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Barra Velha, battered by sea encroachment and coastal erosion on its urban beaches, has officially begun studies to widen its sand strip in partnership with Balneário Piçarras. The model is inspired by the Itapoá project, the largest in the country, with R$ 333 million invested and 70% completed.
The city of Barra Velha, on the North coast of Santa Catarina, has taken the first official step to address a problem that has been dragging on for years: the advance of the sea over the sand strip and urban structures near the beach. The municipality has initiated technical studies for the widening of the coastline, in partnership with Balneário Piçarras.
The decision came from a meeting held in Rio de Janeiro last Thursday (7), between the mayors of the two cities and technicians from the National Institute of Hydrographic Research (INPH). The objective is to design an integrated regional project to widen the sand strips and protect the Santa Catarina coast from further losses caused by frequent storm surges.
How the coastline widening project began in Barra Velha
The initiative gained official contours after the technical meeting held in Rio de Janeiro. The mayor of Barra Velha, Daniel Pontes da Cunha (PSD), and the mayor of Balneário Piçarras, Tiago Maciel Baltt (MDB), met with the INPH team to discuss the project’s direction.
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In a video released on social media, the two executive heads highlighted the importance of unity between the municipalities to strengthen the claim. “We are here for a common good, the widening of our coastline: Barra Velha and Balneário Piçarras. Because together we are stronger,” stated Daniel Pontes da Cunha.
The proposal is thus born with a regional logic. Instead of punctual and isolated actions, the municipalities are betting on a coordinated plan for the coastal stretch they share.
Years of losses: why sea encroachment became a priority
The debate about beach widening did not arise by chance. Barra Velha has lived for years with sea surges that strongly affect its coastline, especially during periods of rough seas.
In more critical situations, waves advance over avenues, sidewalks, and structures near the beach. The advance of the sea leaves visible traces: stretches of sand disappear, urban furniture is damaged, and tourism infrastructure suffers recurring losses.
Coastal erosion is the other side of this equation. Without natural barriers or adequate engineering interventions, part of the coastal territory continues to yield to the ocean’s assaults with each season of more severe tides.
What the technical study conducted by INPH says
Despite the political progress of the discussion, the project is still in its initial phase. The next step depends on the completion of the technical studies conducted by the National Institute of Hydrographic Research.
The analyses should indicate the environmental viability of the intervention, the possible coastal impacts, and the most suitable formats for the future execution of the work. This technical survey is considered essential before any timeline or budget is defined.
Only based on these conclusions will it be possible to assess the necessary sediment volume, sand donation areas, the extent to be expanded, and the costs involved in the project.
Itapoá: Brazil’s largest beach widening project
Barra Velha’s movement is not isolated within the North coast of Santa Catarina. In Itapoá, its northern neighbor, Brazil’s largest beach widening project has already exceeded 70% completion.
More than 4.1 million cubic meters of sediment have already been deposited on the Itapoá coastline, a volume equivalent to almost two thousand Olympic swimming pools. The intervention modifies about 8 kilometers of beach along the municipality’s coast.
The investment is around R$ 333 million. The project is the result of a partnership between the Port of São Francisco do Sul and Porto Itapoá, considered the country’s first PPP to involve a public port and a private terminal for this type of coastal intervention.
A regional model for the North coast of Santa Catarina
The work in Itapoá functions, in practice, as a showcase for other cities in the region. Barra Velha and Balneário Piçarras closely observe the progress of the intervention and seek to adapt the experience to their reality.
The difference is that, in Itapoá, the beach nourishment gained momentum due to a logistical need linked to the port sector. In Barra Velha, the central motivation is to protect the urban area and tourism from sea encroachment.
If studies confirm viability, the North coast of Santa Catarina could consolidate itself as the country’s main hub for beach nourishment. The region would concentrate distinct experiences, with distinct motivations, but within the same logic of coastal defense.
The discussion about the widening of Barra Velha’s coastline shows how sea encroachment has ceased to be a seasonal problem to become a permanent agenda for city halls. Cities that rely on tourism and port activity need to think of coastal defense as a structured public policy.
And you, what do you think about this proposal? Do you believe that the model applied in Itapoá should be replicated in other cities on the Santa Catarina coast? Should public money fund this type of intervention? Leave your comment, share your opinion, and tag someone who lives on the coast and needs to follow this topic.
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