Outer Banks Beach Nourishment

This page is an unofficial resource to link you to the ongoing beach nourishment projects on the Outer Banks to widen town beaches and protect our communities. Also known as beach replenishment, these projects are necessary to maintain a usable shoreline and replace sand eroded from seasonal storms and hurricanes. The Outer Banks is no stranger to these types of storms, being a group of barrier islands protruding into the Atlantic Ocean.

At this time, there are several 2022 beach nourishment projects planned that may impact various portions of the beach during the week. The projects typically include a ground crew who set up pipes and use heavy equipment offshore to pump sand onto the beaches and disperse it appropriately. Small sections are worked at a time, and generally, an area a few hundred yards long is completed in short order. Crews move either up or down the beach following town plans, and in many instances, a portion of the beach closed one day for work may be open again the very same week. You can find out more at each town's website or Dare County's website https://www.darenc.com/government/beach-nourishment/upcoming-projects