Could Dunes Rise All The Way Down Manasquan And Belmar?

Manasquan and Belmar are among three towns that could be impacted now that the federal government reportedly has agreed to reconsider whether dunes need to be built in places where they don't currently exist.

Manasquan and Belmar do not have dunes protecting their coast. A privately owned part of Point Pleasant Beach, owned by Jenkinson's Boardwalk, negotiated a deal with state and federal officials to build a steel retaining wall under the sand in return for not having to build a dune.

The three towns reportedly got a pass after Superstorm Sandy wrecked much of the shoreline in 2012. Some of the concerns involved cost, the possible reshaping of the landscape and the potential adverse impact a dune may have on people's view of the oceanfront.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers told Patch it will begin a study in October, carrying out a request the state Department of Environmental Protection made in 2015.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is looking at the entire project from Sea Bright to Manasquan to see where dunes are needed for additional coastal storm risk reduction, Hector Mosley, a spokesman for the Army Corps' New York office, told Patch.

The dune projects have been a source of controversy – and some have also complained that the work is slow, and tears up parts of the beach when it shouldn't.

Earlier this year, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith announced that progress had been made on restoring the beaches in Point Pleasant Beach, with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers signaling it is planning to return to address recent erosion caused by severe weather.

"Good beaches are essential to a successful local economy, tourism, and our shore town residents," said Smith. "As promised by USACE, high berms must be accompanied by wide beaches and appropriate slopes, and we're counting on the Corps to follow through with this important beach protection."

Smith spoke after some have questioned why much of the beach appeared to be carved out and, literally, gone after consistent rain and wind hit the area in May. Read more: Dune Project Has Some In Point Beach Asking: Where's The Beach?