Town of Ocean Isle Beach provides update on East End erosion

OCEAN ISLE BEACH, N.C. (WECT) - The town of Ocean Isle Beach is evaluating response options after recent monitoring data showed erosion exceeded trigger points at the East End.

Town officials said the shoreline is regularly monitored east of the terminal groin as required by state and federal permits. Monitoring determines when erosion or shoreline changes reach levels that require review and, if warranted, action.

According to recent data, erosion has impacted a limited section just east of the terminal and has exceeded one of the trigger points. The town must work with agencies to consider how to address the erosion, with options including placing sand on the affected section or adjusting the terminal groin.

“Importantly, this requirement is a condition of the Town’s permit issued in 2016. It applies regardless of nearby development, construction, or underlying cause of the erosion. This process is to ensure the Town follows the requirements included in the permits, which were approved after a multi-year public and regulatory review,” officials wrote in an announcement.

Officials are working with the town’s engineering team, the N.C. Division of Coastal Management and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to review conditions and evaluate possible next steps.

The requirements apply whether or not development exists nearby, officials said. If erosion limits are exceeded, the town is required to act regardless of adjacent properties.

“Shorelines near inlets naturally change over time. Historical monitoring shows this area has experienced significant landward movement long before the terminal groin was built, which is why long-term monitoring and required responses were included in the permits,” town officials wrote.

The erosion limits and monitoring requirements were established as part of the Shoreline and Inlet Management Plan approved by the N.C. Division of Coastal Management and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Officials said doing nothing could place the town out of compliance with its permits and result in more erosion, higher future costs and fewer ways to address the problem later.

Questions can be directed to Town Manager Justin W. Whiteside by phone or email.