The Star Ledger video below is the best thing we've found on Hurricane Sandy and the response to Sandy. Many important and knowledgeable people are overstating the efficacy of engineered beaches. The federally engineered beaches of Monmouth County were built by the Army Corps but without dunes, and they failed miserably during Sandy. More on that in the Asbury Park Press Op-Ed here.
Here's the video:http://www.nj.com/ledgerlive/index.ssf/2013/02/ledger_live_video_rebuilding_n.html
Sure, where the Army Corps built dunes AND a beach there was less damage from wave attack for the first few rows of houses near the ocean. But the closest Army Corps built dunes to where we sit in Monmouth County are in Harvey Cedars, NJ on Long Beach Island. And plenty of homes on LBI flooded from the bayside.
