In our last communication regarding the Long Beach Island Hurricane and Storm Damage Reduction Project (Project), I wrote about why the Project is important to LBI and how all of us, not just ocean front property owners, stand to benefit. Beach safety is a primary factor in considering how the Project will benefit the LBI communities. Unfortunately many individuals, apparently seeking to preserve the status quo, have disseminated information that is not entirely correct or factual.

One of the first topics circulated by those opposed to the Project is that beach replenishment may potentially create hazardous swimming conditions. While there is always a chance of an unanticipated outcome, the design and efforts of the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) are based upon years of study and computer modeling to create the safest, user-friendly beach possible. It is not in their, or anyone’s, best interest to produce a completed project that is unsound. Such a result would minimize receipt of future funding, reducing their work at hand.

The probability of an unanticipated result is minimal based upon the successes that the USACE has had in South Jersey communities, including Brigantine, Stone Harbor, Avalon and Cape May. These projects were all successfully completed by the Philadelphia Region of the USACE, and while Cape May is part of the “mainland”, all the other projects share the similarity of being on barrier islands. Even Cape May shares similar geological characteristics, as these communities are all part of the Cohansey Sand Plain. I raise these issues because the opposition to the Project continuously sites problems with projects from Monmouth County, which were completed by the New York Region of the USACE in communities that are effectively part of the “mainland” and have a different geological character. Just as any team that has a high winning percentage indicates a higher probability of success, the Philadelphia Region’s continual successes indicates a higher probability of success on LBI.

Have there been problems in the communities to our south from the Philadelphia Region’s efforts? Yes. Specifically a rip current developed on one street in Cape May Point due to an intensified littoral drift of sand which was most likely caused by the existing concrete beach savers. But this is no different than what nature does currently. This past summer, Beach Haven had a sandbar give way at the end of Taylor Avenue. Due to the immediate response of the Beach Haven Beach Patrol, 50 people that were swept away were rescued, all unharmed. In fact, with the contribution of additional sand, nature will be able to readily remedy herself, filling in breaches that sustain rip currents much faster than can occur on beaches that are sand starved; Beach Haven’s beaches have been on a diet for far too long. Thus, you can see that it would be better to have a gradually sloping ocean floor, as would be provided by the Project, rather than relying on intermittent, undependable sandbars. The moral is: the problem area in Cape May remedied itself through the course of the summer; Beach Haven is still suffering with its problem on Taylor Avenue.

This is a reminder that the ocean is not the same as a swimming pool, or any kind of reasonably controlled environment, that you can walk out of your back door to enjoy. The ocean is a force of nature, to be enjoyed as long as it is respected. As with any force of nature, and much of life, there are no guarantees, just best efforts. The effort put forth by the USACE to affect this project will provide additional protection to storm surge from hurricanes and nor’easters, while greatly enhancing the aesthetics, safety and utility of our beaches. This project is too important for the future of your property, and the future of Beach Haven, to let it go away.

The next writing will continue the discussion of beach safety and how the “steep drop off” into the water is a figment of someone’s imagination, as well as bad marketing by engineers. In fact, the end result of the Project may improve the slope into the water, actually enhancing the safety in recreating in the water.