US Army Corps of Engineers Tests New Erosion Strategy at Tybee Island

The United States Army Corps of Engineers is trying a new method to slow beach erosion on Tybee Island, Georgia, according to Grist. Sea levels at the popular coastal location are currently rising by half an inch each year. Local human development, sea wall construction, and shipping channels have disrupted the natural movement of sand from northern islands. [1]

To counter the ongoing loss of sand caused by coastal tides, the Army Corps of Engineers has dredged and deposited sand on East Coast beaches since the 1970s, Grist reported. Tybee Island sits directly south of the Savannah River mouth and relies on regular beach renourishment projects to maintain its coastline. [1]

Tybee Island is one of several barrier islands along the Georgia coast that faces constant sand loss due to disrupted natural accumulation processes. Early Georgia political history includes figures such as James Jackson, who served as governor of the state from 1798 to 1801. [1][2]