Holding back the tide: How the SR 105 Graveyard Spit project protects a community and its coastline

 By: Celeste Dimichina and Chelsey Martin

Every winter, storms hit the coast near North Cove. Residents watch nervously as waves creep closer to the only road that connects them to the rest of Pacific County. State Route 105 is more than pavement — it’s a lifeline. It links the Shoalwater Bay Indian Reservation and Tokeland to Grayland, North Cove, cranberry farms, and popular places tourists visit. It’s how kids get to school, how goods reach businesses and how emergency crews respond when every second counts.

But the Pacific Ocean never rests. Each tide pulls more sand from the shore. Storms send walls of water crashing over the beach, spraying salt and foam across the dunes as waves reach for the road. What was once a wide beach has worn down to a narrow strip between land and sea. With each wave, the ocean pushes closer, threatening homes, businesses, and the road itself.

For people living along this coast, it’s not just about losing sand. It’s about protecting their only road and their way of life. If SR 105 washes out, the closest detour adds a 75-mile roundtrip drive, leaving this remote area even more isolated.

Historical shoreline map shows the slow erosion of the shoreline. Photo credit: North Willapa Bay Shoreline Erosion and Dune Restoration Graphics. 

A Nature-Based Solution to a Big Problem

For decades, strong storms have battered this coast. Some years storms have washed away more than 100 feet of shoreline. Since 1996, several projects have tried to protect the beach. Large rock and other hard barriers were installed, but the ocean always found a way through.

The latest effort, the SR 105 Graveyard Spit Dynamic Revetment and Dune Restoration, takes a different approach: nature protecting nature. Instead of hard barriers, crews place tons of small rocks to absorb the ocean’s energy. They also rebuilt dunes that can shift and roll with the wind and the waves. These “living shorelines” take in the ocean’s force, protecting the road and the community instead of fighting it.

Graphic shows the history of projects aimed at preserving the shoreline alongside SR 105 near Willapa Bay in Pacific County

So far, the results are promising. Wetlands and salt marshes are returning. In 2024, hope arrived with new life: the first Western Snowy Plover chicks were documented on Graveyard Spit. These small, speckled shorebirds, protected under the Federal Endangered Species Act. The restored dunes now give them a safer place to survive.

That same year, the project won the Environmental Excellence Award for promoting resiliency. It’s proof that protecting people and caring for nature can go hand in hand.

Environmental Excellence Award 2024

Adult Snowy Plover and two chicks

People, Partnerships and Persistence

This project succeeds because of the people who care about this place. The Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe has been central, guiding decisions and watching over the wildlife.

Each year, WSDOT maintenance crews face harsh winter storms. They close the road and clear debris to keep travelers safe and moving. Scientists from Washington State Departments of Ecology and Fish and Wildlife, along with other agencies, study how the restored dunes handle the ocean and affect wildlife. They share what they learn to help other communities.

Funding from partners like National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and the State of Washington makes this work possible. Their support ensures this is not just a short-term fix—it’s a lasting investment.

Looking Ahead

Construction will finish in 2026, then the focus will shift to long-term care. Over 50,000 tons of cobble rock will be stored nearby, ready to reinforce the revetment after major storms. A Site Area Management Plan, created with input from all project partners, will help the project adapt as the shoreline changes.

For this community, the Graveyard Spit project is about more than protecting a road—it’s about protecting a way of life. It’s a promise to safeguard the coast, honor the people who have cared for it for generations, and ensure that future residents can stand on this rugged shore and watch the waves crash—not in fear, but with pride in the preserved coastline.

A quiet stretch of rocky coastline where the ocean meets the land—wind, waves, and driftwood shaping the shore under an endless blue sky.