The primary goal of beach nourishment projects on the Outer Banks is to protect N.C. Highway 12 from damage due to storm surge and overwash. By widening the existing beaches during beach nourishment, we are creating a larger buffer between the Atlantic Ocean and the highway. 

Many stretches of shoreline along N.C. Highway 12—particularly on Hatteras Island—have become hotspots for erosion, which makes the roadway extremely vulnerable to storm surge and overwash. Beach nourishment is an effective way to restore these erosional hotspots and to provide N.C. Highway 12 with a higher level of protection and stronger defense against storms.

In addition to highway protection, beach nourishment also provides a wider recreational beach for residents, visitors and property owners to enjoy, as well as additional habitat for various species of wildlife.

Beach nourishment projects were completed in the towns of Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head—as well as within the villages of Avon and Buxton on Hatteras Island—in the summer of 2022. In addition, a beach nourishment project was completed in the Town of Duck in May 2023. 

• Avon – Approximately 2.5 miles of shoreline from 3,000 feet north of Avon Pier at Due East Road to the National Park Service Station/Avon Boundary were nourished in the Village of Avon on Hatteras Island. The Avon beach nourishment project began on June 19, 2022, and was completed on July 27, 2022.

• Buxton – Approximately 2.9 miles of shoreline from the Haulover Day Use Area to the oceanfront groin at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse were nourished in the Village of Buxton on Hatteras Island. Beach nourishment began in Buxton on Thursday, June 30, 2022, and was completed on August 16, 2022. 

• Duck – Approximately 1.6 miles of shoreline from the Army Corps Pier north to Skimmer Way was nourished in the Town of Duck. This project began on April 11, 2023 and was completed on May 14, 2023.

• Southern Shores – A 3.8-mile beach nourishment project began on October 7, 2022 and was completed on November 22, 2022. The project targeted the shoreline from the Southern Shores/Kitty Hawk town line to the Kitty Hawk/Kill Devil Hills town line.

• Kitty Hawk – Approximately 3.97 miles of shoreline from the Southern Shores/Kitty Hawk town line to the Kitty Hawk/Kill Devil Hills line was nourished in the Town of Kill Devil Hills. Construction began on August 24, 2022 and was completed on October 18, 2022. 

• Kill Devil Hills – The Kill Devil Hills beach nourishment project targeted 2.58 miles of shoreline from the Kitty Hawk/Kill Devil Hills town line to 270 feet north of Prospect Avenue. The Kill Devil Hills beach nourishment project began on June 13, 2022 and was completed on July 22, 2022.

• Nags Head – Approximately 4.45 miles of shoreline from 8031 South Oregon Inlet Road (near Milepost 16) to 10435 South Oregon Inlet Road was nourished in the town of Nags Head. Beach nourishment construction in Nags Head began on July 22, 2022 and was completed on August 27, 2022.

Dredging for the upcoming beach nourishment projects throughout Dare County is expected to begin in the early summer of 2022; however, the exact dates that construction will begin in specific locations have not yet been determined. This chart provides the projected 2022 beach nourishment schedules and will be updated once contractors provide updated information. 

Once it has been determined by the contractor, the exact dates that construction will take place on any stretch of beach will be communicated as accurately as possible during the project, but it is important to note that these schedules are subject to change due to a variety of factors, including weather, mechanical equipment issues, etc.

Pipelines will be laid along the beach parallel to the shoreline to allow sand to be pumped from the offshore borrow source onto the active construction site. This pipeline will be visible on the beach; however, sand ramps will be built over the pipeline in order to provide residents and visitors with safe and easy access to the shoreline of the Atlantic Ocean.*

*Please note that no access will be permitted in areas that active construction zones. To ensure the safety of the public throughout the duration of the beach nourishment projects, some areas of the beach will be closed to accommodate construction and the staging of equipment, and public access to the beach will be restricted and/or redirected to other locations.

Visitors who are vacationing in areas where a beach nourishment project is underway may notice the presence of bulldozers, loaders and excavators working on the beach during their stay. In addition to this heavy earth-moving equipment, small sections of the beach within the towns and villages where beach nourishment is taking place may be closed for a few days in order to ensure the safety of the public during construction operations.

Please be patient as these much-needed projects are completed—beach nourishment is vital to the future of the towns and villages along the Outer Banks.

Beach nourishment projects are not linear in nature, and due to the size of each town or village's project—as well the fact that multiple projects may be underway along the Outer Banks at one time—more than one area of the beach may be closed at the same time.  

During beach nourishment, sand is pumped ashore from an ocean-certified dredge via a submerged pipeline. Construction typically proceeds in one direction from the submerged pipe (the visible pipe on the beach is also known as a landing point) for a few thousand feet and then will proceed in the other direction from the same landing point. 

When all beach nourishment related to a particular landing point is complete, the contractor will switch to a new landing point along the shoreline, and the process will begin all over again. In order to save time during a switch, the contractor may set up multiple landing points on the beach.

Because there is only a limited window of opportunity to perform beach nourishment operations due to seasonal weather conditions, more than one section of the beaches along the Outer Banks may be affected at a time in order to complete the projects.

To view the areas of the shoreline that are currently under construction in a particular area—as well as the areas where beach nourishment has already been completed—please view the project maps that are available for each town or village that is scheduled to undergo beach nourishment in 2022. 

 • Click here to view the Avon project map. (Completed on July 27, 2022)

• Click here to view the Buxton project map. (Completed on August 16, 2022)

• Click here to view the Town of Kill Devil Hills project map. (Completed on July 22, 2022)

• Click here to view the Town of Kitty Hawk project map.

• Click here to view the Town of Nags Head project map. (Currently active)

• Click here to view the Town of Duck project map.

• Click here to view the Town of Southern Shores project map.

To view detailed project maps for each town and village - which are updated as beach nourishment projects progress along the shoreline - please click the links below.

• Click here to view the Avon project map. (This project was completed on July 27, 2022.)

• Click here to view the Buxton project map. (This project was completed on August 16, 2022.)

• Click here to view the Town of Kill Devil Hills project map. (This project was completed on July 22, 2022.)

• Click here to view the Town of Kitty Hawk project map.

• Click here to view the Town of Nags Head project map. (This project is currently active.)

• Click here to view the Town of Duck project map.

• Click here to view the Town of Southern Shores project map.

For more detailed information and to sign up for updates regarding each of the beach nourishment projects that are scheduled to take place in the towns and villages within Dare County in 2022, click the links below.

Village of Avon (Dare County)

Village of Buxton (Dare County)

Town of Kill Devil Hills

Town of Kitty Hawk

Town of Duck

Town of Southern Shores

Town of Nags Head

The offshore dredges that are used to perform beach nourishment can only operate in certain conditions when it comes to wind speeds and wave heights, which are typically more favorable for dredging in the summer months on the Outer Banks.

In addition, beach nourishment projects in Dare County typically take place in the summer months because the storms that frequently affect the area in late fall, winter and early spring can cause dangerous conditions for the crews who are tasked with performing dredging operations along the Outer Banks coastline.

Photo: Beach nourishment taking place in Kill Devil Hills, June 2022.

Approximately 1,000 feet of the beach will be directly impacted during construction at any given time—and a portion of this area that is under construction may also be closed in order to ensure public safety during these construction operations.

Beach nourishment construction operations are anticipated to impact the properties along that particular stretch of shoreline for a period of three to six days, although this can change depending on a variety of factors. Once a particular section of sand is pumped into place, that area will likely be reopened for use within 24-48 hours. 

While beach nourishment is taking place, sand ramps will be placed over the temporary pipeline at every public access and then in intervals of no more than 200-300 feet, allowing people to get across and enjoy the beach on the ocean side of the pipeline in areas that are not actively under construction.

**Please note that access will only be permitted in areas that are not actively under construction. To ensure the safety of the public throughout the duration of the beach nourishment projects, some areas of the beach will be closed to accommodate construction and the staging of equipment, and public access to the beach will be restricted and/or redirected to other locations. 

Residents and visitors will still be able to access the beach while the projects are taking place; however, a portion of the approximately 1,000-foot area that is actively under construction at any given time may be closed temporarily in order to ensure public safety.

If construction operations limit or restrict access to the beach directly in front of your property, you may need to enter the beach at an alternate beach access. 

Beach nourishment construction operations are anticipated to impact the properties along a particular stretch of shoreline for a period of three to six days, although this can change depending on a variety of factors. Once that section of sand is pumped into place, the area will likely be reopened for use within 24-48 hours. 

Sand ramps will be placed over a temporary pipeline at every public access and then in intervals of 200-300 feet, allowing people to safely get past the equipment and enjoy the beach on the ocean side of the pipeline in areas that are not active construction zones.

Please note that access will not be permitted to areas that are active construction zones in order to ensure public safety.

To ensure the safety of the public throughout the duration of the beach nourishment projects, some areas of the beach will be closed to accommodate construction and the staging of equipment, and public access to the beach will be restricted and/or redirected to other locations. 

To ensure the safety of the public throughout the duration of the beach nourishment projects, some areas of the beach will be closed to accommodate construction and the staging of equipment, and public access to the beach will be restricted and/or redirected to other locations. 

Active construction and staging areas will be clearly marked and secured with fencing and ribbon to form a protective barrier. Due to the potential hazards to the public that are presented by heavy equipment and construction activities, these areas will also be monitored 24/7 by security personnel. 

To prevent accidents, injuries and interruptions, the public is asked to avoid active construction sites whenever possible and to exercise caution near construction fencing and staging areas.

Yes. Beach grass will be planted along the sand dunes in an effort to stabilize the shoreline and dunes once beach nourishment is complete. The timing of this planting will depend upon your location and when beach nourishment operations in each area are completed. 

If your property is located in a project area in unincorporated Dare County (Avon or Buxton), beach grass will be planted along the newly constructed dunes south of the Avon Pier and the Village of Buxton sometime after November 15, 2022, to coincide with the end of sea turtle nesting season on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. 

If you are located in one of the six towns within Dare County, please contact your municipal officials for specific information on the plans for projects in your area.

In an active beach nourishment construction area, bulldozers, loaders and excavators are the primary pieces of equipment that will be utilized. The active construction area may also contain a mobile construction office (skid-mounted), light plants, welding equipment as well as other ancillary equipment. 

Construction typically occurs on a 24/7 basis. Bulldozers and loaders are equipped with backup alarms and lights. Outside the active construction areas, shore pipelines will be laid to allow for sand to be pumped from the nearshore pump-out station to the active construction area. This pipeline will run parallel to the beach. Pipelines may remain in place in front of individual properties for several weeks. However, sand ramps will be constructed over the pipelines to allow pedestrian traffic over the pipe.

**Please note that no access will be permitted to an area that is actively under construction in order to protect public safety.

The sources of the sand that is pumped onto the shoreline in order to widen the beach can include a nearby sandbar, a dredged source (such as an inlet or waterway) or an offshore borrow site along the ocean floor. 

The sand on the newly built beach may initially be a bit darker than the sand on the beach before it was nourished because it has been on the ocean floor; however, it will eventually lighten over a period of time once it has been exposed to sunlight.

Dredging operations may temporarily be suspended during beach nourishment for a variety of reasons, including weather and sea conditions, wildlife sightings or interactions within project areas, equipment maintenance or repairs, pipeline changing and dredge refueling, among others.

The public should not be concerned if they notice that dredging operations have been halted or that the dredge has moved. Dredges may temporarily relocate in order to maintain safe harbor during inclement weather, refuel the vessel and accommodate onboard staffing changes, as well as to switch the direction in which the sand is being pumped onto the shoreline.

When the project has reached a milestone—such as a change in the direction that the sand is being pumped—this information will be communicated to the public at MoreBeachToLove.com.

The beach nourishment project in Nags Head—as well as the projects in the villages of Avon and Buxton on Hatteras Island—will be performed by Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Co. 

The beach nourishment projects in the towns of Duck, Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk and Kill Devil Hills will be performed by Weeks Marine.

The primary goal of beach nourishment is to protect infrastructure, such as N.C. Highway 12, from damage due to storm surge and overwash. Many stretches of shoreline along N.C. Highway 12—such as the northern end of Buxton—have become hotspots for erosion, which makes the roadway extremely vulnerable to storm surge and overwash. 

By widening the existing beaches through nourishment, we are creating a larger buffer between the Atlantic Ocean and the highway, which ultimately provides it with a higher level of protection and stronger defense against storms.  

It’s important to note that shoreline erosion following a beach nourishment project is expected and does not mean the project was unsuccessful. The additional sand that was placed on the shoreline during beach nourishment serves as a buffer that prevents the road from bearing the brunt of wave action and storm surge.

In the case of the 2017-2018 beach nourishment project in Buxton, the project has proven its worth  by protecting the highway and infrastructure from becoming damaged. Sand that is placed on the beach during beach nourishment is expected to erode over time in order to achieve the primary goal of protecting the highway itself from eroding and washing away.

N.C. Highway 12 has remained intact in Buxton despite several coastal storms and hurricanes affecting the village since the project was completed in 2018 thanks to the buffer that was provided by the nourished beach. Therefore, the Buxton beach nourishment project was a success.

The barrier island beaches of the Outer Banks are beautiful, but they are also incredibly fragile. Beach nourishment—which involves pumping sand from an offshore source onto the existing beach to widen the shoreline and provide an increased defense against erosion—is essential for protecting infrastructure, properties and the economy of Dare County’s coastal communities.

If beach nourishment projects were not performed on the Outer Banks, erosion would continue to worsen along the oceanfront, N.C. Highway 12 would suffer worse flooding damage and become impassable, homes would continue to sustain flood damage, and the tourism economy of Dare County and its six municipalities would ultimately be negatively affected.    

In an effort to restore and protect Dare County’s delicate coastline, a series of beach nourishment projects will be completed this year in the towns of Duck, Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head, as well as the villages of Avon and Buxton on Hatteras Island.

In 2003, the North Carolina General Assembly voted unanimously to formally adopt a law banning hard structures, such as seawalls and terminal groins. This law bans the construction of new, permanent erosion-control structures on beaches within the state.

Other options that aren’t hard structures—such as geotubes and offshore reefs—are not approved for use in North Carolina.

Therefore, beach nourishment is currently the only tool that Dare County has available to protect infrastructure—such as residential and commercial properties as well as roadways—from beach erosion and subsequent flooding and overwash.

Dare County’s Beach Nourishment Fund is funded by a 2 percent portion of Dare County’s 6 percent Occupancy Tax. This 2 percent portion is restricted by legislation to be used for the placement of sand from other sand sources, the planting of vegetation and the building of structures that are in conformity with the North Carolina Coastal Area Management Act (such as sand fences and dunes) on beaches of the Atlantic Ocean of North Carolina for the purpose of widening the beach to benefit public recreational use and mitigating damage and erosion from storms to inland property. 

For more information about the Dare County Occupancy Tax, click here to watch a short video.

In addition to the 2 percent portion of Dare County’s Occupancy Tax, beach nourishment is also funded by various property and municipal service district taxes as well as state and FEMA Public Assistance program funds, when applicable. 

To protect sea turtles and their nests throughout the duration of the beach nourishment projects, turtle monitoring will be performed during the day as well as in the evening hours along the beaches of the Outer Banks.  

In order to minimize the risk to turtles during dredging, relocation trawling will be used ahead of a hopper dredge as an avoidance and minimization measures to reduce the risk of potential lethal take of Endangered Species Act-listed species.

In addition to onshore monitors, there will be a designated person aboard each dredge in the offshore borrow areas that will be assigned the task of monitoring sea turtle activity during the projects. 

Sea turtle nests that are located within a project area will be safely relocated by authorized personnel to a nearby stretch of shoreline that will not be affected by construction during beach nourishment. 

Benthic organisms—the organisms that live on, in or near the surf zone—typically have short life cycles, and therefore their populations recover rapidly after beach nourishment takes place or severe storms occur. These organisms’ typical recovery rates are measured in months, according to numerous studies.

Stairs, walkways and walkovers are private property; therefore it is the responsibility of the individual property owner or relevant homeowners association to conduct and pay for any repairs or replacements that are required due to damage that has occurred from storm surge.

Construction crews performing beach nourishment operations are not permitted to pump sand directly onto the existing structures (including stairs and walkways), or move or manipulate any existing structures on the beach, such as stairs and walkways leading to private properties.

Property owners will be responsible for making any necessary adjustments to the positioning of these existing structures once the sand has been pumped onto the shoreline to nourish the beach in their area.

An easement is required to allow activities related to the construction and maintenance of the beach nourishment project, including sand placement and grading, taking measurements, inspection of the beach, installation of sand fencing and planting of beach grass. 

This easement will provide the town and its contractors with the ability to construct and maintain a continuous beach and dune profile for the length of the project area. These easements will not be used for the purpose of acquiring or allowing new public beach access in the project area.

The easement is solely for the purpose of constructing and maintaining the project. It does not convey your property to Dare County or change your ability to access the ocean or use the property as you currently do, except in limited instances during the construction phase of the project.

You will still be allowed to construct or maintain a dune walkover or other structures that are consistent with local, state and federal regulations.

At this time, Dare County does not have a budget to replace the sand fencing or the vegetation that was lost during the winter months. Once the sand fencing and vegetation is installed it becomes the homeowners responsibility if repairs are wanted because this is private property.

Similarly, if you wish to put up signage on your property you may do so as long as you coordinate with the National Park Service to secure any necessary permits.