Coastal Geomorphology and Sand Budgets Applied to Beach Nourishment

Abstract

It is commonly assumed beach nourishment projects are more successful if applied over long distances of shoreline. Short projects tend to unravel at the ends as the bulge formed by the fill spreads alongshore. While these findings are relevant to many ocean beaches, particularly the east coast of Florida, numerous sites requiring nourishment are situated along pocket beaches, 'drumstick' barrier islands, or coastlines subject to varying wave energy. Successful nourishment at such sites depends less on length than placement that takes advantage of local coastal processes and regional geomorphology. Constructed projects in South Carolina, a mesotidal coast with a variety of barrier beaches influenced by large tidal inlets, illustrate examples where local geomorphology, coastal processes, and sand budgets have been incorporated into the design in an attempt to improve longevity of the fill and use natural processes to advantage.