Middletown commission hears modeling that points to targeted sand placement, nearshore stone to slow erosion at Second and Third Beaches

Coastal Systems Research and Planning told the Town of Middletown Beach Commission on a special meeting that updated mapping and local modeling identify concentrated erosion "hot spots" at the east end of Second Beach and near the boat ramp at Third Beach and that targeted sand placement and nearshore stone could reduce sediment loss.

The firm’s lead presenter, Dr. Dan Barone, described a three-part technical approach that paired a 90-year shoreline-change analysis with a regional hydrodynamic model for Narragansett Bay and a higher-resolution local morphological model for Second and Third Beaches. "The average rate across everything was around, you know, about a tenth of a meter per year," Barone said, noting most transects showed erosion but only a minority were statistically significant.

The presentation matters because commission members and residents said recent winters left dunes nearly vertical, sent sand into the Second Beach parking lot after storms and left unusual rock migration from the east end toward the middle of the shoreline. Coastal Systems recommended a set of near-term and longer-term options to reduce that damage and to document change so the town can support FEMA reimbursement claims.

Coastal Systems’ methods and findings

Barone said the team extracted shoreline positions from aerial photography dating back to 1939 and produced 52 transects at 100-meter spacing (32 on Second Beach, about 20 on Third Beach). About 80% of transects showed erosional trends, but only roughly 13% were statistically significant. The team calibrated tide and wave models using the Newport gauge and a buoy off Buzzards Bay; wave-model correlation with observations was reported near 0.9.

Using those regional outputs to force a higher-resolution local model, the consultants mapped areas of high nearshore currents and sediment transport. Barone said modeling showed sand placed near the east end of Second Beach would tend to migrate westward along the shore, while a mound placed at Third Beach’s southern end remained largely stationary because of weak local currents.

Scenarios discussed and community questions

Coastal Systems said it will run three main scenarios: (1) strategic sand placement at locations where the model predicts redistribution toward recreational areas, (2) storm-run XBeach simulations that test whether temporarily plugging public-access dune pathways in winter reduces overwash to the parking lot, and (3) use of native "lag" stones placed in the nearshore to act as a submerged sill to retain sand. "You may be able to get a lot more, bang for your buck that way," consultant Rob Miskiewicz said of nearshore placement versus attempting to stabilize depressions on the dune face.

Commissioners raised operational questions. One commissioner asked whether sand and rock collected from onshore cleanups could be reused; the consultants advised that placing mixed-size stone inside dune hollows could increase wind scour and be less effective on the foredune than placing material offshore or at the nearshore. They suggested backing a dump truck to the wall and placing rock "right in front of the wall," noting it would change wave angles and likely be carried into the intended nearshore position.

Environmental and regulatory considerations

Panelists said artificial reefs and other hard offshore structures remain under regulatory review and may not be allowed by state coastal regulators. The consultants said they would contact the University of Rhode Island and other local researchers to coordinate and examine prior work and case studies, and they noted piping plover nesting on the east end could shape permitting and timing. Barone cited examples where sand placed before nesting season produced additional foraging and nesting area in a refuge, but he emphasized coordination with wildlife agencies would be required.

Costs, dredging and monitoring

Consultants told the commission that dredging deep water to recover sand would likely be "astronomical" in cost and that deep-channel sand volumes may be thin or hard-bottom and thus an unreliable source. Coastal Systems recommended the town adopt routine monitoring — drone topographic flights and hydrographic surveys — once or twice a year to document annual change and to support FEMA claims for storm losses. "That is the goal. Yes," Barone said when asked whether the firm will perform monitoring next year.

Next steps and timeline

The firm said remaining tasks include running the additional management scenarios, producing a sediment-budget estimate of cubic yards per year needed to maintain the shoreline, and delivering a final report that compiles the historic shoreline analysis, the modeling results and recommended alternatives. The consultants said they hope to provide the commission with further results by April or May.

Votes and routine business

Earlier in the meeting, Chair Kathy Silvera moved to approve the minutes of the Feb. 10, 2025 meeting "as written"; commissioners answered "Aye" and the motion passed. The commission later voted to adjourn with a similar voice vote.

Community engagement and volunteer actions

Commissioners described ongoing volunteer dune-planting plans for early to mid-April and said they will post notices seeking volunteers. The consultants recommended combining fence placement at the foredune base with planting to help trap wind-borne sand, while recognizing a balance between dune growth and beach width. They noted that public-access pathways are usually the weakest links during storms and that maintaining consistent elevation across the dune field is a priority for future resilience.