Study: NJ beaches 30-40 feet narrower after storm

Nov 19, 2012 by Wayne Parry
In a Thursday, Nov. 15, 2012 photo, concrete slabs that once supported the boardwalk in Spring Lake N.J. lie exposed after Superstorm Sandy destroyed the town's boardwalk for the second time in little over a year. The town pushed a large pile of sand, in background, to try to replace sand lost during the storm. Superstorm Sandy took a bite out of the Jersey shore, washing away millions of tons of sand and slimming down beaches along the state's 127-mile coastline. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)

(AP)—A study has found that Superstorm Sandy washed away an average of 30 to 40 feet from New Jersey beaches, though some suffered five times that amount of sand loss.

The study by Stockton College hasn't been made public, but findings were made available Monday to The Associated Press.

Stewart Farrell of the college's Coastal Research Center says towns that had undertaken manmade beach replenishment projects suffered far less damage than those that hadn't.

New Jersey politicians are already pushing for new rounds of federal funding for beach replenishment. Those requests have produced great opposition in previous years from elected officials in inland areas, who say it's a waste of money.

Explore further: NASA images reveal how Hurricane Sandy changed coastline in New Jersey

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