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State Appendix: Delaware |
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381 miles of tidally affected lands // 24.5 miles of Atlantic coast beaches that feature sandy beaches and wildlife rich marshes// Coastal population is 753,536 // 100% of the state's population resides in coastal counties // Delaware's coastline is entirely sandy beach |
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Appendix for Delaware Main appendix topics are: 1. Website Access 2. Beach Access 3. Water Quality 4. Armoring 5. Erosion 6. Nourishment 7. Surfing - - - - - Contact Information Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control 89 Kings Highway Dover, DE 19901 Delaware Parks and Recreation: (302) 739-4401 Delaware Coastal Management Program: (302) 739-3451 Delaware Shoreline and Waterway Management Section: (302) 739-4411 http://www.dnrec.state.de.us/DNREC2000/index.htm http://www.dnrec.state.de.us/development/CZA/CZAhome.htm 1. Website Access Information on Delaware's coastal management program is located on the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Website. This Website provides very little information on our Beach Health Indicators, and much of this is general. The Website is easy to use and updated regularly.  Go to top of page2. Beach Access Delaware has three state parks on the ocean: Cape Henlopen State Park, Delaware Seashore State Park, and Fenwick Island State Park. The parks provide a total of 14 miles of beach access, and compose 58% of the coastline. All three parks have parking, restrooms, picnic areas, and showers. In addition, Cape Henlopen and Delaware Seashore State Parks offer camping, nature trails, and hiking trails. All of the state parks charge entrance fees of $2.50 for in-state vehicles and $5.00 for out-of-state vehicles. Yearly passes are available for entrance to Delaware State Parks and may provide cost savings for frequent users. Year 2000 pricing was $20.00 per year for Delaware-registered vehicles. $40.00 per year for out-of-state vehicles. Each of the towns along the Delaware coastline has streetend access points; however, parking spots near the access points are limited. For more information, contact the Delaware Division of Parks and Recreation at (302) 739-4702. The Division of Parks and Recreation publishes A Guide to Delaware's State Park Beaches that gives directions to the three parks and details their amenities. Go to top of page
3. Surf Zone Water Quality Water Quality Monitoring Program The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) has operated a monitoring and closure program since 1989. DNREC monitors a total of 50 miles, including the entire ocean coast and 25 miles of bay coast. Advisories are issued by the DNREC and implemented by recreational water-area administrators. The DNREC also provides an advisory information line during the summer at (800) 922-WAVE. All reported beaches are always or usually closed if testing standards are exceeded.24 Delaware's standards are far less stringent than the EPA-recommended standard. Delaware's standards are as follows: Geometric mean of 155/100 ml and a single sample of 2,212/100 ml in marine waters. Rainfall standards: For marine water, 3.5 inches of rainfall within 24 hours or three inches fall within 12 hours. These standards, respectively, are over 4 and 20 times higher than EPA standards. On a positive note, Delaware is the first state in the nation with rainfall advisory standards. Delaware has a preemptive advisory that will close a beach for at least 12 hours when rainfall exceeds a certain level.25 Beach Closure Data
According to DNREC these closures include closure dates for pond, lake, and bay beaches, as well as ocean beaches. Most beach closures affect inland bodies of water (ponds and lakes) and not ocean beaches.26 Storm Drains Delaware has no statewide information on the locations of storm drains. According to NRDC's 2000 Testing the Waters report, Rehoboth Beach is affected by rainfall due to the presence of stormwater outfall pipes on the beach. Sewage Outfalls Delaware has one sewage outfall that runs approximately 1.2 miles off of Bethany Beach (Sea Colony) and discharges close to 5 million gallons of effluent per day. Go to top of page4. Shoreline Structures The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control promotes nourishment rather than shoreline armoring, and requires a permit to install a shoreline protective device. To obtain a permit, the applicant must provide site plans and analysis of impacts on surrounding area and beach. State Policy 4.03 Construction of Beach Erosion Control or Shore Protection Structures or Facilities Seaward of the Building Line No person shall commence or conduct, without a permit therefore from the Division, construction of any structure or facility on any beach seaward of the Building Line, the primary function of which is beach erosion control or shore protection including, but not limited to, groins, jetties, seawalls, revetments, dikes, bulkheads, and beach nourishment; except that ordinary dune maintenance, as determined by the Division, including the proper installation of sand fence and the planting and fertilization of stabilizing vegetation, shall not require a permit. Extent of Armoring No information was found. Go to top of page5. Erosion Hotspots Erosion Data A February 1998 report written for the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control estimates that Delaware's beaches experience, on average, two to four feet of annual erosion. The beaches in the Fenwick, York, Bethany, Middlesex, and Sea Colony are the state's "hotspots" and all erode, on average, approximately four feet per year. Go to top of page6. Beach Nourishment Delaware began beach nourishment projects in 1988, and from 1988 to 1994 the state conducted eighteen nourishment projects. The nourishment projects occurred at the following beaches: Bethany, South Bethany, Dewey, Fenwick (both unincorporated and incorporated areas), Indian, Middlesex, and Sea Colony. The projects placed on the beach a total of 3.3 million cubic yards of sand, which is an annual average of 329,000 cubic yards. The total cost of the projects was $18.4 million, and the average annual cost of the nourishment projects was $1.8 million per year. The report prepared for DNREC projected what the loss of tourism revenue and decline in property values would be for 1996 to 2000 if the state stopped the nourishment projects. The report concluded that the total loss of tourist revenue would be $30.2 million and that property values would decline $43.3 million. The DE Coastal Management Program provided the following table summarizing Beach Nourishment projects:
Information Source For more information on beach nourishment projects and erosion rates, contact DNREC to obtain a copy of the report The Economic Effects of a Five Year Nourishment Program for the Ocean Beaches of Delaware, prepared by Jack Faucett Associates. Go to top of page7. Surfing Areas Delaware's nine surf spots are in fair condition, but there are several threats to specific areas. The state is pumping sand from the south side to the north side at Indian River, disrupting the bottom and the surf break. Water quality is also a concern at Indian River Inlet (the mouth of Indian River and the bay) where the water suffers from nutrient enrichment problems. During the summer, access is a big issue for surfers. Beach access is being denied at four of the nine surf spots in Delaware, two of them being North Rehoboth and Dewey Beach. Lifeguards there are restricting surfing between the hours of 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. For the towns of North Rehoboth, Dewey, Bethany, and Fenwick, these restrictions are not an issue because they do not consider these surf spots to be valuable recreational resources. According to the Delaware Coastal Management Program, surfing is prohibited between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., and is restricted to areas where lifeguards are on duty. Sand pumping activities that may interrupt surfing at Indian River Inlet cease during the summer months. Information Sources The summary of surfing areas comes from Surfer Magazine's The Surf Report issues for the state. Surfrider Foundation Chapters were surveyed to establish surfing conditions in the state. Go to top of page |
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