New Jersey seawall saves properties but wipes out sandy beach entirely

A seawall built along the New Jersey coast was designed to protect properties from coastal erosion. However, the structure has had an unintended consequence: the complete disappearance of the sandy beach it fronted. Wave energy deflected downward by the wall has steadily stripped away sand, leaving no beach visible even at low tide. The hard engineering approach disrupts the natural movement of sand along the shoreline. It also interferes with the natural migration of barrier islands, highlighting a key trade-off in coastal protection strategies.