This study will assess the shoreline problems and provide possible Coastal Storm Risk Management alternatives to reduce risk to infrastructure located along specific areas of Puerto Rico. The study originally considered 13 locations identified by Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER) to have potential for a feasibility study. These areas are located in San Juan, Carolina, Vega Baja, Arecibo, Aguadilla, Aguada, Rincón, Anasco, Mayaguez, Cabo Rojo, Loiza, Luquillo, and Humacao.

Narrowing of the study areas began with assessing areas of high density of infrastructure at risk from coastal storms which would be an indicator of high potential benefits under a Federal project.  The initial scoping resulted in the following areas showing potential for Federal interest: the San Juan (Condado, Ocean Park, Isla Verde and Carolina) and Rincón coastlines; and a segment of the major hurricane/tsunami evacuation routes in Mayaguez (PR-102) and Humacao (PR-3). Further screening of the study areas eliminated the segments in Mayaguez (PR-102) and Humacao (PR-3) based on lack of potential for economic jurisdiction. 

Further investigations during the forecasting of existing and future without project conditions, led to the screening out of the Carolina and Isla Verde focus areas due to the lack of potential for economic justification; therefore, the only remaining focus areas are Condado, Ocean Park and Rincon. These focus areas are divided into planning into planning reaches to align with the headland and pocket beach features, where the Tentatively Selected Plan is proposed: Condado Pocket Beach, Punta Piedrita Headland, Ocean Park Pocket Beach, Punta Las Marias Headland and Rincon B. (See Figure in the Tentatively Selected Plan Section).

This study considers the main problem within the San Juan and Rincon focus areas to be coastal storms causing damage to structures and infrastructure due to wave attack, flooding and erosion.

Hurricane and coastal storms are responsible for significant damages to structures and infrastructure due to wave attack, flooding and erosion for the entire island of Puerto Rico. These storm events threaten public and private properties, critical infrastructure as well as recreational and beach areas. Many structures are located along the majority of the study area, including commercial businesses, hotels, condominiums, single family homes,  in addition to roads, public parkland, and public beach access points. Loss of protective beaches and dunes, due to shoreline recession, threatens properties and infrastructure. Sea level rise and coastal storms will continue to exacerbate erosion in the study area, damaging structures and infrastructures and threatening recreational resources. Homeowners and businesses seeking to protect their property have constructed some shore protection measures, such as seawalls, large stone revetments and gabions. Some of the structures and materials used are inadequate to provide significant storm damage protection and are often constructed in an uncoordinated fashion without regard to system-wide coastal processes, exacerbating erosion on adjacent shorelines

Section 204 of the Flood Control Act of 1970, Public Law 91-611 granted authority for the Puerto Rico Coastal Study. Study funds are appropriated under Title IV, Subdivision B of the Bipartisan Budget Act (BBA) of 2018, P.L. 115-123. The study will examine alternative solutions, and will recommend one plan that meets Corps criteria to be the Tentatively Selected Plan.  If the alternative is supported by Corps decisions makers, it will receive an approved Chief’s Report recommending it for construction.  The plan will then need to receive appropriations for construction.

This study considered structural management measures including revetments, seawalls, beach nourishment and breakwaters. Nonstructural management measures were also considered, including no-action, coastal construction control line, moratorium on construction, establishment of a no-growth program, relocation of structures, flood proofing of structures, improvement of evacuation plans, condemnation of structures and land acquisition. Several alternatives have resulted from combinations of management measures applied among the planning reaches in each focus area. These alternatives were evaluated and compared according to USACE planning principles.

The planning strategy is to identify the National Economic Development (NED) plan for each planning reach (Condado Pocket Beach, Punta Piedrita Headland, Ocean Park Pocket Beach, west side of Punta Las Marias, and Rincon B), and recommend and overarching Tentatively Selected Plan (TSP) comprised of each reach's TSP. The TSP reasonably maximizes net benefits to contribute to national economic development and is consistent with protecting the nation's environment, pursuant to national environmental statutes, applicable executive orders, and other Federal planning requirements. At this point of the study, NED identification is still ongoing, so the team designated a TSP based on the potential for economic justification of the alternatives, as well as engineering feasibility and environmental acceptability.

The TSP consists of a combination of structural features in specific locations designed to reduce the risk of damages as a result of wave attack, coastal flooding, and erosion in the Condado Pocket Beach, Punta Piedrita Headland, Ocean Park Pocket Beach, west side of Punta Las Marias, and Rincon B planning reaches as shown in the Figure below. At this point in the study, the TSP will include the following features. These may be adjusted as public comments are considered and finaly analysis are complete:

• Beach renourishment (1.910 ft.) along Condado Pocket Beach shoreline;
• Stone revetment on Punta Piedrita headland (2,450 ft.);
• A breakwater field in combination with beach nourishment protecting 6,810 ft. along the Ocean Park Pocket Beach shoreline;
• Stone revetment on west side of Punta Las Marias headland (1,400 ft.); and
• Stone revetment (5,650 ft.) along the Rincon shoreline

Although, this is not part of the Federal project recommendation, this study recognizes that Puerto Rico island wide will benefit from the non-Federal sponsor, the Commonwealth and local communities pursuing nonstructural measures, such as implementation of a Coastal Construction Control Line, and improved evacuation plans and notification systems.

• December 2018 - Alternative milestone
• July 2020 - Tentatively selected plan milestone
• November 2020 - Draft report and NEPA - public technical and policy review
• January 2021 - Agency decision milestone
• May 2021 - Final report - State and agency overview
• October 2021 - Chief of Engineers report
• 2021/2024 - Project engineering and design, construction