Emergency placement of sand on natural orengineered Beaches may be eligible when necessary to protect improved property from an immediate threat. Aneligible berm may be built to a profileto protect against a storm thathas a 20 percent chance of occurring ina given year, or to the berm’s pre-storm profile, whichever is less.
A beach is considered eligible for permanent repair if it is an improved beach and has been routinely maintained prior to the disaster. A beach isconsideredto be an “improved beach” if thefollowing criteria apply:
The beach was constructed by the placement of sand to a designed elevation, width, grain size, and slope
The beach has been maintained inaccordance with a maintenanceprogram involving the periodic re-nourishment of sand
Typically, FEMA requests the following from an applicant beforeapproving assistance for permanent restoration of a beach:
Design documents and specifications, including analysis of grain size
“As-built” plans
Documentationof regular maintenance ornourishment of the beach
Pre- and post-storm cross-sections of the beach
Restoration of sand on natural beaches beyond that necessary to provide emergency protection is not eligible.
Emergency placement of sand on natural or engineered Beaches may be eligible when necessary to protect improved property from an immediate threat. An eligible berm may be built to a profile to protect against a storm that has a 20 percent chance of occurring in a given year, or to the berm’s pre-storm profile, whichever is less.
A beach is considered eligible for permanent repair if it is an improved beach and has been routinely maintained prior to the disaster. A beach is considered to be an “improved beach” if the following criteria apply:
The beach was constructed by the placement of sand to a designed elevation, width, grain size, and slope
The beach has been maintained in accordance with a maintenance program involving the periodic re-nourishment of sand
Typically, FEMA requests the following from an applicant before approving assistance for permanent restoration of a beach:
Design documents and specifications, including analysis of grain size
“As-built” plans
Documentation of regular maintenance or nourishment of the beach
Pre- and post-storm cross-sections of the beach
Restoration of sand on natural beaches beyond that necessary to provide emergency protection is not eligible.
If a natural or engineered beach has eroded to a point where a 5-year flood could damage improved property, cost-effective emergency protective measures on the beach that protect against damage from that flood are eligible.205
Eligible measures typically include the construction of emergency sand berms to protect against additional damage from a 5-year flood. Emergency sand berms are not intended to permanently restore the beach; they are intended only to provide protection from immediate threats. The Applicant may construct emergency berms with sand recovered from the beach or with imported sand. If the Applicant constructs the berm with imported sand, FEMA will only provide PA funding if the sand is from a source that meets applicable environmental regulations and one of the following circumstances exists:
• Recoverable quantities are insufficient; or
• State, Territorial, Tribal, or local government regulations prohibit placement of the recovered sand.
Based on the average expected erosion for a 5-year flood, FEMA only provides PA funding for emergency berms constructed with up to 6 cubic yards per linear foot of sand above the 5-year stillwater elevation or the berm’s pre-storm profile, whichever is less. Stillwater elevation is the maximum storm-induced water-surface elevation. In some cases, placing sand below the 5-year stillwater elevation may be necessary to provide a base for the berm. The placement of that sand is also eligible as part of the emergency protective measure.
Placement of dune grass on an emergency berm is only eligible if it is required by permit and is an established, enforced, uniform practice that applies to the construction of all emergency berms within the Applicant’s jurisdiction, regardless of the circumstance. The Applicant must include the dune grass placement cost in the berm construction cost when evaluating cost-effectiveness. Any maintenance of the dune grass after the initial installation is not eligible.
