
ODNR Office of Coastal Management - Regulatory

Office of Coastal Management
105 West Shoreline Drive
Sandusky, OH 44870
419-626-7980
1-888-OhioCMP
Fax: 419-626-7983
coastal@dnr.state.oh.us

Coastal Structure

Dune Cosnstruction

Dune construction consists of the piling up of beach-quality sand to form protective dune fields to replace those washed away during severe storms.

An essential component of dune reconstruction is planting dune vegetation and placement of netting or snow fencing to help retain wind-blown sand normally trapped by mature dune vegetation. Storm overwash fans may be a viable source of material for dune construction.

Essential Information

Function- provide greater protection of the upland from storm waves while also
creating a source for beach building Photo: Dunes construction helps stabilize the coast.

Photo: Dunes construction helps stabilize the coast.

material (i.e. storms carry sediment from
dunes lakeward)

Appearance- slightly to moderately higher in relief than the beach area, located inland of
the shore; vegetation is often used to increase the stability of the dune while capturing additional sediment moved by the wind

Materials- sand and cobble, dependent upon beach composition; vegetation to stabilize
Dune

Issues- for a dune to function there must be enough space and sediment; dunes should
be relatively untouched to allow for the growth of vegetation