Dune Infiltration Systems for Reducing Stormwater Discharge to Coastal Recreational Beaches

Compared to most states, coastal water quality in North Carolina is relatively high, ranking fourth in the nation according to the 2012 National Resource Defense Council’s Testing the Waters report (NRDC, 2012). But as population and tourism continue to increase near our beaches, new development and increased imperviousness generate more stormwater runoff. Houses, hotels, and parking lots are the primary impervious surfaces associated with coastal development (Figure 1), but new or improved highway and bridge systems that enable residents and tourists to reach these popular destinations also produce runoff.