Frequently Asked Questions

Healthy beaches absorb the brunt force of waves, wind, tides, currents, and storms, allowing dunes to protect infrastructure. Beaches and dune systems require nourishment to protect, maintain, and preserve the entire coastal system. 

Erosion

Energy, wind, waves, tides, currents, and storms all generate energy that impacts our barrier islands and shape the shoreline and beaches. Naturally occurring erosion removes sand and deposits it offshore. Over time, waves return some of the sand to the beach. Storms with heavy surf and high winds can cause erosion to occur with increased intensity and frequency.

Beach Nourishment Benefits

Beaches are an integral part of the quality of life in Dare County and support homes, businesses, and related infrastructure (roads, utilities) for many residents and visitors. More than just a playground, beaches are environmental treasures and tremendous economic assets for our community. In addition, beaches provide protection for coastal estuaries, upland structures, and the mainland. 

Mobilization of beach nourishment equipment may begin up to 30 days before active construction. Historically, beach nourishment activities have typically occurred between May and August, when winds are lower and wave conditions are calmer.

The exact dates of construction, as well as a construction progress map (when a project is underway), can be found here. Note that schedules are subject to change due to a variety of factors such as weather, equipment issues, etc. 

Visitors who are vacationing in areas where beach nourishment construction is underway may notice the presence of bulldozers, loaders, and excavators during their stay. In addition to heavy earth-moving equipment, small sections of the beach may be closed for a few days (possibly several in the very southern end of Nags Head) to ensure the safety of the public during construction operations. A walking corridor at the base of the dunes, but out of the construction area, may be available on sections of the beach if work is not being performed close to the dunes. 

A pipe will be laid along the beach parallel to the shoreline to allow sand to be pumped from the offshore borrow source onto the active construction site. This pipe will be visible on the beach; however, sand ramps will be built over it to provide safe and easy access to the ocean. In addition to the closed active construction zone, some smaller areas of the beach may be closed to stage equipment.

Please be patient as these much-needed projects are completed. 

Below is a video from our 2019 project that illustrates how beach nourishment construction affects the shoreline. Please note that on the north side of the construction area, a newly reopened section of the beach is visible, where visitors are already enjoying the new beach.

Offshore dredges used to transport sand to the beach during nourishment projects can operate only under specific wind and wave conditions, which are typically more favorable during the summer months on the Outer Banks.

Additionally, the storms that commonly impact our area in the fall, winter, and early spring can create hazardous conditions for the crews working on the nourishment project.

You can find the most current information about Nags Head's beach nourishment activities here. When a nourishment project is underway, a progress map will be updated on this page as well. 

Receive notifications about beach nourishment in Nags Head by visiting this page.  Scroll down to the News Flash category and click an icon next to "Beach Nourishment."

For information about beach nourishment in other parts of Dare County, visit the More Beach to Love webpage.

Because there is only a limited window of opportunity to conduct beach nourishment due to seasonal weather conditions, more than one section of the beach may be affected at a time to complete the project.

During beach nourishment sand is pumped onto the beach from a dredge in the ocean via a submerged pipeline. 

Construction typically proceeds in one direction from the submerged pipe (the visible pipe on the beach is also known as a landing point or subline) for a few thousand feet and then will proceed in the other direction from the same landing point. 

When all beach nourishment related to a particular landing point is complete, the contractor will switch to a new landing point along the shoreline, and the process will begin all over again. To save time during a switch, the contractor may set up multiple landing points on the beach.

Approximately 1,500 to 2,000 feet of the beach will be closed in the active construction area. Properties are typically impacted for three to six days, although this can change depending on a variety of factors. Once a particular section of sand is pumped into place, that area will likely be reopened for use within 24-48 hours. 

While beach nourishment is taking place, sand ramps will be placed over the temporary pipeline, allowing people to get across and enjoy the beach on the ocean side of the pipe in areas that are not actively under construction.

Not that some areas of the beach will be closed for equipment staging.

Visitors will still be able to access the beach while the project is taking place; however, a portion of the approximately 1,000-1,500 foot area that is actively under construction may be closed temporarily to ensure public safety.

If construction limits or restricts access to the beach directly in front of your property, you may need to enter the beach at an alternate access. 

Beach nourishment construction may impact the properties along a particular stretch of shoreline for a period of three to six days, although this can change depending on a variety of factors. Once that section of sand is pumped into place, the area will likely be reopened for use within 24-48 hours. 

Sand ramps will be placed over a temporary pipe, allowing beachgoers to safely get past the equipment and enjoy the beach on the ocean side of the pipeline in areas that are not active construction zones.

Please note that access will not be permitted to areas that are active construction zones to ensure public safety.

Note that some areas of the beach will be closed to accommodate equipment staging.

Beach nourishment construction typically takes place 24/7 until the project is complete, depending on weather conditions. 

In an active beach nourishment construction area, bulldozers, loaders, and excavators are the primary pieces of equipment that will be used. The area may also contain a skid-mounted mobile construction office, large portable lights, welding equipment, and other ancillary equipment. 

Construction typically occurs on a 24/7 basis. Bulldozers and loaders are equipped with backup alarms and lights. Outside the active construction areas, pipe will be laid on the beach to allow for sand to be pumped from the nearshore pump-out station to the active construction area. This pipe will run parallel to the beach and may remain in front of individual properties for several weeks. However, sand ramps will be constructed over the pipe to allow for pedestrian traffic.

**Please note that no access will be permitted to an area that is actively under construction to protect public safety.

You will be able to tell if construction operations are actively underway in front of your property. The sounds you will typically hear are the back up alarms from bulldozers and trucks, which are required by federal law. Lights will be used on the beach throughout the night and may be visible from homes.

In Nags Head, sand pumped onto the beach during a nourishment project is excavated from one of several offshore areas, typically referred to as offshore borrow areas.

The sand on the newly built beach may initially be a bit darker than the sand on the beach before it was nourished because it has been on the ocean floor; however, it will eventually lighten over a period of time once it has been exposed to sunlight.

Dredging may be temporarily suspended due to factors such as weather and sea conditions, wildlife sightings, activity within the project area, equipment maintenance or repairs, pipe relocation, and dredge refueling.

Dredges may temporarily relocate to safe harbor during inclement weather, refuel the vessel and accommodate onboard staffing changes, as well as to switch the direction in which the sand is being pumped onto the shoreline.

The Town of Nags Head's Multi-Decadal Beach Nourishment Master Plan establishes a six-year beach maintenance nourishment interval. If volumetric triggers are not reached within two years of the six-year planned interval nourishment, the Town could potentially extend the time between projects.

Project financing typically comes from a combination of:

• town-wide property taxes (all properties in Nags Head contribute to beach nourishment at a rate of $0.02)
• revenues from municipal service tax districts (see below for additional information)
• a contribution from Dare County, FEMA, and the State of North Carolina may provide funds to replace sand lost as a result of a federally-declared disaster, such as a large hurricane

A municipal service district (MSD) is a defined area within a town where additional property tax is levied to provide projects or extra services that benefit the properties in that district.

This funding plan recognizes that the benefits of nourishment extend well beyond the immediate oceanfront. Properties adjacent to, but not directly on the ocean, benefit from reduced overwash flooding and impacts to infrastructure, such as streets, as well as increased property values due to their proximity to a well-maintained recreational beach. And, we know our beach is a key piece of infrastructure from which the entire town benefits. 

In 2003, the North Carolina General Assembly voted unanimously to formally adopt a law banning hard structures, such as seawalls and terminal groins. This law bans the construction of new, permanent erosion-control structures on beaches within the state.

Other options that aren’t hard structures, such as geotubes and offshore reefs, are not approved for use in North Carolina.

Therefore, beach nourishment is currently the only tool that is available to protect Nags Head from beach erosion and subsequent flooding and overwash.

To protect sea turtles and their nests during beach nourishment, turtle monitoring is conducted in the construction zone.

To minimize the risk to turtles during dredging, relocation trawling is used ahead of a hopper dredge as a avoidance and minimization measures to reduce the risk of potential lethal take of Endangered Species Act-listed species.

In addition to onshore monitors, there will be a designated person aboard each dredge in the offshore borrow areas that will be assigned the task of monitoring sea turtle activity during the projects. 

Sea turtle nests that are located within a project area will be safely relocated by authorized personnel to a nearby stretch of shoreline that will not be affected by construction during beach nourishment. 

An easement is required as part of the beach nourishment project permitting process. The easement allows only activities related to the construction and maintenance of the project, including sand placement and grading, taking measurements, inspection of the beach, installation of sand fencing and planting of beach grass. 

The easement is solely for the purpose of constructing and maintaining the project. It does not convey property to the Town of Nags Head or change an owner's ability to access the ocean or use the property, except in limited instances during the construction phase of the project.

Dune walkovers and other structures that are consistent with local, state and federal regulations will still be allowed.