DNREC’s Adopt-A-Beach program is a partnership between the Department and Delaware volunteers, working in tandem to protect and enhance Delaware’s beaches.
Volunteers are the backbone of Delaware’s shoreline stabilization. Every spring since 1990, except when pandemic conditions prevented it, dedicated volunteers have stabilized Delaware’s sand dunes by planting more than 5 million stems of Cape American beach grass along ocean and bay beaches. Due to overwhelming volunteer response, all
Coastal development adds stress to beach systems, especially to dunes. Dunes and beaches are the first lines of protection from wave action for coastal communities during coastal storms. Dunes also act as storage areas that supply sand to the beach during storms.
The Regulations Governing Beach Protection and the Use of Beaches (7 DE Admin. Code 5102) establishes a “building line” along the coast and stipulate that no construction may take place seaward of that without a Coastal Construction Permit or Coastal Construction Letter of Approval from the Department. The building line is mapped by the
The sandy beaches along the Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay shorelines are valuable natural resources to the State of Delaware. The beaches were created by nature and continue to be shaped by wind and waves. The 1972 Beach Preservation Act (7 Del.C. Chapter 68) provides the authority to DNREC to enhance, preserve, and protect the
Mrs. Catharine C. Dorrier has applied for a permit for construction seaward of the DNREC Building Line to build an elevator room within the existing porch on Lot 1112 and 910, Block 122, Bethany Beach.
You’ve helped us design signs that will help beach-goers remember to stay off the dunes.Thank You! Delaware’s Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay Coastal Dunes are vital in our defense against coastal storms. Dunes are also important natural habitats for plants and animals. If dunes are going to be strong
Anne Fauret and William Gallagheran have applied for a permit for construction seaward of the DNREC Building Line to construct a single family dwelling with a 17.2′ cantilevered deck on Lot 2, Block 7, in South Bethany.
The Division of Watershed Stewardship manages and protects the state’s soil, water and coastlines. It uses a comprehensive array of watershed-based programs to ensure proper stewardship of Delaware’s natural resources. The division protects and maintains the state’s shoreline and navigable waterways. It regulates changes to coastal and urban lands. It develops and implements innovative
