New Jersey built seawall to stop erosion; the beach it protected disappeared
A concrete seawall in New Jersey successfully protected infrastructure but caused the complete erosion of the sandy beach in front of it. The USGS report explains that the wall reflects wave energy downward, scouring away sediment and destroying the natural shoreline.
Why it matters
It highlights the unintended environmental consequences of hard coastal engineering, illustrating the conflict between protecting property and preserving natural ecosystems.
A massive concrete seawall constructed along the northern New Jersey coastline to shield a public highway and beachfront properties achieved its goal of protecting landward structures, but caused the complete loss of the sandy shoreline it sat upon. According to a coastal hazard report published by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), titled Coasts in Crisis (Circular 1075), the artificial wall deflected wave energy directly downwards into the surf zone. Over time, the intensified wave reflection scoured away the remaining beach deposit until the ocean reached the base of the concrete barrier, leaving no recreational sand exposed even at low tide.
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