Armoring

Coastal armoring can potentially damage or alter local coastal habitats, deprive beaches of sand, lead to accelerated erosion of adjacent beaches, hinder access and present problems with public safety.

Currents, waves, and wind normally transport sediment throughout the littoral system. Armoring of the coast can interfere with littoral transport, which in a natural state may reach a dynamic equilibrium.

Armoring also causes deflection of wave energy, which can accelerate erosion of nearby sites, expanding the need for shoreline armoring structures.

Coastal armoring can result in the loss of beach and intertidal areas.