The
North Carolina Beach and Inlet Management Plan is a joint project by the Division of Water
Resources and the Division of Coastal Management. Management of the State's inlets and
beaches is presently achieved through multiple programs managed by the Dept. of
Environment and Natural Resources and its divisions.
Background
DWR maintains a six-year plan for water resource development projects in N.C., including
historical information, current status, and future cost projections for beach and inlet
projects. DCM maintains a digital database of shorelines that is used to establish
beachfront erosion rates and inlet processes. A
collaborative effort between DWR and DCM will catalog, archive, and make available
relevant coastal information (e.g., maps, reports, scientific monitoring data) to create a
resource that will facilitate beach and inlet management and the development of a BIMP.
The BIMP has been mandated by three major N.C.
legislative initiatives:
Section 13.9c of House Bill (HB) 1840 (The
Current Operations and Capital Improvements Appropriations Act of 2000) requires DENR to
develop a multiyear beach management and restoration strategy and plan.
The Coastal Habitat Protection Plan, as
required by the Fisheries Reform Act of 1997, includes a recommendation that addresses the
implemenation of a comprehensive beachand inlet management plan that addresses
ecologically based guidelines, socio-economic concerns and fish habitat.
In the summer of 2005, the N.C. General
Assembly commissioned a study of the shallow draft navigation inlets along the North
Carolina coast. The study examined the cost, benefits, and management issues related to
maintaining North Carolina's shallow draft navigation channels.
BIMP Advisory Committee
DWR and DCM have established an advisory committee comprised of representatives of state
and federal agencies as well as stakeholder groups. The committee will provide input on
what the plan should include. The committee members are listed here.
BIMP development
The engineering firm of Moffatt & Nichol has been contracted to assist DCM and DWR in
developing a comprehensive statewide beach and inlet management plan. The contract
includes the following components:
Data identification and acquisition
Define beach and inlet management regions
Develop draft management strategies
Hold and facilitate stakeholder meetings
Produce final Beach and Inlet Management Plan report
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