What is beach nourishment?
Beach nourishment refers to the mechanical placement of sand onto a beach for coastal protection or amenity purposes. It is one of many possible coastal management strategies used at sites around the world, including Australia, Asia, Europe and the Americas. Beach nourishment aims to mimic the natural beach system, and may be used with other coastal management strategies.
Where can nourishment sand come from?
Nourishment sand can come from a range of sources. The potential sources identified for Stockton are:
- on land (terrestrial) sand sources such as sand quarries or excess sand from land-based development activities
- estuarine sand sources from the bed of coastal waterways, including harbours, rivers or navigation channels
- offshore (marine) sand deposits from the ocean seafloor.
The NSW Government will focus sand source investigations on potential estuarine and offshore sources of sand for Stockton Beach. This is because large and potentially ongoing quantities of sand are needed to achieve and maintain the mass sand nourishment outcomes.
How can nourishment sand be accessed?
Dredging is the most common method of extracting, transporting and placing nourishment sand onto a beach. Sand is sucked up from the seafloor by the dredge and either placed in the nearshore zone of the beach, 'rainbowed' into the surf zone, or pumped directly onto the beach through pipes.
There are many types of dredges. Large dredges are needed for marine settings that are exposed to wave action. Smaller dredges are more common in estuary environments.
How can nourishment sand be delivered to Stockton?
Nourishment sand can be delivered to the beach in different ways:
- bottom dumping: sand is placed in the nearshore zone and moved onto the beach over time by waves
- rainbowing: sand is 'rainbowed' into the surf zone and moved onto the beach over time by waves
- pump ashore: sand is pumped through pipes directly onto the beach.
What is the funding and timeframe?
The Stockton Beach Repair Project is a combination of beach nourishment initiatives.
The Stockton Beach Coastal and Estuarine Risk Mitigation Program (CERMP) initiative is funded through a $4.7 million Australian Government grant and a $1.5 million contribution from the City of Newcastle.
The NSW Government has committed $21 million to repair Stockton Beach through the Stockton Beach Repair election commitment. The Stockton Beach Repair Blueprint roadmap to delivery outlines the NSW Government's plan to deliver the project over 5 key phases.
The NSW Government is continuing to deliver all components of the Stockton Beach CERMP initiative, which will inform the delivery of the Stockton Beach Repair election commitment in the future.
Phase 1 is underway, with 130,000 m3 of sand delivered to Stockton Beach as an initial nourishment activity in late 2023.
Investigations into preferred sand sources and environmental assessments required to deliver larger-scale beach nourishment are underway. The outcomes of these key investigations and assessments will guide the timeframe for delivering mass sand nourishment.
Who are we working with?
The NSW Government is working with a range of project partners and stakeholders to deliver the Beach Repair Project to Stockton Beach.
Project stakeholders for the Beach Repair Project are many and varied, and include the Stockton community, the Worimi people, City of Newcastle council, Port of Newcastle and partner state government agencies.
Communication and engagement with project stakeholders are already underway. The NSW Government will continue to foster relationships with beach nourishment delivery partners, keep stakeholders informed of project progress, and provide opportunities for the community to get involved.