, can lead to significant environmental harm, disrupting marine ecosystems and exacerbating erosion in neighboring areas. Furthermore, they often provide only a temporary reprieve, as nature inevitably finds ways to circumvent human-made barriers.
Related EHN coverage:
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Newsletter
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Another beach house collapses in Rodanthe, NC
A home in Rodanthe, N.C., has collapsed into the sea due to severe coastal erosion and rising sea levels, marking the sixth such incident in the past four years.
In short:
- An unoccupied home at 24131 Ocean Drive in Rodanthe collapsed around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday.
- Officials closed a one-mile stretch of beach to clean up debris, which poses hazards to the public.
- Rising sea levels and erosion have led to a rapid loss of homes along this part of the Outer Banks.
Key quote:
“Another one bit the dust. This situation will continue"
— David Hallac, superintendent of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore
Why this matters:
As waves chip away at the shoreline and tides inch higher, residents and officials face mounting pressure to adapt. For families and homeowners, it’s a stark reminder of the personal and financial stakes tied to environmental shifts. The convergence of natural forces and human settlement patterns is becoming an ever more pressing issue for policy makers, scientists, and advocates alike.
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Newsletter
Maldives' race to expand land raises environmental and social concerns
The Maldives is undertaking large-scale land reclamation to combat land scarcity and rising sea levels, but this move has sparked widespread environmental and societal concerns.
In short:
- Land reclamation in the Maldives involves dredging ocean floors to create new land, affecting marine ecosystems and local communities.
- Environmentalists and scientists warn that such projects harm coral reefs and disrupt natural sediment flows, increasing vulnerability to climate impacts.
- Despite government claims of economic development, local critics argue that new land has remained underutilized and has not addressed fundamental economic needs.
Key quote:
“Atolls are extremely vulnerable ecosystems."
— Bregje van Wesenbeeck, scientific director of Deltares
Why this matters:
The Maldives' strategy to secure its future against sea-level rise through land reclamation might cause more harm than benefit. The push to create more land — mainly to boost infrastructure and tourism — stirs significant concerns over the destruction of marine habitats, particularly coral reefs that are vital not only for biodiversity but also for natural storm protection. Socially, these developments spark debates about sustainability and the long-term livelihoods of local communities, many of whom rely heavily on the natural resources that are now under threat.
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South Carolina's coastal adaptation debates stir community concerns
In a bid to tackle coastal erosion, South Carolina communities and environmentalists clash over the construction of erosion control structures called groins at Debidue Beach.
In short:
- Environmental advocates argue that the construction of groins could harm the North Inlet-Winyah Bay reserve by disrupting natural sand movement.
- Debidue Beach residents advocate for these structures to protect their homes from increasing erosion, highlighting tensions between climate resilience and coastal development.
- Legal challenges and confusion over state coastal management regulations underscore the difficulties of balancing property protection with environmental conservation.
Key quote:
"Equity plays a huge part in this. When you look at environmental justice communities throughout the United States, you see an intentional disinvestment in those communities."
— Omar Muhammad, executive director of the Lowcountry Alliance for Model Communities
Why this matters:
By preserving beaches, groins also support local economies that depend on tourism. On the other hand, groins can have unintended consequences. For instance, while they may accumulate sand on one side, they can also starve areas down drift of sand, leading to increased erosion elsewhere.
Disparate state, local, private and federal conservation efforts are failing to protect biodiversity. Connectivity and coordination would help, say agency scientists and conservation leaders.
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Newsletter
Massachusetts beachfront homeowners lose half-million-dollar sand dune to the sea
In a dramatic turn of events, a group of Salisbury, Massachusetts homeowners saw their expensive effort to protect their beachfront homes vanish within days.
In short:
- A costly sand dune, built by beachfront property owners in Salisbury, Massachusetts to guard against coastal erosion, was washed away in just 72 hours.
- Despite the dune's quick disappearance, the Salisbury Beach Citizens for Change claim it played a crucial role in preventing further damage from encroaching tides.
- The failure of the sand dune project highlights the broader issue of increasing coastal erosion, attributed to rising sea levels and more extreme weather due to climate change.
Key quote:
"Their proximity to the Atlantic Ocean gives them a source of moisture and their northern latitude also firmly places them under the powerful jet stream during much of the year."
— Jonathan Belles, digital meteorologist, The Weather Channel
Why this matters:
This incident not only illustrates the financial risks homeowners are willing to take to protect their properties but also serves as a microcosm for the larger, global challenges of rising sea levels and coastal erosion.
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