SURF DRIVE BEACH NOURISHMENT STUDY
COMMUNITY MEETING
December 18th, 6:00 PM
Main Library, Hermann Room
And Via Zoom
The Town of Falmouth invites community members to the first of two meetings addressing an ongoing assessment of the feasibility of Surf Drive beach and dune nourishment. The meeting will be held in person and via Zoom – Wednesday December 18th at 6:00 PM in the Hermann Room of the Main Library, 300 Main St, Falmouth, MA. Remote attendance is also available through the following access information:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88673829811
Meeting ID: 886 7382 9811
Passcode: Surfdrive
One tap mobile +16469313860, 88673829811# US
This community meeting will present the ‘who, what, where, and why’ of the project. The Woods Hole Group, retained by the Town to conduct this assessment, will share the risks and vulnerabilities in the Surf Drive area, discuss how beach and dune nourishment may address near- and intermediate-term coastal risks, and identify other actions to be considered to adapt to sea level rise over a longer time horizon. Members of the public are encouraged to share their experience and ask questions.
On October 16th, 2024, the Town received a Coastal Resilience grant award from the MA Office of Coastal Zone Management to pursue this engineering assessment of nourishment to mitigate erosion and flooding of the Surf Drive shoreline, the roadway, and the utilities within the roadway. This planning work builds on recommendations made in a 2020 Surf Drive report prepared by the Woods Hole Group for the Surf Drive area. This report documented vulnerability of the roadway and surrounding public and private infrastructure to storm surge, coastal erosion, and future flooding during high tide. Surf Drive is one of only three transportation routes between downtown Falmouth and Woods Hole. Nearby infrastructure at risk from storm damage includes the Shining Sea Bikeway, Woods Hole sewer main, sewer lift station, water and electric utilities, Surf Drive Bathhouse and parking lot, Town Hall, and private properties in nearby low-lying neighborhoods. The Surf Drive planning study developed a phased management approach to address vulnerabilities to the natural and built environment, so that use of the infrastructure could be maintained as long as physically possible. Beach and dune nourishment was recommended as a near- to intermediate-term action for building resiliency to sea level rise, storm damage and coastal erosion.
The present work aims to evaluate the performance and longevity of different beach and dune nourishment designs for the Surf Drive area between Shore Road and Trunk River. The project includes surveys of beaches, dunes, structures, and roadway features so that nourishment designs can be tailored to existing conditions. Engineering analyses of the nourishment designs will be conducted to better understand performance under a variety of storm conditions and to determine their impact and longevity. The assessment will be completed by the June 30th, 2025 deadline required by the grant. The report generated by this study will describe the feasibility of beach and dune adaptation and recommend a path forward.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Peter Johnson-Staub
Assistant Town Manager
peter.johnson-staub@falmouthma.gov
508-495-7320
