Washout: Our Vanishing Beaches

Last winter’s severe storms took a heavy toll on Rhode Island beaches. The damage is another warning sign of the climate-related shoreline challenges facing the region. In this continuing series, The Public’s Radio reports on the damage’s impact

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Washout: Our Vanishing Beaches
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Last winter’s severe storms took a heavy toll on Rhode Island’s beaches. The damage is another warning sign of the climate-related shoreline challenges facing the region. In this continuing series, The Public’s Radio reports on the damage’s impact.

The summer beach season is here, but the beaches themselves look very different this year. Coastal communities are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to repair shoreline damage from last winter’s severe storms. The damage is a warning sign to Rhode Island of the tough road ahead as climate-related sea levels rise and increasingly heavy storms continue to swallow up the beaches.

by Alex Nunes

Kathie Florsheim wants you to understand just what’s happening to our eroding coastline. She’s not a scientist. She’s a fine art photographer who has been photographing beaches in the region for about 50 years.

by Alex Nunes

As structures like the carousel and snack bar building are being demolished at Easton’s Beach, city officials are grappling with how to save an eroding beach.

by Olivia Ebertz

Beach erosion and extreme flooding are forcing South Coast officials to think more urgently about how to adapt to a rise in sea levels. New Bedford Light reporter Adam Goldstein joins Morning Edition host Luis Hernandez to discuss the many options under consideration.

by Luis Hernandez

These stories were reported by The Public’s Radio. You can read more stories here.

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