In many places existing foreshore development has been built within the active beach system and is at risk from coastal erosion. With current predictions of climate change this situation is expected to get worse with time.

Past responses to coastal erosion events have included the placement of temporary mitigation works ranging from sandbag and rock walls through to dumping of building waste and car bodies. Often these hastily erected structures do little to reduce beach erosion during the storm event, which may continue unabated. The adverse effects of such walls and dumped material may, however be long lasting, severely impacting beach amenity and beach access and often posing a serious safety risk to beach users.

The current paper provides an update on the on the preparation of coastal emergency response components of Coastal Zone Management Plans consistent with the Coastal Protection Act and discusses the relationship between these plans and other emergency response plans prepared under New South Wales (NSW) emergency management legislation.

Downlaod the research paper to find out more.