New Hanover County Commissioners voted on Monday in support of a beach enrichment agreement. The county and federal funds would cover 82.5 percent of the cost according to the agreement while the state would provide the assets for the other 17.5 percent.
If the state fails with its share, the beach towns in New Hanover County would have to pay for the 17.5 percent. In case the federal government refuses to acknowledge the agreement, the majority of the cost would be assigned to the county.
Beach nourishment, also referred to as beach replenishment, is a process by which sand lost through longshore drift or erosion is replaced from sources outside of the eroding beach. Nourishment gained popularity because it preserves beach resources and avoids the negative effects of hard structures.
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Dredging Today Staff, December 7, 2011;