What is Beach nourishment?

Beach nourishment is a process by which sediment (usually sand) lost through long-shore drift or erosion is replaced on a beach. This process is often expensive (minimum of $1 million/mile), depending upon the source (and thus the cost) of the sand. Nourishment can greatly impact an ecosystem and the surrounding beach tourism. Once a beach is nourished, it almost always is necessary to regularly re-nourish it since nourished beaches tend to erode faster than natural beaches. include decreased habitat for sea animal nesting such as sea turtles due to the pumping of sand onto nesting site that hardens making the digging of nest very difficult. Decreased foraging areas for sea birds, and burying of beach flora under sand being pumped in.