A century of U.S. beach nourishment
Abstract This study analyzed decadal and regional trends in one type of shore protection method: beach nourishment, since its beginning in the U.S. nearly 100 years ago. While strategies such as managed retreat may be more feasible in the long-term, beach nourishment is a dominant method of shore protection in the U.S. today. During the last century, the beaches of over 475 U.S. communities have been restored with over 1.5 billion cubic yards (cy) (1.2 billion cubic meters (m3) of sand. Over 3200 individual nourishment events have occurred with many communities renourishing multiple times. Six states account for over 83% of the total volume of sand placed on beaches: California, Florida, New Jersey, North Carolina, New York, and Louisiana. New Jersey has been the most productive state in terms of sand volume per linear foot (meter) of shoreline, but has placed less than 3 cy along each foot (7 m3/m) of its oceanfront coasts annually. Growth in sand volume placed has been exponential over the last century, with the total annual volume of sand placed on U.S. beaches increasing to 37 million cy (28 million m3) per year in the last decade. Regionally, long-term beach management programs in California, Florida, and Louisiana reveal that despite significant differences in motivation, timelines and funding mechanisms, similarities are long-term beach management plans and dedicated funding sources at local, state, and/or federal levels.