Beach and Inlet Management Plan

The North Carolina Beach and Inlet Management Plan is a joint project by the Division of Water Resources and the Division of Coastal Management. Management of the state's inlets and beaches is presently achieved through multiple programs managed by the Dept. of Environmental Quality and its divisions.

An updated plan was completed by Moffat and Nichol and submitted to the General Assembly at the end of 2016. The original plan was completed in 2009. 

The 2016 Beach and Inlet Management Plan final report is available for download.

Beach and Inlet Management Plan Appendices

The updated plan includes new coastal and socioeconomic data and reflects policy changes that have been implemented since the original report. It also focuses on the latest beach nourishment and dredging activities completed over the past seven years. The 2016 BIMP also projects the funding needed to maintain the state’s coastline with three possible revenue options. The state held four public meetings in September 2016 to gather public comments on the plan.

Based on the current trend, the report indicates the scope and costs associated with dredging and beach nourishment will continue to increase into the future. Given that federal funding has decreased over the last decade, the recommendations outlined in the report include:

• Dedication of a recurring appropriation of 17.5 million per year from the General Assembly to maintain the state’s deep draft inlets;
• Dedication of a recurring appropriation of 25 million per year from the General Assembly to maintain the state’s beach nourishment projects; and
• Input from eight coastal counties on the selection of an appropriate revenue source and how the funding will be distributed.

The purpose of the Beach and Inlet Management Plan is to preserve and enhance the value of the coastal resources of North Carolina through the development of a systematic management strategy for the coast’s 326 miles of oceanfront beaches and inlets. The plan divides the state’s coastal area into five regions and four sub-regions.