Shoreline Enhancement Program
Palm Beach County’s 45-mile coastline is a playground for millions of residents and tourists every year. Our beaches serve as one of the best defenses against wave damage caused by winter storms and hurricanes. However, the constant erosion of our beaches is an undeniable reality.
What is Beach Erosion?
Wind, waves, and currents continually supply and remove sand from the beach. Erosion occurs when these forces remove more sand than they supply. The natural movement of sand on and off the beach and along the coast is disrupted when inlets are created or enlarged, when development is allowed in the active dune, and by the placement of coastal structures like seawalls. Rising sea level and diminishing sand supply also contribute to beach erosion.
Palm Beach County’s Solutions
The Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management, through its Shoreline Enhancement and Restoration Program, builds environmentally-sensitive, cost effective projects to protect and restore the natural function of beaches and dunes. The Department encourages improved sand management practices at inlets and promotes the removal of non-native vegetation from sand dunes.
Since 1989, Palm Beach County has participated in or constructed over 22 miles of beach and dune restoration projects for the benefit of tourists, residents and coastal property owners.
How Beach Nourishment Works
Beach nourishment - pumping or trucking sand onto the beach to rebuild an eroding shoreline - is the most natural beach restoration solution. In addition to the aesthetic enhancements, wider beaches enhance recreation, provide storm protection for roads and buildings, and potentially improve sea turtle nesting habitats.
Although beach quality sand is occasionally obtained from inland sources like sand mines, the sand used for nourishment projects typically comes from offshore sand deposits or inlet shoals.
Inlet Management
Sand along our coastline moves north or south depending on the wave climate, but the predominant movement is to the south. This natural movement is disrupted by inlets which may trap the sand on their north sides.
Lake worth Inlet and Boynton Inlet have sand transfer plants that bypass sand from the north to south across the inlets. PBC strongly encourages the development and implementation of inlet management plans that promote more natural sand movement.
Jupiter Inlet and Boca Inlet were natural inlets that have been altered over the years primarily to serve boaters. Both are routinely dredged to maintain navigable depths, and the sand is placed on adjacent beaches.
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