The West End Beach and Dune Restoration Project is progressing well. The required USACE, ADEM, and Alabama Beach Act permits have been issued. The Town has secured construction funding for the full project. The Town’s engineers are progressing to full design over the next few months. This project is designed to widen the beach, strengthen dune protection, defend town infrastructure, and reduce erosion risks. This project was identified as a priority in the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Final Alabama Barrier Island Restoration Assessment Report, 2020. If this project is not completed, erosion will persist, and the beach, which has been steadily eroding for decades, is unlikely to recover naturally.
To create an engineered beach under the Alabama Beach Act, the project has established a designated mean high tide line (MHTL). The designated MHTL establishes the separation between private and public property in perpetuity – even if more erosion occurs in the future. Without this project, Dauphin Island will continue to lose land to the Gulf of Mexico. An engineered beach constructed through the Beach Act will also allow the Town of Dauphin Island to seek additional funding through FEMA. The Town will hold responsibility of maintaining the renourished beach. Engineered beaches in Alabama already exist in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, as well as now along the East End of Dauphin Island.
Pictures will be added once the project starts. Use the links below to view the Project Fact Sheets & FAQs. For more information, use this link to the Town of Dauphin Island's website.
