BEACH PROTECTION WORK CONTINUES

MIDDLETOWN, RI (JUNE 10, 2026) – Middletown is moving into Phase II of its efforts to better protect its beaches.

At a recent meeting, the Town Council awarded a $59,000 Shoreline Management project study to Crossman Engineering in association with Coastal Systems Research & Planning LLC.

As part of the work, the consultants will do additional data collection, drone surveys and shoreline modeling to further evaluate what’s causing erosion at Second and Third beaches and potential solutions.

Importantly, a $50,000 grant from the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank will fund the cost of most of the work, with $9,000 from the town’s Beach Capital Replenishment Fund covering the remainder.

“Unfortunately, we have a sand deficit at our beaches,” Town Administrator Shawn J. Brown said. “More sand goes off the beach than goes onto the beach…We want to continue that work because we need to preserve the beaches. They’re one of our most important assets from a quality of life and economic standpoint.”

After a rough winter 2023 and spring 2024 where large amounts of sand were stripped from Second Beach by bad weather, the town and its Beach Commission decided to delve even more into the issue.

Coastal Systems Research was brought in to analyze what was happening at the Sachuest Point Road summertime hotspot and make suggestions. The Cherry Hill, New Jersey firm is seen as experts in the area and have done similar studies across the East Coast.

In a March 2025 study, Coastal Systems Research reported that heavy wave action on the eastern end of Second Beach was generating significant energy by the entrance to the Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge. 

This caused the westward removal of sand up Second Beach before it was eventually deposited in the deeper waters of Sachuest Bay.

In response, Coastal Systems Research recommended a number of simple steps for the town to follow with its beaches. Among those included leaving rocks on the beaches to build more of a base and better protecting the dunes from erosion.

Heeding a recommendation from Coastal Systems Research, the dunes at Second and Third beaches will not be cut at a 90 degree angle as in the past, but left to grow naturally.

In the past, beach cleanup crews have bulldozed sand that has accumulated along the front of the dunes in the offseason towards the water under the community’s maintenance permit with the state Coastal Resources Management Council.  

This spring following the suggestions of Coastal Systems Research, the Beach Commission and others decided to leave all these materials in place and only push sand that built up in the pathways back onto the beach. 

For a News You Can Use about the Coastal Systems Research findings, visit  https://mdl.town/NYCU-Preserve online.

In his briefing to the council, Brown said the study was important because it helped the community better compete for valuable funding should there be a disaster that adversely impacted the beaches.

Paperwork from Crossman Engineering indicated multiple surveys at the beach will be conducted as well as modeling work and related efforts as part of the ongoing study.

“If we’ve done this work, surveyed the beach and taken an inventory of what’s there, we’re more eligible for federal dollars through disaster relief,” Brown said. “The work we’ve done has made a positive impact and we’d like to continue that to extend the life of our beaches as much as possible.”

Historically, Middletown officials have been reluctant to truck or bring in sand from other locations and add it to Second Beach.

Not only is this a lot of work and extremely costly, but there’s no guarantee the sand will last, something other communities have experienced across the Atlantic.

Instead, Brown said a number of different options were being looked at to help dissipate the high energy along the eastern end of Second Beach, including the possibility of installing oyster beds.

While no decisions have been made on that front, Brown said the additional study would help determine the best option — if any. 

“There’s been a lot of discussion about when we prepare the beaches, if we put the sand in the wrong place, it disappears quickly,” Brown said. “Whereas, if we put it in strategically located areas, it will stay on the beach and improve it for a period of time.” 

“This requires a lot of work,” Brown said. “Through the model that came out last year, we got an idea of how Mother Nature is basically working against the beach itself and identifying ways to preserve it as long as we can.”

Council President Paul M. Rodrigues said he was pleased to hear that Phase I of the Coastal Systems Research work was helping and many of the recommendations were being enacted. Rodrigues serves as a council representative to the Beach Commission along with Councilor Peter Connerton.

At the same time, Rodrigues said it was important the town not throw good money after bad because “Is it just Mother Nature is going to have her way no matter what?”

Thankfully, he said there have been no signs of the rough offseason a couple years back in Summer 2025 and coming into Summer 2026.

“If we don’t take any type of action and there’s more erosion and we have an opportunity to pay for (the Phase II study) with a grant, I’d say we’re negligent by not gaining some type of information that would potentially give us an advantage to help save as much sand as possible and stop some of that erosion,” Rodrigues said.

Document Link: https://mdl.town/NYCU-Protect

About Middletown

The Town of Middletown is a vibrant municipality located on Aquidneck Island, known for its scenic beauty, historic landmarks, diverse economy and strong sense of community. For more information about all we have to offer, visit MiddletownRI.gov online.

Media Contact

Matt Sheley

Public Affairs Officer

401-842-6543

msheley@middletownri.gov