NC Coastal Erosion Threatens
Beaches and Communities
Emily Gamiel, Staff Writer
After centuries of wear and
tear, the North Carolina coast '
continues to be beaten down
by annual hurricanes, tropi
cal storms and nor’easters. In
addition to the expected ero
sion, new research shows that
the water is rising three times
faster on the coast than it did
just a century ago. According to
a January i8th News and Ob
server article by Bruce Hender
son “the sea level began rising
in the 19th century,” and that,
“the rate of climb doubled again
in the 20th century, with a fur
ther quickening in the past 30
years.” Scientists and specialists
in the field say that this is not a
problem to address in the future
but one that must be handled
right now.
One aspect of this relentless
situation to inspect more closely
is the land that is at risk, as well
as the multi-million dollar man
sions that reside on that land.
The pieces of property and the
homes on them could be lying
on the ocean’s floor a few gen
erations from now if the erosion
continues at the current rate.
Henderson says that, “at risk
are more than 30,500 homes
and other buildings, including
some of the state’s most expen
sive real estate.” He adds that
economists studying four coun
ties along the coast estimated a
total of $6.9 billion in property
that is at risk from rising seas.
The Outer Banks has been
experiencing multiple problems
with the rising sea level for
years. According to Henderson,
“a row of beach houses in the
old resort town of Nags Head
is collapsing info the surf now
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as the town plans a $36 million
project to pump fresh sand onto
its eroding strand this spring.”
This beach nourishment strategy
is projected to stop the effects
of time in order to. save count
less houses, many of which have
already suffered the consequences
of the rising sea level. In the
meantime, homeowners still suf
fer increased property risk.
Jamie Hatchell, co-owner of
Hatchell Construction located
in Manteo, NC, is a Nags Head
homeowner that has bedn affected
by the constant push of the ocean.
During a storm over the Thanks
giving holiday in 2008, the back
wall of her family’s beach cottage
was torn off and washed into the
ocean. Hatchell is one of many
that chose to rebuild after serious
damage to their houses due to the
ever-moving shoreline and natu
ral disasters. Henderson talks
about homeowners, like Hatch
ell, and said,’’beach communi
ties shredded by hurricanes are
typically built back, sometimes
repeatedly.” Although Hatchell
succeeded in replacing what had
been ripped away, she admits that
reconstruction was difficult due
to rules and regulations already
enforced by the county and the
town of Nags Head. Hatchell said,
“it was really difficult to rebuild;
Luckily I am in the construction
business and had contacts to
call in,” and went on to say, “If I
wasn’t in the business that I am in
and didn’t have the right people
to call, I would not have been able
to rebuild. The average person
would not have been able to work
their way through it.” Hatchell
recalled many obstacles she had
fHIS ISSUi
images via Emily Gamiel
to overcome in order to replace
the house. However, not only
land Owners will be affected by
the rules and regulations.
In the News and Observer
article, Henderson makes a point
to mention that, “the N.C. Divi
sion of Coastal Management is
circulating drafts of what could
become the state’s first policy
of sea-level rise. If adopted, the
policy would lay the groundwork
for regulations influencing de
velopment and how public struc
tures from boat ramps to bridges
are built.” Local real estate agent
Beth Twyne commented on new
policies, like this one mentioned
by Henderson, by saying, “as a
realtor on the Outer Banks, it is
important to stay abreast of these
on-going regulations that may
affect the properties, including
the possibility of beach nourish
ment.” Twyne, owner of Carolina
Dunes Real Estate, is one of many
Outer Banks locals who support
the plan of beach nourishment:
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the $36 million tactic that Hen
derson mentioned in his article,
which is yet another argued topic
in local and state politics.
While the majority of resi
dents of the Outer Banks are
in favor of beach nourishment,
geologists and scientists around
the state disagree. However,
those residents opposed may be
taking the same perspective as
Dr. Wakeman, Meredith College
Professor, a coastal studies en
thusiast. Wakeman said, “By in
large, I think it’s a bad idea for
a couple different reasons. One
is, generally speaking, it doesn’t
work very well.” He continued
on to say, “generally they don’t
work nearly as well as they are
forecasted to work.” He spoke of
the negative ecological impact of
beach nourishment. The sand is
pumped onto the already exist
ing beaches can, and most likely
will, suffocate already existing
ecosystems beneath the sand. He
added, “It’s not about beaches,
it’s about buildings.”
No matter what an individual’s
perspective is on the situation
at hand, the fact of the matter is
that the erosion that began two
centuries ago is an ongoing pro
cess that is increasing in speed.
With sea-levels rising at three
times the originally predicted
rate, homeowners, individu
ally, and entire communities, at
large, must prepare for a natural
change that no one is in favor of.