Beach erosion potentially costing millions in Carteret County

EMERALD ISLE, N.C. (WITN) - Helene is making herself known on the Bogue Banks as high winds and high tides hit the coast but the weather isn’t the only thing catching people’s eyes.

Jean Waagbo, a beachgoer visiting from Virginia says a lot has changed since she was last here.

“When I first arrived and looked at the beach, I didn’t think it’s that bad, but once we got down onto the beach, we could see that the shelf was all the way back here,” says Waagbo.

On September 16, Tropical Cyclone 8 caused severe beach erosion in Emerald Isle and the Bogue Banks, resulting in heavy costs for the town, according to Emerald Isle Town Manager Matt Zapp.

Zapp stated that the town has been working continuously to recover and has been utilizing new technology, such as drone surveying, to gather real-time data on the extent of sand erosion caused by the storm on September 16th.

Estimates show that the Bogue Banks lost up to 239,000 cubic yards of sand from the storm.

“We’re working on getting our details in at the time of this conversation. So we may see very much, on the magnitude of $4.7-$5 million of potential loss and what we’re seeing on our initial reports is potentially up to a $20-$25 million loss across the Bogue Banks based on year-over-year data,” says Zapp.

Zapp stated that Emerald Isle incurred more than $30,000 in initial hard costs, including expenses for pumps, manpower, and overtime for employees who worked for 12 consecutive days. Zapp also mentioned that the rain significantly impacted daily operations.

Zapp says the town is still investigating the total loss and hopes to replenish the beach by 2025-2026.

Emerald Isle Town Hall is collaborating with Carteret County to use funds collected from a Bed Tax to replenish the beach. They will prioritize seeking federal and state grant funding.

Regarding the potential impact of Helene on Friday, Zapp stated that he and the town hall are feeling optimistic because the storm is farther west of the state. However, they are cautioning residents and beach-goers to stay safe and avoid flooded roads at all costs.