points A and B. A criterion for judging the solution would be to halt the 

 erosion for less than X dollars in initial construction and less than Y 

 dollars in annual maintenance. Suppose that a revetment is selected as 

 providing the optimal solution and is constructed and maintained within 

 budget. Also, monitoring shows that the project performed as intended. The 

 project has satisfied the original objectives under single-project planning. 

 However, if, after construction, it is determined that the beach downdrift of 

 the project had eroded because of sand deprivation (caused, for example, by 

 encasement of sand by the revetment) , it may be judged that the project was a 

 failure. A similar project might have as its comprehensive planning problem 

 statement protection of the road and mitigation of erosion of the downdrift 

 beach. This would lead to a different solution, for example, a revetment to 

 protect the road and periodic nourishment for the downdrift beach. 



It is essential to distinguish failures in planning and failures in 

 projects themselves if lessons are to be learned from experience. 



Step b . All relevant data should be assembled and analyzed with a view 

 toward both defining the problem statement and arriving at a solution ap- 

 proach. In the example given above, an evaluation of data on shoreline change 

 and the predominant direction of longshore sand transport would have led to a 

 more comprehensive problem statement. Data gaps, such as lack of shoreline 

 position data and wave data, may suggest establishment of data collection 

 programs and wave hindcasts. 



Steps c and d . Development of a project from the point of identification 

 of the problem through construction and performance evaluation involves 

 consideration of five general criteria: 



(1) Technical feasibility. 



(2) Economic justification. 



(3) Political feasibility. 



(4) Social acceptability. 



(5) Legal permissibility. 



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