HGIS: Beach Rehabilitation - Parlee Beach, New Brunswick

Coastal Zone Management

October, 1985

Beach Rehabilitation
Parlee Beach, New Brunswick

Parlee Beach, with its limited shore frontage, is one of the most popular beaches (400,000 visitors/year) in the Atlantic Provinces of Canada. However, development of visitor facilities and intensive visitor use prior to the 1970's resulted in the destruction of its beach-dune environment. A decreased quality of visitor experience due to the erosion of the sand beach resulted in public outcry for its restoration. The Parlee Beach Master Planning Study was initiated in 1973 for the New Brunswick Tourism Department to meet this end.
Research included a review of land use, biological and physical resources and processes, enginerring procedures and public meetings. Analysis shoed that Parlee Beach Shore had been receding rapidly over the previous 10 years due to erosion by onshore winds following the loss of protective dunes. Three solutions were considered: groynes, natural dune renovation and artificial dunes (landform). Use of groynes was abandoned due to their interference with natural beach building summer waves at the site and their adverse visual impacts. Natural beach regeneration was eliminated due to the considerable time and effort required and restricted visitor use during the regeneration period.
An artificial landform was selected as the best means of beach protection and expanding the backshore space for related beach recreation. Design drawings, specifications, and construction tender documents were prepared for project implementation ($3 million in 1976).
Parlee Beach protection and rehabilitation was initiated in 1976 and completed in 1978. Aerial and ground surveys conducted in 1985 confirmed that the 1978-1985 period was one of beach stability and accretion. The landform and other rehabilitation measures had arrested the rapdi recession of the early 1970's. The width of the sand beach had increased, as had the quality of the beach visit.