Sand Dune Built with 600 Million Won to Block Seawater Disappears in Storm... Local Residents Left Disappointed

Measures to Prevent Seawater Intrusion
Requesting Related Support from the State Government

In a coastal town in the United States, more than 600 million won was spent to build sand dunes to block seawater intrusion, but they were destroyed by a storm in just three days.

The beach in Salisbury, Massachusetts, USA, swept by a storm. [Image source: 'Citizens for Change at Salisbury Beach' group]

On the 13th (local time), NBC and other U.S. media reported that residents of Salisbury, a wealthy beach town in Massachusetts located 56 km north of Boston, spent over $500,000 (about 660 million won) to deposit 15,000 tons of sand and construct protective sand dunes on the eroded beach caused by successive storms and heavy rains. Salisbury, which is affected year-round by strong jet streams, has been increasingly impacted by climate anomalies, suffering from rising sea levels, strong winds, and storms over the past few months. The residents took this measure because seawater surged into the town and damaged beachfront homes every time a storm hit. The work of transporting and piling 15,000 tons of sand by truck took several weeks.

The project was completed on the 10th. The residents hoped the dunes would protect the town, but due to the strong winds and heavy rains that hit the area, the sand dunes were swept away into the sea in less than 72 hours after completion. The group 'Salisbury Beach Citizens for Change,' which promoted the dune construction, explained on Facebook, "Although the costly protective structure was destroyed within days, the sacrificial sand dunes served their purpose," adding, "If the dunes had not been there, more damage would have occurred."

With their self-help efforts failing, the town residents requested support from the state government. Local media reported that State Senator Bruce Tarr is working to secure $1.5 million (about 2 billion won) in state budget for sand replenishment. In the U.S., it is common to replenish sand on eroded coasts because artificial structures like steel bulkheads often accelerate erosion and are frequently not permitted. However, some critics argue that repeatedly rebuilding sand dunes vulnerable to strong winds and storms is a waste of financial resources.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.