Watch: Sand pumping underway as Buxton’s major Beach Nourishment Project fights costal erosion
The Buxton Beach Nourishment Project has officially begun to combat coastal erosion in North Carolina's Outer Banks. Since 2020, 31 beach homes in Rodanthe and Buxton have collapsed into the ocean due to beach erosion and extreme weather events.
BUXTON, N.C. — The Buxton Beach Nourishment Project has officially begun to combat coastal erosion in North Carolina's Outer Banks.
Since 2020, 31 beach homes in Rodanthe and Buxton have collapsed into the ocean due to beach erosion and extreme weather events.
WHY COASTAL EROSION IS WASHING AWAY HOMES IN NORTH CAROLINA'S OUTER BANKS
Dare County officials stated that crews will distribute two million cubic yards of sand along the Buxton coastline.
The 95-day project spans from the Haulover recreation site to an area just south of the local beach access point.
Efforts to combat the ongoing coastal crisis began July 31, marking the start of the project as the dredge Liberty Island began pumping sand onto the beach.
WATCH: OCEANFRONT HOME IN NORTH CAROLINA'S OUTER BANKS TORN DOWN IN EFFORT TO COMBAT BEACH EROSION
Video captured over the weekend shows the large work zone, with massive pipes sitting in the water as construction trucks operate nearby.
"The contractor, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company, began pumping sand in the middle of the project area, near Ocean Drive, and is expected to progress north," according to Dare County.
To help keep the massive operation moving, a second dredge is also slated to join the effort by mid-August.
Once the northern portion is complete, crews will head back to Ocean Drive and work southward until finishing with the southern taper.
WHAT IS COASTAL EROSION AND WHY IS IT DANGEROUS?
Coastal erosion can cause a structural collapse in a matter of seconds. We witnessed this last October when FOX Weather Correspondent Katie Byrne was covering the crisis, while the eighth home collapsed in Buxton.
Recounting the moment, Byrne said: "You hear the creaking, the snapping sounds of the wood. And then just in a matter of seconds, the house fell down onto its pilings."
In fact, one homeowner even relocated their home in hopes to prevent a future loss.
With homes and vital infrastructure continuing to face immediate threats, keeping the beach nourishment timeline on track is critical.
WATCH: OCEANFRONT HOME IN NORTH CAROLINA'S OUTER BANKS TORN DOWN IN EFFORT TO COMBAT BEACH EROSION
"With the addition of the second dredge, the project is expected to remain on schedule for completion by Sept. 30, 2026," Dare County officials said.
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