Shore Environment

Here’s How Brick’s Sea Wall Looks After This Week’s Storm

by
Daniel Nee
January 26, 2017

Brick’s sea wall exposed after the Jan. 23, 2017 nor’easter. Photo Jan. 25, 2017. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

This week’s powerful nor’easter produced waves that scoured the township’s sea wall, creating drops of varying heights the length of town.

Mayor John Ducey said the wall was exposed from the area of Brick Beach III southward. Brick Beach I has a drop, however the wall cannot be seen. The worst-affected area of the township is Normandy Beach, where some areas have a drop of about15-feet, the mayor said.

More images can be found below.

“It’s unsafe for anyone to go to those beaches,” said Ducey.

Brick’s sea wall exposed after the Jan. 23, 2017 nor’easter. Photo Jan. 25, 2017. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

Snow fencing is blocking most beach entrances. The wall, which is 39-feet high at its peak, is designed as a last-ditch measure if the dune system were to fail in a storm. Since no beach replenishment has been completed in Brick, the wall has acted as a first-line measure to prevent breaches in the barrier island. Once a planned beach replenishment project is completed, the wall will be located under a vegetated dune and officials are hopeful the scouring will no longer continue. Ducey said meetings are planned in the next several weeks to determine which towns will receive replenishment first in a $90 million federal dune-building project that was recently approved.