After the rain and wind on Saturday, March 23, the Strand in Oxford seems to be losing more sand than ever. The picture above, taken Saturday, shows the destruction.
The Oxford Strand Restoration Project being conducted by Underwood and Associates and funded by the National Wildlife Federation and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, has been a controversial one since work began earlier this Fall.
At that time, residents were shocked by how the iconic Strand was being turned into a place that resembles a strip-mining location.
The above picture shows the Strand earlier this month.
A toppled sign that was place on the Strand in January claims that work was stopped to let "nature do her work." Three months later, that work looks like destruction.
Engineers on the project attempted to explain the theories behind the design of the project which was approved by the town during the pandemic while meetings with citizens were restricted to virtual formats. Many residents claimed that the original pictures of the project did not accurately depict what the final result would be. Others suggested much simpler solutions would have prevented erosion of the beach while still maintaining the historic vista of the Strand and costing much less money and time.
Contractors in the area stated that they could have prevented any tidal flooding in the area and preserved the beach quite effectively without all the destruction currently taking place. However, it is clear that the town was determined to have a "green" solution of living shorelines instead of the more traditional "gray" solutions of sea walls and bulkheads. The grant applied for demanded that approach.
At any rate, the Strand continues to lose sand and be eroded. Some say that when the "living shoreline" is planted this will stop. Question is, will there be any soil left to plant the sea grasses and other plants needed.
Only time, and Mother Nature, can tell.
Meanwhile, flooding in the rest of town continues to worsen and be ignored by the town administration.
OTHER STORIES ABOUT THE STRAND RESTORATION IN OXFORD:
What Have They Done To The Oxford Strand? It's Awful! - Easton Gazette
Hundreds Of Years Of Nature's Work Destroyed On Oxford Strand - Easton Gazette
Why Are They Destroying Oxford's Beautiful, Iconic Shoreline? - Easton Gazette
