State and Local Officials Mark Milestone in Salisbury Beach Sand Maintenance Project
December 11, 2024FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jessica Margiotta, Director of Communications, Cell: 978-675-6109, jessica.margiotta@masenate.gov
State and Local Officials Mark Milestone in Salisbury Beach Sand Maintenance Project
SALISBURY (12/10/24) – Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester), Representative Dawne Shand (D-Newburyport), Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) officials and local Salisbury officials – Town Manager Neil Harrington, the Salisbury Board of Selectmen and Salisbury Environmental Consultant Tom Hughes – have announced that a bid has been accepted and a contract awarded by DCR for the Salisbury Beach Sand Maintenance Project, setting the stage for it to commence following the next high tide cycles on December 16th, 2024. Marking a key milestone in the ongoing effort to safeguard Salisbury Beach, this project is designed to address immediate erosion and storm damage risks while providing a foundation for future long-term coastal resilience efforts.
The Salisbury Beach Sand Maintenance Project contract underwent a competitive bid process and was awarded to T Ford Company, Inc. of Georgetown, Mass. TCFI was one of five pre-qualified contractors eligible to bid on the nourishment project.
“This project is an important step toward protecting Salisbury Beach and its surrounding areas,” said Tarr. “By deploying critical sand volumes, we are reinforcing the beach’s ability to shield homes, businesses, and vital infrastructure from storm damage. At the same time, we continue our efforts to secure federal and state support for larger, more sustainable solutions to strengthen the entire barrier beach system. I am grateful to Commissioner Brian Arrigo of the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and to Governor Maura Healey for their continued investment in protecting Salisbury Beach.”
The Salisbury Beach Sand Maintenance Project is a short-term measure to restore the height and volume of sand in critical areas of the Salisbury Barrier Beach. Sand will be strategically placed in a dune formation at the top of the beach, blending into the remnants of existing dunes.
Diagram
Description automatically generated
This approach is designed to:
1.) Reduce the risk of damage caused by erosion, flooding,
and storm surges.
2.) Strengthen the barrier beach system by increasing sand
volume to support its natural protective processes.
Beach Nourishment Profile Equilibration: What to expect after sand is placed on a beach, Kenneth Willson, Gordon Thomson, Tiffany Roberts Briggs, Nicole Elko, and Jon Miller; ASBPA Science & Technology Committee; March 20173.) Provide immediate relief to critical areas.
Approximately 30,000 tons of sand will be placed along the dune between beach access points 5-11 to restore a continuous interim dune, as the Town of Salisbury collaborates with local, state and federal partners to enhance coastal resilience in response to climate change drive extreme weather and rising sea levels.
“For the Merrimack Valley, Salisbury Beach is among the state’s most cherished assets,” said Shand. “Winter storms have intensified and caused extreme erosion over the last two years. I am grateful to DCR and the Healey-Driscoll Administration for their attentiveness to one of the few state coastlines easily accessible by bus and for their willingness to fund this project.”
Town Manager Neil Harrington noted, “We are living in a very dynamic time, when changes to our environment, and particularly our shorelines, are presenting unique challenges for communities like Salisbury. The Town, working with our legislative delegation and our Congressional partners, is committed to seeking funding for long-term, sustainable solutions for maintaining the vitality of Salisbury Beach. I am very grateful to Senator Tarr for the leadership role he has taken in this effort. In terms of this specific project, I want to express my deep appreciation to Governor Healey for providing the necessary funding and to DCR Commissioner Brian Arrigo for his consistent advocacy on behalf of Salisbury Beach. Our partnership with the State will help to ensure that our long-term goals will always remain one of our highest priorities.”
Understanding the Natural Coastal Process
The project recognizes the dynamic nature of Salisbury Beach. While the newly placed sand may shift and reshape over time, this movement is a critical part of the beach system’s defense against storms.
Key points include:
Sand movement is expected to be most significant in the first few months after placement.
Shifting sediment enhances the beach’s ability to absorb wave energy, protecting the dunes and properties behind them.
Sediment that moves offshore helps reduce wave impact and remains available to return to the beach during calmer conditions.
Diagram
Description automatically generated Due to regulatory constraints and permitting time frames for putting a project in place before this winter, construction equipment cannot place sand directly into the water or past the high tide line, so a portion of the sand being placed is intended to be washed by waves and currents to move it into the near shore environment naturally. This can make it look like the beach has eroded, but the sand is intentionally ‘washed away’ into the water for redistribution below the waterline. This helps reduce wave impact along the shore and it is important to note that this sand, while no longer visible to the naked eye above sea level, will eventually make its way back to the beach nourishing the dunes during calmer conditions.
Tom Hughes, the Environmental Consultant working for the Town of Salisbury in partnership with DCR, has worked on sand dune issues since the late 1980’s. He describes the environment as one that is “highly dynamic, responding to the ocean’s energy by moving sand throughout the barrier beach system, that extends out hundreds of feet offshore.” Hughes continued by describing data from several drone-based LiDAR flights completed during 2024, “We have seen the beach lose and gain tens of thousands of cubic yards during the year, which is how the system responds to varying ocean conditions. Adding volume to the system will improve the ability of this system to respond to the ever-changing climate. We will continue to pursue and evaluate data to inform our decisions and guide our efforts to improve the barrier resiliency.”
Building Toward Long-Term Solutions
Beach Nourishment Profile Equilibration: What to expect after sand is placed on a beach, Kenneth Willson, Gordon Thomson, Tiffany Roberts Briggs, Nicole Elko, and Jon Miller; ASBPA Science & Technology Committee; March 2017While the sand maintenance project provides immediate relief, the long-term goal remains comprehensive beach nourishment. Tarr, Shand and Salisbury officials continue to actively work with state and federal partners, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The town is in the process of pursuing a Section 111 study through the Army Corps to evaluate the impact of nearby jetties on the beach system. This study will inform future projects to enhance coastal resilience, protect Route 1A, the Great Marsh, Seabrook Nuclear Plant, and upland areas west of the barrier beach. In addition to these studies, the town continues to evaluate and pursue funding alternatives from agencies such
as FEMA and the Federal Highway Administration, while working to gather data for our state partners to substantiate the need for larger nourishment projects to improve the resiliency of the barrier. These nourishment goals go hand in hand with efforts to instill better public and private management of this precious resource.
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Additional Resources
https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2016/08/op/bchbod.pdf
https://asbpa.org/national-beach-nourishment-database/
https://asbpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/WhitePaper_85_2_Profile_Eq.pdf
Thank you,
Jessica
Jessica Margiotta
Director of Communications
Office of the Senate Minority Leader | State Senator Bruce E. Tarr
Massachusetts State House, Room 308 | Boston, MA 02133
Office: 617-722-1600, ext. 1603| Cell: 978-675-6109
Email: jessica.margiotta@masenate.gov
