Abstract

a request from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The investigation disclosed that the USACE shoreline protection program covers 8 percent of the nation's 2,700 miles of critically eroding shoreline and consists of 82 specifically authorized projects. Total actual expenditures, including periodic nourishment, for these 82 projects from 1950 to 1995 have been $731 million. When updated to 1995 dollars this expenditure becomes $1,662 million. Over the period of time covered by this study (l950-currentl the program has shifted from primarily "hard " structures (groins, seawalls, breakwaters, etc.) to primarily "soft " beach restoration and nourishment through placement of sand. Beach restoration and nourishment is also the most environmentally compatible shore protection measure. The proj-ects receive intense preconstruction coordination with environmental agencies to assure no long term adverse envi-ronmental impacts result from the projects. Over this same time period, as a result of Administration policy and law, the program has shifted from primarily recreation oriented to one of protection for storm damage reduction. From the standpoint of program cost and volumes of sand emplacements the evaluation of the long-term perfor-mance of the program shows that it is a well-managed and cost-effective program. Overall, costs were slightly less than estimated, and overall quantities of sand were slightly higher than estimated. Whether or not the projects are performing as expected from a benefit standpoint, however, is very difficult to determine. Because of the high variable and largely unpredictable nature of coastal storms, the "actual " storm damage reduction benefits of shore protection