The purpose of this site is to promote information about Shoreham Beach, in general and in specific the South End.
This page is currently focused on beach and bulkhead restoration.
Additionally, several of the South End shoreline home owners property are being threatened by a combination of increasing sea level rise and loss of sandy beach to keep the waters at a safe distance.
Our goal is to promote the optimal beach "system" solution that addresses securing the water-threatened properties while ensuring we all have the healthiest beach possible.
A true win-win!
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This video provides an overview of the status the South End and the challenges of rising sea water levels.
Shoreham Beach, south end, is soon approaching the total loss of sandy beach!
This both eliminates beach access and more importantly, brings destructive wave action right up to several homes along the shoreline. Climate change and rapidly rising water levels gives us two important truths - a real sense of urgency as well as helping us realize that we have to think clearly and understand to build a better beach in preparation of the future, requires fresh thinking. Though we can't lean on the past, we have the opportunity to build a beach "system" for the future. We have to use all that science and marine engineering can offer to reclaim as much of the beach as we can.
The beautiful thing about having a sound beach system is that it provides multiple benefits to our community; It helps expand our beach, provides an area that allows for sand restoration and maintenance all the while that it better protects the shoreline homes from future catastrophic events.
Lets work together for everyone's mutual benefit!
TL:DR / synopsis of the article below:
Moving bulkheads back from the water's edge, to legal property boundaries, offers superior long-term protection for homes against rising sea levels and storms by creating a natural buffer that dissipates wave energy, reduces damage, and increases property value.
This also preserves the community beach for everyone and is a more financially sound decision, reducing future repair costs.
It's a sustainable solution that benefits both homeowners and the community.
To the Homeowners and Community Leadership:
We understand the challenges faced by the three homeowners at the south end of our community's beach, particularly with the increasing frequency of high tides, waves, and storm surges damaging their existing bulkheads. We also understand their desire to build new bulkheads even further onto the community beach being a natural response to perceived immediate threats. However, as a community, we must consider the long-term implications of such a decision, not only for the collective enjoyment and value of our shared shoreline but, also, for the ultimate protection and resilience of the homeowners' properties.
Decades ago, when SBCA was generous in allowing beachfront homeowners to build bulkheads and other structures on its community beach, the south beach was a wide and vibrant beach area. Small bulkheads 75-100 feet back from the water poses little risk to the beach. Today things have changed dramatically, and the south beach is at risk of disappearing completely.
From an engineering and environmental perspective, allowing bulkheads to be constructed on the community beach where they are exposed to waves is a detrimental strategy for both the community and the homeowners themselves. Instead, retreating to the established legal property boundaries (approximately 18-20 ft. landward for two properties) to higher and firmer ground, away from the waves offers a more sustainable and ultimately more protective solution.
Here's why withdrawing the bulkheads is the most beneficial course of action:
I. Enhanced Protection for Homeowner Properties (Counter-intuitive, but True):
While it may seem counter-intuitive, moving bulkheads further away from the water's edge provides superior long-term protection against the damaging effects of rising sea levels and storm surges.
Reduced Exposure to Wave Energy: Bulkheads are designed to protect property behind them from wave energy and associated erosion, but they do so at the price of accelerating erosion of beaches in front of them. Bulkheads reflect wave energy back across the sand which is carried away. When placed too close to the active surf zones (where the waves hit), bulkheads are subjected to the full, unmitigated force of waves. This constant pounding, especially during storms, leads to:
Increased Structural Stress: Direct wave impact puts immense stress on bulkhead materials and foundations, leading to premature deterioration, cracking, and failure.
Scouring and Undermining: Waves hitting a bulkhead directly scour the sediment from its base, undermining its foundation and leading to premature collapse, as we see beginning now.
Splash-Over and Property Flooding: Even if the bulkhead holds, water splashing over the top during high tides and storms can still inundate the property behind it, causing damage to homes and landscaping.
Benefits of a Natural Buffer Zone: By moving the bulkhead back, even 18-20 feet, you create a valuable buffer zone of sand or vegetation between the structure and the water. This buffer:
Dissipates Wave Energy: The natural beach acts as a sacrificial barrier, absorbing and dissipating much of the wave energy before it reaches the bulkhead. This significantly reduces the force the bulkhead must withstand.
Reduces Scouring: The buffer helps prevent direct scouring at the bulkhead's base, protecting its foundation.
Provides a "Working Space" for Maintenance: A wider buffer allows for easier access for future maintenance and repairs to the bulkhead without being constantly inundated by water.
Adaptation to Sea Level Rise: As sea levels continue to rise, a bulkhead set further back provides a greater "head start" against the encroaching water, delaying the point at which it becomes critically exposed. This buys valuable time for future adaptation strategies.
II. Preservation of Community Beach Access and Usability:
Our community's sandy beach is a shared asset, and its preservation is vital for the quality of life of all residents, as well as maintaining the value of individual property interests.
Maintaining Usable Beach Area: As currently observed, the existing bulkheads are already too close to the water during high tides, effectively eliminating usable beach space for walking, recreation, and enjoyment. Allowing new bulkheads to remain on the community beach would permanently eliminate this critical community resource.
Beach Restoration: The destructive effects of bulkheads to adjoining beaches is well known and documented. Wave energy is reflected off bulkheads and across the beach carrying the sand away. Bulkheads would frustrate current plans to restore the south beach, as sand replenishment in front of bulkheads would quickly begin to be washed away, and likely only last until the next large storm, as happened in the summer of 2024.
SBCA members access rights: Association members have a right to access and use tidal waters and the lands beneath them. Building bulkheads on the community beach could be seen as an infringement on this public trust, potentially leading to legal challenges and ongoing disputes.
Ecosystem Services: Beaches provide critical ecosystem services, including acting as natural storm buffers, providing habitat for various species, and filtering water. Reducing beach area diminishes these vital functions.
III. Long-Term Economic Prudence:
Investing in a bulkhead that is poorly sited is a fiscally unsound decision.
Reduced Repair and Replacement Costs: A bulkhead that is less exposed to constant wave attack will experience less wear and tear, requiring fewer costly repairs and extending its lifespan. This represents significant savings for the homeowners over time.
Increased Property Value: While immediate protection is the goal, a property that demonstrates resilience and foresight in its coastal management, including a well-sited bulkhead and access to a healthy beach, is likely to increase its value in the long term. Conversely, a property constantly battling the sea, with a failing bulkhead and no usable beach, will likely see its value diminish.
Eligibility for Future Funding/Insurance: As climate change impacts become more severe, policies regarding coastal development and resilience are evolving. Properties that demonstrate proactive, responsible coastal management practices may be better positioned for future insurance coverage or adaptation funding.
References Regarding the Benefits of Setback Bulkheads/Shoreline Management:
Here are some key concepts and types of resources that support the argument for setbacks:
Living Shorelines vs. Hardened Structures: While bulkheads are hardened structures, the principles behind "living shorelines" (which emphasize natural buffers like marshes and oyster reefs) highlight the value of attenuating wave energy before it reaches a structure. Even with a bulkhead, maximizing the natural buffer in front of it improves its performance.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - Living Shorelines: NOAA provides extensive information on the benefits of living shorelines, including their ability to reduce erosion and attenuate wave energy. While not directly about bulkheads, the underlying science about wave energy dissipation is highly relevant.
Search Term: "NOAA Living Shorelines benefits wave attenuation"
Coastal Engineering Manual (CEM): This is a foundational resource for coastal engineers. It details principles of wave mechanics, coastal erosion, and shoreline protection structures. The CEM emphasizes that the effectiveness and lifespan of structures are significantly impacted by their placement relative to wave action. While not publicly available in its entirety for free, the concepts are widely applied.
Search Term: "Coastal Engineering Manual bulkhead placement wave energy"
Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) - Coastal Management Programs: MDE often provides guidance and regulations related to shoreline construction in Maryland. They increasingly encourage "non-structural" solutions or solutions that minimize impact on natural shoreline processes. While not always explicitly stating "bulkheads further back," their emphasis on preserving natural buffers aligns with this principle.
Search Term: "Maryland MDE shoreline protection erosion control best practices"
Academic Studies on Coastal Resilience and Erosion: Numerous university and research institutions publish studies on coastal erosion, sea-level rise, and the effectiveness of different shoreline protection strategies. Many of these highlight the limitations of hardened structures when placed too close to the water and advocate for setbacks or more natural solutions.
Search Term Examples: "bulkhead setback effectiveness wave attenuation," "impact of bulkheads on beach erosion," "coastal resilience strategies sea level rise"
Conclusion:
Allowing new bulkheads to be constructed on our community beach where they may be exposed to waves is a short-sighted solution that will ultimately harm both the community and the homeowners themselves. By advocating for a retreat to legal property boundaries, we are championing a strategy that:
Increases the long-term resilience and protection of the homeowners' properties by reducing direct wave exposure and creating a vital buffer zone.
Preserves our invaluable community beach, ensuring its continued access and usability for all residents.
Demonstrates responsible and fiscally prudent coastal management in the face of undeniable environmental changes.
To be clear - This is not about denying protection to our neighbors; it is about implementing the most effective and sustainable form of protection while safeguarding our shared natural resources for generations to come. We urge the homeowners, the SBCA community and our leadership to consider these facts carefully and embrace a solution that benefits everyone.
Do you want to leave a liability, or an asset, to your children?