US Beach erosion forces officials to search for alternatives to sand [View All]

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US beach erosion forces officials to search for alternatives to sand
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/americas/view/302831/1/.html

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida: Parts of the United States are facing a shortage of sand, and officials are working on innovative ways to fix the problem.

In Florida, experts said beach erosion – caused by a rising sea level and severe weather – is threatening the state's heavily populated coastline and valuable tourism industry.

But traditional supplies of sand used since the 1970s are running low, so local agencies are investing millions of dollars to explore alternative methods of repairing beaches and preventing erosion.

The John U Lloyd State Park on Florida's Atlantic coast is typical of many beaches in the state – it is a magnet for tourists and people wanting to buy properties with a sea view.

Beaches protect coastal cities from hurricane damage and are a haven for wildlife, including sea turtles.

That is why local officials have spent nearly 24 million dollars to restore this beach, along with another nine kilometres of coastline, in a process called "beach re-nourishment"
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The sea rises and coastline disappears