From Project Sand to Coastal Resilience: A Potential Opportunity for Virginia Beach

Coastal communities in Virginia face growing pressure from erosion, storms and rising sea levels (1). Beach nourishment—adding suitable sand to an eroding shoreline—can restore beach width, strengthen its coastal-defense function and help reduce risks to nearby communities and infrastructure. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers identifies beach nourishment as one method used to reduce damage to homes, businesses and infrastructure from coastal erosion and storms.

Virginia Beach has a long-standing history (2) of beach replenishment. Its beaches provide recreation and habitats while helping to protect the oceanfront, public infrastructure, and surrounding property from waves, erosion, and storms. The City of Virginia Public Works (3) describes replenishment as serving both storm-damage reduction and environmental sustainability functions by using beach-quality sand to restore eroded shoreline areas. 

Against this backdrop, excess sand from a heavy mineral sands project could create an opportunity to support this work. Sand remaining after mineral processing may have potential for use in beach nourishment, turning an excess project material into a resource for regional resilience. Similar beneficial-use models employ dredged sediment for beach restoration, habitat enhancement and other productive purposes, reducing reliance on disposal or long-term storage.

The opportunity could generate shared benefits: wider beaches, improved protection from waves and storms, restored recreational areas, and reduced demand for sand extracted elsewhere. It could also provide the mineral sands project with a visible, place-based contribution to local environmental and community priorities.

However, excess sand is not automatically suitable for coastal use. Its grain size, color, mineral composition and contaminant profile would need to be compatible with the receiving beach. A USACE sand compatibility analysis illustrates how proposed beach-fill material can be assessed against native beach characteristics and applicable technical standards. Potential ecological effects, transport emissions, costs, permits and community expectations must also be considered.

With robust testing and coordination with the City of Virginia Beach, USACE Norfolk District, state regulators and local stakeholders, suitable excess sand could potentially complement Virginia Beach’s wider coastal-resilience efforts—turning a residual project material into a locally relevant resource.

Sources

1. https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/project/adaptive-planning-for-compound-flooding-in-coastal-virginia

2. https://www.nad.usace.army.mil/Media/News-Releases/Article/483894/big-beach-renourishment-complete/

3. https://pw.virginiabeach.gov/coastal-waterways/beach-replenishment