Local
Army Corps weighs aid as renewed surf strips sand from New Jersey beaches
Powerful waves are worsening damage in Beach Haven, North Wildwood and Atlantic City after a September nor’easter eroded the shoreline. Federal officials are assessing New Jersey’s request for emergency repairs, but say planning and funding mean work is not imminent.
Powerful waves from a storm in the Atlantic are worsening erosion along parts of the Jersey Shore, adding to damage from a September nor’easter and renewing concerns in communities with little sand left to shield their dunes.
In Beach Haven, crews are using bulldozers to push remaining sand toward damaged dunes. Resident Sal Leonardis said the beach has become so narrow that the dunes are now the main barrier at risk. The work is intended to limit further sand loss, he said, but cannot prevent all of it.
Erosion has also worsened in parts of North Wildwood and along a vulnerable stretch of Atlantic City. Atlantic City resident Allyson Sorenson said she worries about more storms because the beaches are already in poor condition.
New Jersey requested emergency federal assistance less than a week before the latest erosion report, seeking help to repair beaches damaged by the September storm. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is reviewing whether the request qualifies for assistance and developing reports for seven projects along its portion of the state’s coastline.
The Corps says repairs would require planning and design, as well as arranging dredging equipment. Officials have not determined when work could begin, and funding is expected to affect the timeline. Steve Rochette of the Corps said the process is not designed to provide a quick fix.
Until longer-term repairs are approved and organized, local crews are trying to reinforce the most vulnerable shoreline with sand that remains. Leonardis said the effort may slow losses, but some sand is likely to be lost regardless.