Posted on March 20, 2026
Preparatory work for beach sand placement along the Quarteira-Garrão stretch, in Loulé, on the Algarve coast, began on 16 March as a measure to reinforce coastal protection following the effects of bad weather.
“Preparatory work has started for artificial sand placement in the Quarteira-Garrão stretch, an essential intervention to reinforce coastal protection and increase the resilience of this sector of the Algarve coast,” informed the president of the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA).
According to José Pimenta Machado, the preparatory work includes the installation of pipes and equipment necessary “for the dredging and transport of sediments, which will allow the deposition of approximately 1.3 million cubic meters of sand on the beaches most vulnerable to erosion.”
This was one of the stretches identified in the APA’s incident report on the continental coast, in the period between October 2025 and the first days of this month, regarding the effects of the storms that hit the country.
According to the APA, this intervention “is part of the sustainable coastal zone management strategy, contributing to mitigating the effects of erosion and climate change,” the president of that organisation told Lusa.
Affected beaches
According to a survey conducted by the APA, 35 beaches in the Algarve were most affected by the successive storms, with the municipalities with the most beaches being Albufeira, with 9, and Lagoa, with 8.
The most worrying case in the south of the country was observed on Peneco beach (Albufeira) with a maximum retreat of 24 meters from the shoreline.
Other cases noted include the maximum local retreat of 15 meters on Loulé Velho–Trafal beach, 14 meters on Quarteira-Garrão beach (Loulé), and 6 meters on Forte Novo beach (Loulé).
In 2024, the Minister of the Environment announced an investment of 16.7 million euros to protect the Algarve coastline, with interventions along coastal strips in Loulé and Portimão, totalling 8 kilometres.
The largest operation is planned for the Quarteira – Garrão (Loulé) stretch, with an investment of €14.3 million, comprising the artificial nourishment of the area over 6.6 kilometres, combining sand replenishment with cliff protection.
On 10 January, the Government signed the contract to begin the artificial sand nourishment work between the beaches of Quarteira and Garrão.
