A 900 foot length reef, comprised of two sections between three stone groins, was constructed in May of 1994. This approach formed two protected groin cells. The reef, located on the southernmost point of New Jersey, is shore parallel, facing south, where the Delaware Bay converges with the Atlantic Ocean in an area of strong cross-currents. The top of the reef was placed between 0.5 and -2.0 ft. MLW. This was the shallowest placement in the New Jersey Pilot Reef Program. No sand nourishment was placed at the time of reef construction.

Comparison of beach profile lines taken in May 1994 to those of December 1995 indicate that the beach experienced significant accretion in the period after the reef was installed. During this period, average accretion rates of 9 yd3/ft. were measured in the eastern cell and 2.8 yd3/ft. in the western cell.

In summary, the study concluded that the Beachsaver reef is effective in reducing incident wave energy and off shore sand losses during extreme events. The reef's effectiveness is strongly dependent on the structure maintaining a high profile in the water column. No evidence of adverse impacts on adjacent beaches were observed and the structure does not impede near shore water circulation.

In Avalon, New Jersey, a reef constructed from Beachsaver-design interlocking concrete modules was placed in July of 1993. Located just south of the Townsends Inlet, it runs parallel to shore for 1,000 feet from an attachment point to the end of the stone jetty at Eighth Street. The southern end of the reef is open, notable as the only condition of this kind in all three projects. The top elevation of the reef at construction varied from -6.5 to -8.5 MLW. This was the deepest placement. A sand nourishment project accompanied the reef installation and extended several blocks beyond its location.

Contour plots and beach profiles conducted by Stevens indicate that the renourished Avalon shoreline had returned to its pre-construction May, 1993 condition by May, 1995, with the exception of the northernmost 500 feet of reef-protected area. Comparing the September, 1993 and November, 1994 profiles, the unprotected region south of the reef averaged erosion of 72 cubic yards per alongside foot, the area landward of the southern (open) end of the reef averaged erosion of 62 cy3/ft, and the area landward of the northern 500 ft. of the reef averaged 40 yd3/ft. These numbers suggest that the northern (closed) portion of the reef isolated the beach face from inlet currents and lessened the rate of sand loss to the inlet, whereas the southern (open) portion has had a relatively minor impact.

On the border of two municipalities, Belmar and Spring Lake, an 1,100 foot length reef was constructed in August, 1994. It was situated between the oceanward ends of two stone groins, forming a closed cell. However, the downdrift or northern groin was notched, allowing for flows out of the cell at the higher tides, while the southern groin was not notched. The top elevation of the reef varied at construction from -2.3 to -3.8 MLW (see photo). The sand nourishment project was trucked in concurrently.

The Stevens report notes that the beach landward of the reef has retained the volume of material placed in the August, 1994 nourishment, although much of the sand has been redistributed to a near shore bar. The redistribution was somewhat expected, since the site regularly experiences among the most severe wave action in the state. The report also notes positively that the reef has not interfered with the bar/berm development, but has retained the sand in the nearshore area.