Beach nourishment is the process of adding sand and sediment to a beach to help combat erosion and restore the beach's natural environment.
Here are some benefits of beach nourishment:
- Helps to create new natural environments
- Rebuilds sand dunes
- Protects sediment volume during sea level rise
- Can be preferred over hard structures in areas where flooding or sea level rise is not imminent
Here are some costs of beach nourishment: The cost of beach nourishment is extremely high, with each project ranging in the millions of dollars.
Beach nourishment can cost a city or county government millions of dollars.
The project can take several months, as it involves heavy materials and equipment being brought in and parts of the beaches may be closed during this time.
Beach nourishment must be repeated approximately every 5–7 years.
The project is often paid for by federal and local funding, which helps to spread the cost burden.
In the end, I believe that beach nourishment is NOT a good option because the costs outweigh the benefits. (You can adjust the statement based on your own perspective if desired.)