The Opinion of the Shark River Surf Anglers on Beach Replenishment and Jetty Notching in Monmouth County New

Jersey, March 20, 2014

We, the 120 members of the Shark River Surf Anglers out of Belmar NJ, are united in voicing our strong opposition to the current proposed New Jersey Beach Replenishment Rules as specified by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), New York District in their report dated February 2014:
ATLANTIC COAST OF NEW JERSEY, SANDY HOOK TO BARNEGAT INLET BEACH EROSION CONTROL PROJECT, SECTION I - SEA BRIGHT TO OCEAN TOWNSHIP: ELBERON TO LOCH ARBOUR REACH DRAFT INTEGRATED HURRICANE SANDY LIMITED REEVALUATION REPORT AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Available for public download at: http://www.nan.usace.army.mil/Portals/37/docs/civilworks/projects/nj/coast/SHtoBI/EtoLA/M ain_Rpt_21_Feb_2014.pdf

Many of us have had our homes damaged, even destroyed, by Hurricane Sandy. We understand that the shore needs to be protected; however, we strongly believe that the current plan is not the most effective, either in protecting homes or in cost effectiveness. As extremely active surf fisherman we spend many hours on the beaches from Sandy Hook down to Long Beach Island and are very familiar with the effects of the past 18 years of beach replenishment in its current form. We feel that a better, more effective, and longer lasting option would be to extend the jetties, adding "T's", aka breakwaters, at their ends to absorb the impact of the waves and to trap the sand. We also believe that there must be a robust, stabilized dune system to protect the homes. This is science that has been proven to work unlike the current method that quickly washes away and also acts as a ramp to help send storm surge into homes and businesses. It has been proven in places like Long Beach Island and Long Beach NY that a proper system of dunes offers the best shore protection from catastrophic damage. Quoting from a NY Times article By Mireya Navarro and Rachel Newer on December 3, 2012, The smaller neighboring communities on the barrier island [of Long Beach] Point Lookout, Lido Beach and Atlantic Beach approved construction of 15-foot-high dunes as storm insurance. Those dunes did their job, sparing them catastrophic damage while [the neighboring town of] Long Beach suffered at least $200 million in property and infrastructure losses, according to preliminary estimates.

Longer jetties would dramatically curtail the northern movement of the sand and the T's would help trap it there. The Ts would also help protect the new beach and dunes by deflecting the power of the incoming waves. The Ts are another word for breakwaters, in effect long heaps of rocks placed parallel to the shore to intercept waves. Over 6,000 have been built in Japan with great success. The current science claims that the north sides of the jetties will lose sand more than the south side. A simple observation shows that this is true, but the overwhelming anecdotal evidence, and simple common sense, shows that far less sand washes away with the jetties there then it does when there is nothing in place to stop it. Robert Dalrymple, a civil engineer at the University of Delaware Sea Grant program says groins [jetties] may have a place: "Robbing of sand [movement of sand from the north side of one jetty to the south side of the next] will not happen when you fill the groin fields with sand before you use them. You don't make sand [bluffs broken down by waves to form beaches] with these devices, but they can protect sand pumped in from elsewhere. By extending the jetties more sand will be held in place on both the north and south sides. The current design, quoted from the above listed Army Corps report, which we disagree with, states that Six existing groins will be modified to allow sediment to pass through and prevent sediment impoundment. We strongly believe that sand should be impounded, retained in position as much as possible, not quickly carried away. Another important point that has not been discussed is the offshore environmental impact. The Shrewsbury Rocks and the Elberon Rocks are in serious danger of being significantly covered over by replenishment sand. Following the original replenishments in the 1990s and early 2000s large sections of the Shrewsbury rocks filled in with the sand that had been pumped onto the beach. This resulted in serious damage to the fragile and unique benthic environment that had previously supported a diverse aquatic community (go ask any party boat captain that worked that area). We feel that this cannot be allowed to happen again. The sand has to be held in place. We can't afford to lose any of the dynamic fish nurseries that are the rock structures just off the targeted beaches. An additional advantage to extending the jetties would be that when replenishment is required in the future the vast majority would be on the north sides of the jetties only. This means that the square yardage of sand required would be far, far less, likely around half as much. Also, because the sand is being held in place, replenishment would be required far less often. Financially, over time, using a method to trap and hold the sand would save the taxpayers money. This money, in the form of sand, is currently washing away in huge amounts during even the smallest weather events, and through the natural northbound direction of the littoral currents. Right now as you read this the sand is being pushed north by every wave, ultimately into the shipping channels off the tip of Sandy Hook. If you visit the end of Sandy Hook you will see that the location of the channel, once close to one half mile from the shore, is now only around a

football field away. This is due to the massive growth of the east point of Sandy Hook out into Raritan Bay by the accumulation of replenishment sand. This movement and depositing of sand into the Earl and Sandy Hook Channels will require significant additional, virtually unending, dredging work at the cost of millions upon millions of taxpayer dollars. While we understand that the shore should be protected, it is our opinion, backed by the experience of lifetimes spent on the beaches, that the current methods are not the most efficient, nor are they the most cost effective. In fact they seem to be designed to create a vicious cycle of constant replenishment at enormous taxpayer expense and great detriment to our fragile littoral environment. Sincerely, The Shark River Surf Anglers Members and Executive Board Greg Hueth, President Ken Morse, Vice President Sal Loffredo , Treasurer Darryl Zarichak, Secretary