A new article reiterates that seawalls may increase erosion rates of beaches, so while they (temporarily) protect what’s behind them, it’s at the expense of the beach in front of them.
“We thought we could engineer and control nature by these techniques, but you’re fighting a losing battle,” [Rick Murray of Scituate] said. “And the conservation of energy and mass (of waves hitting a sea wall) ends up accelerating erosion.”
This isn’t new news, but it’s worth considering if your community has (or is considering building) any seawalls or other protective structures. Also worth noting is that, as the article points out, climate change will only make things worse.
“Sea walls may do more harm than good,” The Patriot Ledger.
Image: Elsie esq.