Abstract:
The combination of coastal development and naturally retreating shorelines in
sensitive barrier island ecosystems has led to increased demand for shoreline
management. The strategy of beach nourishment is commonly used to build an artificial
beach in order to maintain recreational benefits and protect oceanfront property. A
simulation model was developed to examine the costs and benefits associated with
nourishment and to compare these with an alternate strategy of relocating coastal
structures. This model uses principles of renewable resource economics to characterize
the effect of the natural and anthropogenic rates of growth and decay on the net benefits
of a beach. Hedonic property value studies of coastal areas were used to characterize
some of the benefits of beaches. A regression analysis was performed to determine the
structure of the cost curve for nourishment projects as a function of the volume of sand
used. The results of the simulation model highlight the importance of considering the
dynamics of these systems and the effects of each strategy over time. The relative
efficiency of a repeated nourishment strategy is shown to depend on the frequency with
which nourishments must be carried out. In addition, progress was made towards
outlining the necessary components for modeling the optimal path of management
decisions.
