One of sometimes overlooked realities of beach nourishment is that beach sand does need to be replenished from time to time.
That’s going to be happening on the Kill Devil Hills beaches beginning Monday, June 13.
The preliminary information provided by Kill Devil Hills seems to indicate, this round of replenishment will not be quite as disruptive as the original project five years ago. As it stands right now, sand will be pumped onto the beach in 1000’ sections with closures anticipated to be between three to six days, perhaps a week at the most.
However, it is important to remember that weather can change everything. That’s one of the reasons nourishment projects are undertaken in the summer. The weather is far more likely to cooperate at that time of the year.
The project is limited to the northern part of the town from Prospect Avenue to the town line with Kitty Hawk. Throughout the project the 5th Street Beach Access will remain closed so equipment can be moved in and out. The first phase will be at Walker Street.
It is important to keep in mind that the only restriction to beach activities is directly in the construction areas that are blocked off. That really is for safety reasons. Beach nourishment projects use bulldozers and other heavy construction equipment. There are also huge pump pipes bringing sand from the ocean to the beach.
The town anticipates the 2.6 mile long project will take about 25-35 days.
Beach nourishment has consistency been shown to be an effective tool in mitigating the effects of storms and sea level rise. Although a wider beach is a byproduct of the process, its primary reason is to protect property and infrastructure.
The Outer Banks has over 120 miles of pristine beach waiting for our visitors. Stop by for a while and soak up some sun and sea.