Beach Erosion--Can it be fixed?

[Cork On the Ocean]

Whatever is done will not stop nature. For a lesson in the power of nature, take a look at New Smyrna Beach today. Not long ago, New smyrna Beach was as wide as a football field during low tide. At the south end of the beach, near Canaveral National Seashore, Bethune Beach looked like many areas in Walton County look now. Homeowners tried everything,huge coquina bolders, gigantic chunks o' concrete, seawalls etc. to no avail. The homes and walkovers were subject to the fury of the next Atlantic Storm. Then along came Hurricanes Charley, Frances and Jeanne. In six short weeks the situation was reversed completely. The north end of the beach, where driving was allowed w/ 50-100 yard width of hardpacked sand was essentially gone. Today, on the north end, people are up against the seawalls and on-ramps at high tide. The south end of the beach, where people derided the owners for building so close to the beach, is much wider. Dredge, pump, infill, wall, reinforce as well as you can, in the end it will not matter. Walton County's issues are worsened by the fact that where the homes sit, there is no gradient anymore.

That's encouraging Bob You are absolutely right that if Mother nature wants it, she gets it. Our hope is to delay it until she'll get off this rampage that she's on for the last 10 months. I'm not an expert but I think it's USUALLY worse on the Atlantic than it is on the Gulf.

 

[Miss Kitty]

If memory serves me correctly (that's a BIG if) when erosion took place in Galveston, people were not allowed to rebuild on gulf front property. Are there laws concerning this? I'm so sorry for those who are dealing with this situation. We always wish we had gulf front until this happens. I hope there will be a good solution concerning shoring up the damaged homes and dunes.

To those "returning" sand to the beaches...you rock! Years ago, I though it would be a great idea to collect a sample of sand from every beach we visited. Then I thought of that saying..."What if everyone had the same idea!". I'm sure you catch my drift. I bet it will be a spiritual moment for you to bring back the sand. You could even post pics!

 

[sarawind]

Galveston did not allow rebuilding for 6 months to give the beach time to restore and renourish. Houses that were past the vegetation line, which separates public from private land were not allowed to rebuild. Many of these house were heavily damaged or septic systems comprimised. Houses that were at least 10% landward of the vegatation line were permitted to rebuild.

 

[sarawind]

More on Galveston, homeowners who were partially over vegatation line due to Hurricane Frances were allowed to rebuild. Only homes over vegatation were not allowed to rebuild.

 

[Bob]

That's encouraging Bob You are absolutely right that if Mother nature wants it, she gets it. Our hope is to delay it until she'll get off this rampage that she's on for the last 10 months. I'm not an expert but I think it's USUALLY worse on the Atlantic than it is on the Gulf.

I think some tough decisions are going to be made for Walton County. I hope the decisions are conservative, because the next storm will just rearrange whatever is done.

 

[Travel2Much]

I think some tough decisions are going to be made for Walton County. I hope the decisions are conservative, because the next storm will just rearrange whatever is done.

I just read today's Walton Sun and "conservative" doesn't seem to be the current route. Lots of talk about large scale projects and this and that. "Rash" and "panicky" might describe it. I don't agree with that approach, at least tentatively. They seem to think that somehow there is some magic solution to getting the beaches looking perfect for everyone a couple days after a category three hurricane.

I have been riding around and think the beach looks great, but I always think the beach looks great. Sand is gradually coming back. Nature is definitely recarving the duneline in the east, that's for sure. I find it fascinating. My attitude right now is to leave it to nature. Any solutions will simply be a waste of money.

 

[sarawind]

Don't know if you own a home or property that's beach front but let me tell you as a home owner on the beach, conservative is not what I need. My home, along with many others, is in danger. To appreciate panicky, you may need to experience your home dangling from the edge of a cliff.

 

[Travel2Much]

Don't know if you own a home or property that's beach front but let me tell you as a home owner on the beach, conservative is not what I need. My home, along with many others, is in danger. To appreciate panicky, you may need to experience your home dangling from the edge of a cliff.

Ooops, didn't mean that. I distinguish the situation of the homes damaged issue from the "what to do in the future" issue. The former issue is critical and demands all of the county's immediate attention, in my view. It's the latter issue I was talking about not rushing to conclusions on.

 

[wetwilly]

I'm not an engineer nor a scientist but it seems to me that some radical and aggressive measures need to be taken as far as repairing and getting the foundations restored and safe for the gulf front properties. Then in parallel, they need to come up with a short term "fix" for the protection line near what was the dune line (obviously there is no quick fix or one that is not natural that will work) and then they need to plan and undertake a long term approach that will aid mother nature in restoring the dunes over time.

As has been said by others, there is no method that is going to work short or long term like mother nature. However, something needs to be done to get these structures safe and sound asap.

I too am sorry for anyone that has lost a home or is gulf front and has a foundation issue. I hope they make some good decisions for the long and the short term.

 

[Bob]

Don't know if you own a home or property that's beach front but let me tell you as a home owner on the beach, conservative is not what I need. My home, along with many others, is in danger. To appreciate panicky, you may need to experience your home dangling from the edge of a cliff.

I think all gulf front owners who are in extremis, should be helped now! It's the overall gameplan that should be conservative, because of the obvious. These storms are utterly unstoppable.