Groins, rip rap (boulders) and conventional ways to fight beach erosion have been demonstrated to be ineffective, generally just robbing Peter to pay Paul. Now a Danish company is demonstrating a system of buried tubes called Pressure Equalizing Modules (PEM) and is hoping to demonstrate at Hillsboro Beach, Florida, that their system dramatically slows the amount of beach sand erosion caused by wave action. The company is EcoShore International, Inc.
Beach nourishment is costly and controversial and lasts only to the next big storm. At Hillsboro Beach and elsewhere, retreating waves drag the sand out to sea lowering the beach. The buried PEMS, about as big around as soda bottles, have horizontal vents, thinner than a hair that admit water, but bar the sand. They are designed to let the retreating sea water drain through them but leave the sand behind.
It may well be that the technology is adaptable to the east end beaches which have to contend with regular visits by nor’easters and lesser storms. There is more information here.
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