“South Carolina Court Weighs What Residents Call ‘Chaotic’ Coastal Adaption Standards.”
Residents of Debidue Beach, South Carolina (60 miles north of Charleston) want to build more protections of their beaches and properties against sea level rise. Construction of three groins (a type of erosion control structure), has already begun. However, environmentalists have raised fears construction of the groins could damage a nearby estuary reserve. As the result of the filed lawsuit the South Carolina Court of Appeals must decide whether to stop the construction.
This isn’t a new issue or a new problem. There have been many cases over the past decades in several states regarding the environmental effects of different types of erosion control structures. We chose to point out this dispute to point out the shape of things to come. Climate Change has brought, and will continue to bring, sea level rise, changes in weather patterns, changes in major Atlantic Ocean currents, and stronger and more frequent storms. We believe there will be and should be many environmental challenges to erosion control structures that not only may change the flow of water but may also change the patterns of sand deposits.
Sources:
https://us2.campaign-archive.com/?e=276ce8f50f&u=7c733794100bcc7e083a163f0&id=8cabb35d65
https://www.britannica.com/science/sustainability
Photo by Kres Thomas: https://www.pexels.com/photo/people-at-the-beach-during-sunrise-10785571/
