Influence of Beach Nourishment on Morphological Parameters Linked to Surf Quality at Long Branch, New Jersey, U.S.A.

Zuck, N.A.; Brown, D.; Kerr, L.; Janssen, M.S., and Miller, J.K., 2025. Influence of beach nourishment on morphological parameters linked to surf quality at Long Branch, New Jersey, U.S.A. Journal of Coastal Research, 41(5), 811–828. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208. Surf quality can be characterized by numerous factors, with surf-zone width, sandbar presence, breaker type, and peel angle being focal along planar beaches. Beach nourishment is generally accepted to negatively affect surf quality through changes in slope and burying of nearshore sandbars. Advocates of nourishment counter that the effects of nourishment on surfing are transitory and diminish as the fill equilibrates. However, existing literature does not quantify surf quality throughout the equilibration process. Herein, a beach nourishment project in Long Branch, New Jersey, United States, is monitored with high-frequency surveys throughout a complete nourishment cycle to quantify the temporal response of surf quality. Surf quality is qualitative and inherently complex; influenced by wave conditions and beach morphology. To isolate the influence of time-varying morphology, this study makes several simplifications; notably, observed waves are not explicitly considered. Instead, a benchmark wave, representative of typical surf conditions, is used to model how morphological changes alter surfing conditions. Breaker type, surf-zone width, and bar presence are tracked as proxies for surf quality throughout the equilibration process using measured profile data. Results show initial deterioration of surf quality measured by a 36% decrease in the surf-zone width and reduction in sandbar presence from 20% to 0%. No detrimental changes to the breaker type were quantified. Surf-zone width and bar presence returned to prenourishment conditions within 5 and 4 months, respectively. Sandbar presence displayed seasonal trends, with widespread formation observed during the winter and a corresponding reduction during the summer. Findings indicate that the negative effects on surf quality are measurable but temporary. Morphologic features that support quality surfing return to prenourishment conditions within 5 months. This duration is approximately 25% of the nourishment interval, which suggests the negative effects on surfing at Long Branch can be classified as transitory.