Posted on October 22, 2025
OCEAN CITY, NJ – New Jersey’s beloved shorelines are grappling with severe beach erosion following recent storms.
Ocean City erosion concerns
What we know:
State officials report vertical dune loss ranging from 5 to 10 feet in beach communities like Brigantine, Atlantic City, Ocean City, Strathmere, Avalon and North Wildwood. Recent events, including last week’s nor’easter and Hurricane Erin in August have contributed to this erosion, creating steep, cliff-like slopes.
Local residents and visitors are witnessing these changes firsthand.
“It’s sad to see the beach so small,” said Donna Jarvis from Horsham.
Cheri Biggs, who grew up in Ocean City, echoed this sentiment, expressing concern over the future of the beaches.\
Restoration efforts in progress
Ocean City is actively addressing the damage by trucking in sand to the most affected areas between 5th and 10th Street. Beachgoers observed trucks making multiple trips to deposit sand.
“Really neat I wish my grandkids were here to watch it because they would love seeing him come by and dump the truck,” said Laurie Jones of Upper Township. “I don’t know how big that drop is, but they have a lot of work to do before the summer or before the next storm. So hopefully they’ll keep coming back.”
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has released a preliminary assessment of the damage, with a final report expected to be available on their website.
What they’re saying:
Mike Carr visits Ocean City every year from Florida and noted the efforts to repair the beach, saying, “It’s good that they’re working to rebuild everything because we don’t want to lose our beach.”
Doug Bergen, Public Information Officer for Ocean City, said the city will continue to work with Congressman Jeff Van Drew, local, county and state officials to secure funding for a scheduled beach replenishment project with the Army Corps of Engineers.
What we don’t know:
The final details of the beach and dune damage assessment are still pending, and the timeline for the completion of restoration efforts remains unclear.
