Various Options Available to Combat Sand Loss at Piriápolis Beach

Piriápolis, Uruguay, is facing a seemingly difficult situation on its picturesque beach. When the classic seaside resort was designed more than 100 years ago sand movement wasn't taken into consideration.

Today, experts work to find the best way forward. Both national and regional authorities have plans on the table to address sand loss at the seaside of Piriápolis.

An Eternal Design Endures

Designed by Fernando Juan Santiago Francisco María Piria de Grossi in the early 20th century, the mechanics of sand movement were unknown at the time.

While the classic design of the seaside was attractive to tourists, more than 100 years later the danger that the seawall presents to the “beach” is very real.

Virginia Villarino, the Director of the Environment for Maldonado, commented on the issues to local media. The seawall is too close to the shore, and it, "ends up fixing the sand" so the fixed sand can no longer, "replenish the beach."

Authorities are considering a number of options, including:

-Many short seawalls perpendicular to the coast

-Fewer, but longer, seawalls perpendicular to the coast

-Seawalls parallel to the coast and submerged, called detached breakwaters

Environmental Factors

National Director of Climate Change, Fernanda Souza, commented that according to expert opinions, "the section of the beach arc from Plaza del Inmigrante to La Rinconada beach would gradually lose sand until the water reaches the seawall (and) would not have an exposed sand strip."

Clearly, the loss of a beach isn't attractive from an economic perspective. On the other hand, numerous other beaches exist in the area.