The North Carolina Beach and Inlet Management Plan is a joint project by the Division of Water Resources and the Division of Coastal Management. Management of the State's inlets and beaches is presently achieved through multiple programs managed by the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources and its divisions. DENR conducted a second set of public meetings in March to update the public on the progress of the state’s Beach and Inlet Management Plan. Regional presentations can be found here. A summary of public comments recieved is available here. DENR previously held five public meetings regarding BIMP development in December 2008. These meetings included a preview of the draft BIMP management regions, shown below, along with a presentation on accomplishments to date. (Regional presentations can be found here.) A summary of public comments received is available here.

BIMP Management Regions

Background
DWR maintains a six-year plan for water resource development projects in N.C., including historical information, current status, and future cost projections for beach and inlet projects. DCM maintains a digital database of shorelines that is used to establish beachfront erosion rates and inlet processes. A collaborative effort between DWR and DCM will catalog, archive, and make available relevant coastal information (e.g., maps, reports, scientific monitoring data) to create a resource that will facilitate beach and inlet management and the development of a BIMP. A summary of the BIMP development process is available here.

The BIMP has been mandated by three major N.C. legislative initiatives:

• Section 13.9c of House Bill (HB) 1840 (The Current Operations and Capital Improvements Appropriations Act of 2000) requires DENR to develop a multiyear beach management and restoration strategy and plan.

• The Coastal Habitat Protection Plan, as required by the Fisheries Reform Act of 1997, includes a recommendation that addresses the implemenation of a comprehensive beachand inlet management plan that addresses ecologically based guidelines, socio-economic concerns and fish habitat.

• In the summer of 2005, the N.C. General Assembly commissioned a study of the shallow draft navigation inlets along the North Carolina coast. The study examined the cost, benefits, and management issues related to maintaining North Carolina's shallow draft navigation channels.