This presentation was given at the 2011 Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. It summarized the Town of Hilton Head Island's beach management program, which includes regular beach monitoring, renourishment projects using nearby sand sources, and stabilizing structures. The program has widened beaches, increased recreation areas, and protected development from erosion at a total cost of $40 million. Future projects aim to maintain current beach conditions with smaller volumes of sand rather than continual widening.

1. This presentation was presented at the Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference 2011 (ESTC 2011), held in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA, from September 19th-21st. Organized by The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), the ESTC is a unique annual conference providing practical solutions to advance sustainability goals for the tourism industry. Learn more about the ESTC: http://www.ecotourismconference.org ESTC on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ESTC_Tourism ESTC on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ESTC.Tourism The International Ecotourism Society | web www.ecotourism.orgemail info@ecotourism.org | tel +1 202 506 5033

2. BEACH RENOURISHMENT & MARINE ENVIRONMENT Scott P. Liggett, P.E. ScottL@hiltonheadislandsc.gov Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference September 19-21, 2011 – Hilton Head Island, SC

4. Overview

5. Project History

6. Funding

8. Atlantic Coast (Beach Processes) Port Royal Sound (Beach and Inlet Processes) South Beach (Beach and Inlet Processes) Island’s Sandy Shorelines

10. 1986 - Shore Protection Task Group was created

12. Chronic Sediment Deficit (northern 2/3)

13. Need for Comprehensive Protection of Upland

14. Minimal Dry Beach (over 9,000 feet of oceanfront armoring)

16. (1995) Typical Pre-Project Conditions - The Folly

17. 1995 Typical Pre-Project Conditions – Port Royal Sound

19. Encourage Individuals to Protect Themselves (walls, limited sand placement, etc.)

20. Restore and Maintain Entire Beach System with Comprehensive Approach

22. Comprehensive Beach Monitoring

23. Strategic use of shore-stabilizing structures to improve performance/increase longevity of beach nourishment

24. Use of near-island sand sources, as available

26. Semi-annual survey data dating back to 1986

28. Beach volume status/change ratesComprehensive Project Planning

29. Hilton Head IslandBeach Monitoring Stations August 20, 2008

30. HiltonHeadIslandBeachFillProjectHistory 1990 - Initial Restoration of Atlantic Shorefront 1997 - Renourishment of Atlantic Shorefront - Channel Relocation (Port Royal Plantation) - Restoration of a Portion of the Port Royal Shoreline - Terminal Groin at the Folly 1999 - South Beach Emergency Beach Fill Project 2006/07 – Renourishment of Atlantic Shorefront - Renourishment of Port Royal Plantation - Renourishment of South Beach - Restoration of Fish Haul/Spa - Six Detached Breakwaters at the Folly

31. 1990 – Atlantic Restoration / Channel Relocation 1997 – Atlantic Renourishment/Port Royal Restoration 1999 – South Beach Restoration/220,000 cy 2006/07-Atlantic-Port Royal-South Beach Renourishment / Fish Haul Restoration Project History

33. Approximately 5.5 MCY remain

34. Atlantic shorefront is ~ 200 wider, on average, than pre-1990 conditions

36. Island-wide improvement in beach and dune conditions

37. Significant increase in access for recreational users/public

38. Reliable buffer between ocean and upland

39. Improved Sea Turtle Nesting Habitat

41. Palmetto Dunes North Forest Beach Pre-1990 Shoreline Location 2006 – Project Completion Benefits of Program

42. 1989 2001 Benefits of Program

43. 1989 2001 Benefits of Program

44. Return on Investment Recent inquiry / criticism: “beach renourishment is expensive” 2008 appraised valuations * ~ $2.8 Billion 2011 appraised valuations * ~ $3.9 Billion 2010 tax revenue ~ $31.5 Million *First row only, not including golf courses which may have ocean frontage but are primarily large inland tracts of land

46. Preservation, maintenance, nourishment, renourishment, and improvement to the beaches and facilities related thereto

48. Park Development

49. Support Facilities(Public Works)

50. Natural Resources (sea turtles, plovers, dune plantings, etc.)

51. General Fund Transfer(prorated portions of salaries, etc.)

53. Constructed 8 beach parks providing 1401 parking spaces and pedestrian access to the beach

54. Incurred $400,000 annual maintenance costs

56. Recent Shoreline Change Conditions at ‘The Heel”

57. Port Royal Beach Restoration and Stabilization Project Directive of Council – Aug. 2006 Multi-beam high resolution bathymetric survey – Oct. 2007 – Aug. 2008 Seismic sub-bottom survey North Island Shoreline Change Study – Aug. 2008 (update to 1994 investigation) Vibracores – Conducted Dec. 2008 – Jan. 2009 Remote Sensing Survey – Apr. 2009 Wave refraction/diffraction Modeling – August 2009 Biological Assessment – Piping Plover Critical Habitat – August 2009 Project Permit Application – Made Sept 16, 2009, issued December 2, 2010

59. Stabilize High Rate of Erosion at Heel and Incorporate Area into Future Renourishment ProjectsProposed Plan of Action toAddress Heel Shoreline Erosion

61. North Forest Beach/Palmetto Dunes ShorelineAreas Most Likely to Need Future Nourishment

63. The future objectives should focus on maintaining conditions rather than striving to continually widen the beach

64. Recent observations suggest that smaller projects in the future may be sufficient to maintain beach conditions