Strathmere shoreline erodes after storms, lifeguard HQ torn down amid safety fears

What we know about Strathmere’s beach erosion emergency

Severe shoreline erosion in Strathmere, New Jersey is being described as an emergency, with officials and residents warning of imminent risks to homes and infrastructure.

STRATHMERE, N.J. - Severe shoreline erosion in Strathmere is raising alarms among residents and officials, who say the situation has reached emergency levels and threatens both homes and public infrastructure.

Shoreline erosion threatens homes and roads in Strathmere

What we know:

Officials say high tides and winter storms have stripped away large amounts of sand, leaving the beach dangerously narrow and in some places nearly gone. Residents who have spent decades in the area say they have never seen conditions this bad.

What they're saying:

"I think we are in an emergency situation," said Mike Jones, the longtime Upper Township Public Works Superintendent. "It’s as bad as I’ve ever seen it down here—we’ve been coming here for 20 years," said Peter Lynch, a resident. "Water is coming onto the street. The next thing to go would be the street collapsing, and that would be a safety concern," Lynch said.

The erosion has already forced township leaders to tear down the Strathmere lifeguard headquarters at Williams Avenue and Neptune Drive before it could collapse into the ocean. 

"I actually built the lifeguard headquarters with my colleague, so to see it come down was not the greatest," said Jones, who explained that saving the building was too costly and uncertain.

At high tide, water now comes just feet from the roadway, with homes sitting directly behind it. 

"I’m terrified because we’ve lived here 10 years and I’ve never seen anything as bad as it is right now. There’s no dunes left at all. One big storm and the ocean is coming right down the street," said Kim Lynch, a resident.

Township response and federal help on the horizon

Why you should care:

Township officials warn that if conditions do not improve, infrastructure such as roads and utilities could be next to fail. 

"Something needs to be done to protect the infrastructure because that’s what’s going to go next, if nothing is done," said Jones.

What's next:

Strathmere, along with Ocean City and Sea Isle City, is awaiting nearly $43 million from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for beach replenishment projects.

This comes on top of $23 million already spent on a previous beach fill project just two years ago. 

"The solution is a beach fill, but that’s a temporary solution. They need to work on a permanent solution to stop the beach erosion," Jones said.

Some residents worry that even with federal help, time may be running out. "I think eventually they’ll get it done, but we may not have beaches or access to the beach this summer," Peter Lynch said.

Town officials are working to determine beach access plans for the summer and a new location for the lifeguard headquarters as residents hope for a solution to save their homes and shoreline.

What we don't know:

It is not yet clear when the federal funding will arrive or when the beach replenishment work will begin. 

Officials have not announced a permanent solution to prevent future erosion.