Group picks cty. as a top restored beach

The restored beaches from Sea Bright to Manasquan Inlet in Monmouth County have earned honors as one of the 2006 Top Restored Beaches from the American Shore & Beach Preservation Association.

The 18 miles along Monmouth County's shore are among six beaches from around the country being singled out for successful efforts to restore the health, ecology and protective benefit of their coastlines.

The Sea Bright to Manasquan Inlet project has succeeded beyond the designers' expectations of a six-year renourishment cycle. The project, conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), New York District, in partnership with the State of New Jersey, has reduced storm damage for more than 10 years. It is the largest restored beach in the United States and will be the site of the ASBPA's 2006 fall conference in October.

Designed as a storm protection project to prevent infrastructure damage from ocean storms along the heavily populated coastal area, the project involved creating a 100-foot-wide sand berm 10 feet above mean low water. Outfall lines were extended and stone groins were notched to facilitate sand movement along the shoreline. Before the project was completed in 2001, after seven years of seasonal construction, many areas had only seawalls and strips of beach a dozen feet wide as protection from Atlantic storms.

One renourishment cycle has been completed, in Sea Bright and Monmouth Beach. Design plans are nearly complete for the next section, Long Branch, with contract award scheduled for this fall.

The ASBPA established its Top Restored Beach Awards to build awareness and appreciation for the value and importance of America's restored beaches. Coastal communities are asked to nominate their restored beaches, and an independent panel reviews the selections based on its ecological and economic success, the short- and long-term performance of the restoration project, and the unique challenges overcome in the course of completing the restoration project.

This year's other five winners are: Assateague Island National Seashore, Maryland; Captiva Island, Florida; Gulf Shores/Orange Beach, Alabama; Pinellas County beaches, Florida; and Rehoboth and Dewey beaches, Delaware.