Restoring the shoreline: Beach renourishment project underway. Will rip current risks increase?

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - While beach renourishment projects are designed to save homes and infrastructure, "saving the beach" might come with a hidden cost: an increased risk of rip currents. 

Some research points to shifts in the surf’s natural flow when new sand is put in. Project sponsors of renourishment argue there are other factors at play, and they don’t see a direct link.

What's the purpose of a beach renourishment? 

The goal of renourishment is straightforward: strengthen the shore. Two massive offshore boats were seen working on that in between Indialantic and Melbourne Beach in late April trying to replace what nature has stripped away. 

Local residents and officials argue that the economy depends on these wide, sandy vistas.

Rip currents and beach renourishment research

Despite the protective benefits, ocean researchers warn that the process of moving massive amounts of sand can disrupt the underwater environment in ways that endanger swimmers.

Travis Hunsucker, an Assistant Professor of Ocean Engineering at Florida Tech, has been studying drowning data and the physical changes these projects cause.

"There is some data showing that [renourishment] can increase rip currents," Hunsucker explained. "You’ll have some sort of break in the sandbar associated with the sand moving."

Research suggests that renourishment often creates steeper shorelines than what occurs through natural erosion. This steepness causes waves to break more forcefully, which can trap swimmers. Additionally, the process can fill in natural sandbars, creating artificial gaps where water rushes out to sea at high speeds—forming a rip current.

However, Hunsucker believes there is a middle ground. He says communities can reduce risk by being more precise with the materials they use.

"It’s about trying to match the natural sand," Hunsucker said. "Trying to make sure the sand you’re putting up there is consistent with the natural sand, so you don’t have a significant change in morphology."

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers responds

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), which oversees the project, also maintains that the link is not definitively proven. A spokesperson told FOX 35:
"There is no research that we know of that conclusively links rip currents to beach nourishment... During the first year or so after a beach fill, there is a lot of sand moving around above and below the waterline as the entire beach equilibrates (settles) to a more natural shape. During equilibration, the offshore bars and troughs may be moving around, but there is not compelling evidence that rip currents are stronger or more common during this time." 

When FOX 35 reached out to Brevard County officials regarding the potential link between sand placement and increased rip currents, the county declined to address the specifics.
Brevard County Statement:
"No comment from us on the rip current issue because there are studies that have different findings."

What's next:

Despite the debate over the data, experts like Hunsucker still maintain that renourishment is vital for shoreline protection. His advice for those heading to the coast is simple: the best way to stay safe is to always swim at a guarded beach.