1004 



118 



The three major steps which must be taken to resolve the problems 

 of erosion threatening existing development are : 



Identifying those areas where erosion controls should be im- 

 plemented. 



Developing a comprehensive, coordinated system of erosion con- 

 trols in those areas. 



Enabling the various property owners to fund the controls. 



These three steps have not been taken in most cases. 



A cost/benefit ratio has not been determined for each stretch of 

 shoreline in order to identify those areas where erosion controls are 

 economically warranted. This is because the technical and manage- 

 ment options for erosion control have not been evaluated to give the 

 best alternative and its cost for each locale. The value of erosion dam- 

 age to the land and structures has not been calculated either. 



It is difficult to assess the annual dollar cost of erosion to compare 

 with the cost of preventing erosion in order to determine whether any 

 action should be taken. The only comprehensive damage assessment 

 of erosion done nationally was by the Corps in the Great Lakes during 

 the period of high lake levels in 1951/1952 (similar to the present 

 situation). It was found that $50 million worth of damage occurred.^" 

 Damage estimates today would be far greater due to the increased 

 coastal development, the increased property values along the coast 

 due to the high demand for coastal locations, and inflation. In 1980, 

 potential Great Lakes damage is estimated to be $97 million.^^ Nation- 

 ally, the cost of erosion has been estimated to be $300 million 

 annually." 



A comprehensive coordinated approach has also not yet occurred 

 since no one has taken charge of orofanizing the efforts of the different 

 land owners, public and private. This coordination effort will be sub- 

 stantial since two-thirds of the critically eroding coast is privately 

 controlled, while the ownership of the public sector is fairlv evenly 

 spread out among Federal, state and local governments." This co- 

 ordination is essential because individual attempts to protect eroding 

 property frequently result in accelerated erosion for down-current 

 riparian interests. 



The final barrier to effective structural erosion control has been its 

 high cost, estimated to be about $800,000 per mile." This initial cost, 

 and the continuous operating and maintenance costs also associated 

 with the erosion controls, are difficult for local and state government 

 to absorb, even when assisted by the Federal government. These costs 

 are even more cumbersome to individual property owners, who are 

 generally not eligible for any government assistance. Some of the re- 

 sulting low-cost short-term remedies attempted do not relieve the 

 problem and may even worsen it. 



w At>pendlx 12, Shore Use and Erosion, Great Lakes Basin Framework Study. 1975. 

 page 59. 



" Thld.. p. R.'l. fiS. 71. 76. nnd 7S. 



"Constnl Erosion Haz.nrd In the U.S. : A Reienrch Assessment, Sorensen Mitchell (part of 

 Gilbert White's Univ. of Colorado nrogram). 1975. n. 28. 



"^On. rit. National Shoreline Study, pace 32 table 6. 



1* Obtained by taklncr Corps flcrnre of $1.8 billion for strnctnrally protecting critical shore- 

 line and dividing that by the 2,700 miles of critically eroded shore. 



