Replenishment projects at Delaware's beaches have protected coastal properties, but some residents say these projects also make the beaches more dangerous. A surf-related injury study is underway, but experts say it won't prove whether replenishment is responsible for any increase in surf-related injuries. <\/p>\n
During a public workshop in Rehoboth Beach Nov. 1, Dewey Beach resident and coastal property owner Clinton Bunting said future projects should support recreational beach use and not focus only on protecting property. <\/p>\n
Beach replenishment and nourishment we have to have it. We have to have great bays and great beaches, the former lifeguard said. In the last years with the beach nourishment and replenishment, injuries have increased dramatically. <\/p>\n
Bunting's concerns were raised during a review of regulations that are unrelated to beach replenishment projects, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control officials said. His concerns will be shared with DNREC's federal partner in replenishment projects the Army Corps of Engineers, they said. <\/p>\n
Stephen Rochette, spokesman for the Army Corps of Engineers Philadelphia District, said the corps has not seen a correlation between completed projects and an increase in injuries, but he said there are many variables that make that connection difficult to determine. <\/p>\n
Beaches are dynamic and changing whether we conduct a beachfill or not, he said. <\/p>\n
Delaware Surf Zone Injury study <\/p>\n
*Source: Dr. Paul Cowan, Beebe Healthcare <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Beebe Healthcare Department of Emergency Medicine Dr. Paul Cowan, who began compiling surf injury data in 2009 after he noticed clusters of beach-related injuries, said there is no comparison data available to measure current injuries against the number and extent of injuries that occurred before major replenishment projects. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Read this article: <\/p>\n
Residents: Beach replenishment brings danger<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Replenishment projects at Delaware's beaches have protected coastal properties, but some residents say these projects also make the beaches more dangerous. A surf-related injury study is underway, but experts say it won't prove whether replenishment is responsible for any increase in surf-related injuries. Continue reading