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New beach passes winter test with no sand loss
A view from the Outer Banks Fishing Pier. (Rob Morris)
Coastal Science and Engineering reported that its semi-annual survey showed about 4.7 million cubic yards of sand remained in the system out to a depth of 12 feet.
Tim Kana, CS&I president, said that the contour is measured at intervals of about 500 feet along the beach using real-time GPS and sound pulses from a fathometer, with the volume of sand determined by computer calculations.
The first survey in November — after the 10-mile project was finished and after Hurricane Irene — showed that about half of the visible sand had slid into the near-shore system, as intended.
But all of the sand, plus about 100,000 cubic yards remained out to a depth of 12 feet. FEMA guidelines for reimbursement for lost sand after a named storm consider the system to extend to a 19-foot depth.
To save money, engineering of the project called for putting the bulk of the 4.6 million cubic yards on the visible beach and allowing wave action and storms to create a natural slope. That was expected to take a little longer than it did.
The latest survey indicated that 4.9 million cubic yards was in the system out to 19 feet.
“Measurements to -12 show the full nourishment volume remains in the project area and is essentially unchanged since November of 2011,” a summary of the survey said.
Looking north from Outer Banks Fishing Pier with Jennette's Pier in the distance. (Rob Morris)
The survey also showed that wind and wash-over had pushed about 330,000 cubic yards of sand to the bottom of the dune line since the project was completed.
“This volume will help rebuild the foredune and bury exposed sand bags,” the summary said.
Sand added to the system out to a depth of 24 feet probably came from deeper water and large, long-period waves from offshore storms, it added.
The results were better than expected. Based on historical averages, erosion was expected to take away about 275,000 cubic yards of sand a year.
Property taxes were increased 2 cents per $100 of valuation town-wide and an additional 16 cents on the oceanfront to pay back a loan for $18 million. The other half of the funding for the $36 million project came from the Dare County Shoreline Management Fund.
The county had received authorization to add 1 percent to the occupancy tax to put money back into the fund. County leaders say that now might not be necessary.
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chaser says:
Nags Head now is just a big hole, no good sandbars from the top to the bottom of town.
south nags head says:
that’s funny. a good old fashioned “eye-ball” report at our spot shows about 1/3 gone. it’s a much shorter walk to the water now. guess all those gadgets and vocabulary blinded ‘em here at this spot, or they didn’t make it this far. no matter, the wind and waves don’t read reports and do what they will do.
Jerry says:
I think the Town should be proud of Bob Oakes (with his board and staff) with his project. He crusaded, persisted, politiced, communicated, zigged and zagged, and saved town infrastructure, reduced eyesores, raised property values, and did not use a hardened structure to do it. I am not a fan of his personally/politically, but he got the town/county to take an educated chance, and barring future major storm damage…has done quite well with this investment. Leadership is not easy in this town, you have to give a person their due.
tb97 says:
OK now lets wait until we have a winter, this past winter was more like spring. Lets look at it next year
Tank says:
The beach close to Jennette’s pier seems to have kept the width from the original replenishment which is awesome but want I do notice is a steep and getting steeper slope where the water meets the beach particularly at high tide. Other then that it appears to be a success.
KHer says:
I have to chuckle at the nay-sayers. The report could have said “Nags Head Beaches have grown to twice their size since the nourishment project” and the same voices would be saying, “‘t’ain’t so!”.
Indeed, the earth is round.
Fred says:
Wait, you mean there was a winter this past year?
Harold says:
I agree with Jerry. Great job…
ekim says:
Praise Oaks for telling the voters to go to HE11, SOOOOO the sand will never go AWAY! RIGHT Its gona be there for EVER YEEEEAAAAAA!!!!!
kill devil hillbilly says:
its funny because we really didnt have any storms this past winter. The outer banks moves and sometimes the tide brings in sand and other times it takes sand out. thats what gives this wonderful place soo much character! stop messing with it.
Sharon says:
The problem is that the sandbar has not built up. There is a dangerous steep drop-off when you enter the ocean.
Perhaps a hurricane would help smooth it out.
KDH Rezident Evil says:
I visit the Nags Head beaches once in a while and would generally say so far, so good. Nobody said the sand would last forever, but I think the idea is that it holds up for a couple of seasons with “maintenance.”
Not completely sold on beach nourishment yet, but keeping an open mind.
Nags Head Bob says:
So if it last two years is it a good investment? Three, five?
Steve says:
The dune ‘lines’ are what causes erosion, not storms or hurricanes. Get rid of the lines and the beaches gain elevation and width.
David says:
We have sand, yes. However the beach is not as nice any more. No sea shells. No little sand crabs for the kids to dig by the shore. The drop makes getting in and out harder. Kids can not skim board. I am older can not walk as far.
Our family now goes to Kill Devil Hills for the beach. I think the project has pushed tourism to the surrounding towns. Nags Head is not our destination of choice any longer.
Epic fail, aside for the wealthy property owners who have been allowed to use public funds to protect private property.
Rick says:
As far as I’m concerned Nags Head beaches are now much better than beaches in KDH and no, I’m not a property owner in either town. The drop offs seem to be much less steep. I would like to see KDH widen their beaches too.
junkman says:
I go there often. Yes there’s a drop off, but not everywhere. The sand has a nice consistency and the beach is wider than before. What many people want to overlook is that the beach is the economy. Whether its Bob Oakes supporting this to prop up his beach dependent business, or many of us depending on beach tourism to prop up our property values, the beach is the economy. So far, so good. Lets hope for the best.
Ron wood says:
I have been surfing Hollowell a lot this summer, great sand bar. Also, mole crabs are present in the wash. The beach looks great and is a huge plus for Nags head….well done !
Found Happiness in Death says:
Some people like Ekim just love misery. They hated where they used to live, so they moved. Now, they hate where they relocated. They probably even hate what they see in the mirror. Not to wish death on anybody, but I bet that these same people will only be happy or find content when they finally pass away. They will die with a smile on their face while we are out playing on our lovely beaches!