Beach Nourishment – The addition of new material to a beach artificially, such as the dumping of large amounts of sand or shingle

To remember the meaning of the term Beach Nourishment, use the following mnemonic:

The beach was hungry for nourishment so the boat crew found a way to give it large amounts of sand.

Beach nourishment = Food for the beach

A dredging vessel can pump sand on to the beach. Vessels can scoop up to 100 metres below the seafloor and throw sand onto the beach from 80 metres away.

The reasons for beach nourishment include:

• A wider beach can protect against storm damage
• Tourism (visitors want sandy beaches)
• Enlarging a beach can help to protect eco-systems on the shore

However, there can be downsides. For instance, some marine life can be buried under the new material.

Sand can be sucked up and pumped onto the beach from the seabed.

Beach nourishment is not a long-term solution to the loss of sand from beaches. Waves, storms, and rising sea levels will continue to move sand along the coast and back into the wider ocean.

Beach nourishment can protect coastal structures for as long as the sand lasts, but over time the beach may have to be renourished, and the cost can be high.