The residents of Salisbury Massachusetts are now out an expensive investment that was meant to protect them from ocean tides.
The sand dune, which reportedly cost $500,000, was washed away in only a matter of days after high tides rolling in completely swept it away. Homes in the area are now exposed if a future storm decides to come after them.
A Community Sand Dune
Homeowners in the area of Salisbury Beach in Massachusetts reportedly invested over $500,000 in an effort to bring in over 14,000 tons of sand.
They hoped to use this sand to create a barrier between their homes and the rising tides of the oceans. However, in only 72 hours, all that hard work was ruined when the ocean waves destroyed the barrier.
Bad Timing
Just a week after the sand dune was finished, a huge storm rolled in with large waves and high tides. Rick Rigoli, an overseer of the dune project spoke to WCVB about the intensity of what residents have been up against.
“We got hit with three storms—two in January, one now—at the highest astronomical tides possible,” Rigoli said.
Storm after Storm
This is not the first time that this sand dune strategy has been thwarted by the ocean. The current crisis reportedly began in December 2022, when winter storms had been constantly taking away sand that was part of sand dune barriers.
“All of our friends and neighbors, we are all scrambling for sand right now. Another storm coming on Tuesday,” said Larry Kady a Salisbury Beach resident.
Terrible Storms
Chuck Takesian, a member of the Salisbury Board of Selectmen, described a particularly bad storm that happened in mid-January 2022. “It is devastating, one of the worst storms I have ever seen,” Takesian said.
These storms would continue to roll in with severe conditions as residents would continually scramble to get their hands on as much sand as possible.
A Way of Life
While residents living near the beach haven’t gotten used to living through these storms, it has become a way of life for some. Tom Saab has lived on the beach since 1971 and emphasized the importance of preparation.
“If you want to live here on Salisbury Beach, that is how we live. We analyze it, we look at storms coming, look at the tide level, the ocean level. You have to prepare the best you can,” Saab said.
Support for the Community
The Massachusetts Department of Conversation and Recreation (DCR) has been working with the local residents to bring in much-needed sand, but it seems like all efforts thus far are continually eroding away.
“The dune is completely gone, and the homes are now going to absorb that energy, which is not what you want,” said Kady in January.
DCR’s Commitment
A spokesperson for DCR avowed the commitment the department has to see the needs of these residents through.
“As we continue to see more and more severe weather, DCR is committed to working to support the Salisbury community. We continue to meet regularly with the legislative delegation and the Town and are partnering with them and with community members to address the impacts of climate-change erosion at the beach.”
Why Are the Storms so Intense?
According to Weather Underground, changing conditions in the Gulf Stream have led to a recent intensity of storms battering the New England Coast. Every year it seems like storms are breaking records for high water levels and wind speed.
As the global temperature rises every year, storms pull warmer water from the ocean. This fuels the storm because of the extra water vapor and heat that are drawn in.
Melting Sea Ice
Another factor contributing to high tide conditions in Salisbury is the increasing melting of sea ice into the Earth’s oceans. As sea ice melts due to warmer temperatures, it raises the sea level. This causes floods to become more devastating when they start creeping upon land.
While global temperature may seem like a minor thing, even a small increase can have a multitude of different effects people wouldn’t ordinarily think of.
Coastal Erosion
The rising global temperature not only increases storm intensity and leads to increased flooding, but it also can cause intense coastal erosion. This factor may be key in explaining why the Salisbury community’s efforts to build sand dunes are constantly failing.
High sea levels lead to constant erosion, destroying these dune barriers and inching the shoreline closer and closer to the ocean.
Worries Ahead
With the latest attempt at building a sand dune gone, the members of the community are dreading looking at the weather forecast every morning.
Ron Rigoli had previously lost his tennis court in a storm. Many residents are stuck where they are, as it’s difficult to sell their houses because of the dangers in the area.
