ASSATEAGUE ISLAND, Md. - Assateague Island finds itself in a battle against erosion as waves encroach upon its bayside picnic area, causing significant loss since January.
Approximately 20 feet of the Bayside parking area has disappeared due to constant erosion, prompting authorities to take action to mitigate further damage. Last month, construction efforts commenced as waves crept perilously close to the parking lot and nearby shop.
In an effort to safeguard infrastructure, the shop was relocated 50 feet away from the shoreline, while parking spaces were shifted further northward. Assateague Island Superintendent Hugh Hawthorne elaborated on their strategy to combat erosion, stating, "those trees will all go in on the water side and we'll use these larger logs to construct basically a triangular wind and wave breaks."
With the relocation of the shop and parking spaces, Hawthorne expressed optimism in preserving these assets for the next two to three years.