Erosion

Tourists walk along the beach in Rodanthe, N.C., zig-zagging around around several homes that are sitting on the sand or in the ocean. Four houses have collapsed since July, and several more are endangered by coastal erosion.

More and more beachfront homes are collapsing, and there's no easy way to prevent it

Jay Price

Six houses have collapsed into the waves at Rodanthe this year, and 11 in the past four years. With much of the buffering beach and dunes eaten away by erosion, more are poised to fall in any time. The question is becoming not how to save such houses, but rather how to remove them before they collapse.

Recently installed wave attenuation devices ring Sugarloaf Island off the coast of Morehead City, North Carolina on May 13, 2024. Sugarloaf Island has long acted as a barrier for the Morehead City waterfront but over time it has begun to erode due partly to increased boat traffic. Now a major restoration project is underway to help protect and rebuild the island.

Environment

Morehead City's barrier island is shrinking. Can oysters and concrete pyramids save it?

Celeste Gracia

Sugarloaf Island is a small, barrier island that protects the downtown waterfront of Morehead City. A multimillion-dollar project is underway to help restore the eroding island.

Park superintendent Dave Hallac stands in front of two homes the National Park Service purchased in September.

Environment

National Park Service demolishes two Outer Banks homes in a new erosion mitigation program

Zachary Turner

National Park Service deconstructed two threatened homes to avoid future oceanside collapses.

A house in Rodanthe, North Carolina is on the verge of collapsing into the ocean on March 25, 2022. Several other houses are also in peril. Residents are trying to find ways to mitigate future damage but one of the county's main goals during beach nourishment projects is to protect Highway 12 rather than individual homes. Therefore, this area is currently less of a priority.

瓜神app

Beach nourishment along Outer Banks will be sustainable for 鈥榝oreseeable future鈥�

Celeste Gracia

It's unclear exactly how long the 'foreseeable future' is. These projects are expected to become more expensive over time. Regardless, residents say they will support these replenishment efforts.

People walk past erosion on the beach caused by Hurricane Ophelia on Kure Beach, N.C. in 2005.

Environment

Pleasure Island Beaches Undergo $10M Nourishment Project

Rebecca Martinez

Kure and Carolina Beaches are closed until spring for a roughly $10 million beach nourishment project. Sand dredged up from the ocean is being used to鈥�

Environment

NCDOT To Replace Aging Bonner Bridge Over Oregon Inlet

Charlie Shelton-Ormond

The Herbert C. Bonner Bridge is old鈥� 52 years old, to be exact. Since 1963, the aging Bonner Bridge has connected the Oregon Inlet to Rodanthe in Dare Co.鈥�

Environment

Ocean Isle Debates Terminal Groin To Fight Erosion

Dave DeWitt

Residents of Ocean Isle Beach will get a chance Tuesday to weigh in on a proposed terminal groin project.If it is built, the Ocean Isle terminal groin鈥�

A screenshot from 2013 at Mirlo Beach near Rodanthe shows the surf advancing on N.C. 12.

Environment

Problematic Section Of NC-12 Will Have Beach Widened

瓜神app 瓜神app

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has awarded a $20.3 million contract for beach re-nourishment just north of Rodanthe. The contract is going to the same鈥�

Environment

New Bridges Going Up On Outer Banks

Eric Hodge

North Carolina Department of Transportation officials are working on permanent fixes for last year's damage from Hurricane Irene on the Outer Banks. Two鈥�