In 2016, New Smyrna Beach faced Hurricane Matthew with planted living shorelines; winds topped 90 mph, yet the demonstration structures remained standing

In October 2016, Hurricane Matthew hit the Florida coast with winds over 90 miles per hour, according to NOAA Fisheries. In New Smyrna Beach, Florida, water rose four feet above normal. The site was an existing NOAA-supported living shoreline demonstration project built with the St. Johns River Water Management District, using several natural stabilization techniques rather than hard materials. After the storm, every structure along that stretch stayed standing, with minimal erosion, per the same NOAA account.

The demonstration site was built to let nearby property owners compare different natural stabilization methods against hard structures, side by side along the same stretch of coast. That experience became important when Hurricane Matthew came through in October 2016. The demonstration area faces north, the direction the storm's strongest winds came from. Wind speeds reached over 90 miles per hour, strong enough to blow the roof off a nearby building, and water levels rose about four feet above normal. Even though the area took the brunt of the storm, every structure in the demonstration area stayed standing, with minimal erosion.

Why plants and sand can outperform concrete walls


NOAA's research supports the idea that marsh grass can outlast a wall in hurricane-force wind, a finding that runs against common assumptions. NOAA's 2015 Guidance for Considering the Use of Living Shorelines explains that hardened structures create a barrier between land and water that can worsen erosion, while living shorelines absorb wave energy instead of blocking it. Living shorelines rely on materials such as plants, sand, rock, or oyster shells rather than artificial barriers, and that composition changes how the shoreline responds to a storm. Hardened structures work differently: a seawall or bulkhead reflects wave energy back toward the water instead of absorbing it, and NOAA's shoreline guidance notes that this reflected energy can accelerate erosion on the stretches of coast next to the structure. Traditional hardened shorelines also tend to degrade with wear from waves and storms over time, and repairs can be costly while offering little benefit. A planted shoreline tends to do the opposite: as its vegetation matures and the roots take hold, the shoreline actually grows more stable over time. NOAA says other storm observations suggest living shorelines can perform well compared with hardened shorelines.

The comparison that followed the storm

New Smyrna Beach was not an isolated case. After Hurricane Matthew, a NOAA partner group checked shorelines along the storm's path and found no visible damage to the living shorelines they surveyed. At least half of the hard shorelines checked in the same area had sustained damage, according to NOAA Fisheries. The damage happened because sediment wore away the base of the structure or because water flowed over the top and weakened it from behind. NOAA says that fixing this kind of damage is expensive. A living shoreline is not only an environmental choice; it can also be a money choice. A hard structure that needs fixing after every big storm can cost a lot over time, and NOAA Fisheries notes that living shorelines are typically less expensive to install and maintain than hardened alternatives. That can improve long-term savings.

What this means beyond one Florida hurricane

Living shorelines are not immune to damage; NOAA does not claim they are. What the New Smyrna Beach case shows is more specific but still useful: a living shoreline that is correctly placed and built can handle hurricane-force wind and several feet of storm surge without failing, as the alternatives did during the same storm. NOAA also highlights advantages that go beyond storms. Coastal wetlands connected to living shorelines can hold carbon, filter water, buffer floodwater, reduce erosion, and provide habitat for fish and wildlife, according to NOAA Fisheries.

Before building one, what the process actually involves

Living shoreline projects do not finish overnight. NOAA outlines a process that starts with a careful site assessment and design, covering the rate of erosion, ground elevation, wave energy, the typical direction of wind and waves, existing plant life, soil type, and how water moves through the site. After that, the project needs a permit that meets federal, state, and local requirements before construction can begin. Larger or more complex living shoreline projects may also require engineering plans and additional review from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which regulates shoreline work under a streamlined nationwide permit for smaller projects, according to NOAA Fisheries. Even after installation, a living shoreline needs upkeep, since its strength depends on the plants taking hold.

The New Smyrna Beach demonstration offered landowners a chance to see several living shoreline techniques tested side by side on the same stretch of coast before choosing one for their own property. As hurricane seasons keep testing structures from Florida to the Carolinas, that storm remains a well-documented real-world test of how a nature-based coastal defense holds up when the wind and water arrive.