Salisbury says it needs $2 million to repair beach erosion by next fall Salisbury says it needs $2 million for repairs before beaches can open

After previous efforts to nourish Salisbury Beach failed, the city is seeking $1.75 million from the state to alleviate erosion caused by winter storms.

“One of the messages today is that time is of the essence,” Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr said. Boston Globe at the end of April after a press conference presenting a new strategy for the beach.

The funding would add 120,000 cubic meters of sand in the first phase of a $6 million long-term strategic plan.

The redevelopment does not need to be carried out before the summer season. However, Salisbury City Manager Neil Harrington says it would be very helpful to bring in sand by fall, before the next winter storm season.

“This is a crucial time for us to demonstrate that the state can be proactive and can address the erosion problem in a sustainable and cost-effective manner,” Tarr told the World. “To me, this problem is not limited to Salisbury. This concerns all other communities that face similar situations.

Salisbury Beach, the last coastal town before reaching New Hampshire, has private beach houses bordering a state-owned preserve. The beach is open year-round, and the state park to the south begins collecting parking rates on Memorial Day weekend. Visitors can swim, boat, fish or camp in the 484 campsites.

Most of the damage is at the northern end of the beach, which is more than 3.8 miles long. Harrington told Boston.com that the damage is not expected to affect the summer season since most beachgoers use the central and southern parts of the beach.

Residents with oceanfront properties on Salisbury Beach paid $600,000 last winter to install 15,000 tons of protective dunes on the beach, only for them to be washed away in a storm.

Harrington warns that erosion threatens not only homes along the beach, but also a critical roadway — Highway 1A, an evacuation route for the nearby Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant.

Harrington says the city also plans to apply for federal funds to support ongoing mitigation plans at the beach.

At the news conference in late April, when announcing a $6 million, multi-phase plan, environmental scientist and consultant Tom Hughes said the beach dunes rose above 15 feet at sea level. Today, a 1,200-foot stretch of beach lies between 13 and 14 feet, below the overflow level of 15 feet.

Overtopping occurs when waves exceed the height of a dune during coastal storms, carrying sand and other sediment inland.

The goal is to restore the dunes to an elevation of 17 feet above sea level. The second phase of the project will raise the dunes to 19 feet and extend the volume further toward the water.