I've seen it from building structures too close to the beach and interrupting the natural cycles of replenishment and sustenance that keep a beach viable. It's a frequent occurrence on the Gulf Coast.
For many years, back when the stretch of coast from Mobile Bay eastward to just past the Appalachicola Peninsula was still considered the Redneck Riviera, most beach houses were modest-sized structures on stilts not far from the roads and maybe 150 yards or so from the waters edge. There were typically a system of sand dunes think with sea oats between the houses and the beach.
In the last 40 years, development has changed all of it. Retail and commercial investors bought up land and erected businesses closer and closer to the water so beachgoers could have them as close to their blankets as possible. They were followed by developers who built high-rise condominiums right in the midst of the dune system.
Before long, the beaches began disappearing and the waves crowded the new structures. Now it is common to see beach replenishment efforts -- often shored up by public funds -- to keep the beaches from disappearing altogether. It's rationalized as being in the best interest of the public since so much of the local economy depends on beach tourism. The reality is greedy and short-sighted business folks cause the damage and then dip into public money to restore their beaches that are technically considered private property.
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