The Westhampton Dunes Living Shoreline is a launchpad project for New York’s shorelines, exemplifying how environmentally sensitive solutions can build habitat, stabilize shorelines, minimize downdrift impact, and protect communities. A historically eroding stretch of shoreline had advanced to within 30 feet of the coastal homes in the Village of Westhampton, putting this low-lying community at immediate risk. Without intervention, continued erosion and oceanfront storms accelerate property loss and damage as the waterline creeps closer towards homes.
Drawing on VHB’s extensive experience with living shoreline projects along the East Coast, including New York’s largest permitted living shoreline, the team applied proven best practices and lessons learned to inform a resilient, context-driven design tailored to New York’s coastal environment. We designed an offshore system of stone, breakwater-style structures that function as a resilient living shoreline. Working with targeted beach nourishment, these features dissipate wave energy, reduce shoreline erosion, and create calmer nearshore conditions that allow sand to naturally redistribute, build up, and ultimately reach a more sustainable equilibrium profile over time.
The project team worked in close collaboration with multiple regulatory partners to advance this unique living shoreline. Early and frequent coordination with federal, state, and local agencies helped align project goals, address regulatory considerations, and streamline the permitting process.
