Opportunistic Beach Fill

The placement, on a beach, of sand that was brought in from an outside source and that otherwise might be disposed of. Sources may be maintenance dredging of harbors and inlets, excavation from inland sedimentation basins or dams or possibly even inland construction sites. The goal of opportunistic beach fill is to maximize the beneficial use of dredged materials by making up for existing sand deficits and attempt to maintain a long term sand budget equilibrium.

A presentation on opportunistic beach fill programs was given at an American Association of Port Authorities Harbors, Navigation and Environmental Seminar in 2006. An example of a city opportunistic beach fill program is one for the City of Encinitas, California that was approved by the California Coastal Commission in 2014.