Beach Erosion Board

The Beach Erosion Board (BEB) was a federal board organized under the US Government's War Department (later, the Department of Defense), U.S. Army, and was a part of the civil works program of the United States Army Corps of Engineers. The Board had seven members and a staff. The life of the BEB spanned a period of 33 years, beginning with its establishment in July 1930. The BEB was abolished in November of 1963.

The job of the BEB was to review reports of investigations made concerning erosion of the shores of coastal and lake waters, and the protection of those shores. Under Section 2 of Public Law 520, 7lst Congress, approved on July 3, 1930, the Chief of Engineers, U.S. Army, was given authority to make, in cooperation with the appropriate agencies of the various coastal States, investigations and studies aimed at devising effective means of presenting erosion of the shores of coastal and lake waters by waves and currents. The funding provision for these investigations and studies was that no money should be expended under authority of the Act in any State which did not provide for cooperation with the agencies of the United States and contribute to the project such funds and/or services as the Secretary of War deemed appropriate and required.

In 1963, certain of the BEB’s functions were transferred to the newly created Coastal Engineering Research Center, while others were transferred to the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors.