It is a temporary measure to fix a permanent problem.
- Ultimately beach renourishment is only a bandage for an ongoing problem. Without a plan to address the erosion issue, eventually beach renourishment will need to occur again and again to preserve the ecosystem.
It alters the natural course of nature.
- Natural sand compacts over time as a way to prevent itself from being eroded away. Much of the replacement sand ultimately just floats away with the first waves because it hasn't had time to naturally compact.
It is incredibly expensive.
- It is not uncommon for a beach renourishment project to be a $100 million investment. Although some projects have private financing and backing, many of these projects wind up being funded by taxpayers.
The process of renourishment can interrupt natural life cycles.
- The process of repairing a beach can be very extensive. Sand is often imported for this process, creating grain variations that can be problematic for local sea life. Even after the repair is completed, the natural life cycle may still be interrupted by changes to wave patterns, the shape of the beach, and other unforeseen factors that occur locally.
It may reduce light availability.
- Changes in beach size and shape can affect the way sunlight reaches the shallow tidal zones. In return, plant and sea life can be affected in positive and negative ways. The biggest negative is that lower or higher levels of sunlight can cause species growth to overwhelm the system or species death.