Soil loss behind Orange Beach bulkheads.
Trace the water before you fill.

Why is the yard behind my bulkhead sinking?

Soil is leaving, and water is carrying it. A bulkhead holds soil in place, so a dip or hole means a gap somewhere has let fill wash out.

Local rain makes this worse. Orange Beach recorded almost 30 inches during Sally, and Fort Morgan about 29. NHC Sally rainfall Storm water pushes through joints and over the cap, and then pours back out through anything open.

• Open joints or gaps between boards, panels or sheets.
• Torn or missing filter cloth behind the wall.
• Clogged or missing weep holes that force water to find another way out.
• Roof, pool or irrigation water that runs toward the wall.

Is it safe to walk on the dip?

A sunken spot can hide a hollow. The ground may be only a thin crust over a void, so keep people, pets and heavy equipment off it.

Mark the area with stakes and tape. Do not fill the hole with loose dirt and walk away, because the next rain will take it out the same way.

How do I trace the water path?

Find where the soil goes before you buy fill. A filled hole with an open path will only open again.

1. Walk the wall after rain. Look for muddy water, silt stains or sand fans on the water side.
2. Check the water side at low water. Gaps, missing boards and exposed filter cloth show up when the level drops.
3. Follow the roof water. Trace downspouts, drains and irrigation lines toward the wall.
4. Mark the dips. Stakes with dates show whether they cluster at corners, joints or drain points.
5. Look for blowout days. North winds behind a storm can drop the water and bare the toe and the base of pilings. NWS Isaias blowout

Bring the map to the assessor. A trace that points to one open joint costs far less than a full rebuild. See the assessment guide.

How do rain and surge take soil?

Rain pushes water through the soil, and surge pushes it against the wall. Both can move fill, but in different directions.

During Sally, surge pushed 5 to 7 feet of water above ground along the coast. NHC Sally report Then the wind turned, and water drained out of Mobile Bay faster than it came in. NHC reverse surge

Fast outflow can pull fines through gaps in the wall. Tides alone are mild in the Orange Beach bays, at less than a foot. NOAA Orange Beach bay stations

Rain on the Eastern Shore

Heavy rain also hit the Eastern Shore in Danny in 1997, when landslides left a few homes teetering on the bay edge. NWS Danny report

Which fix matches the cause?

Match the fix to what you found. Fill without a fix is a temporary patch.

• Open joints: grouting or replacing the failed section, at $100 to $125 per foot nationally. ^[3]
• Washed-out backfill: soil stabilization, at $120 to $270 per foot nationally. ^[3]
• Roof and yard water: redirect it away from the wall with swales or drains.
• Missing filter cloth or drains: install or restore them while the wall is open.

When a Baldwin County project priced borrow excavation behind a new bulkhead in 2022, bids ran from $20 to $79 per cubic yard. Lillian bulkhead bids For tiny voids, foam injection is one option, but only after the water path is fixed.

Do I need a permit to regrade or backfill?

Backfill on dry land is a land-disturbance question. Orange Beach’s Site Permit covers site work, excavation, stormwater and seawalls. Orange Beach Site Permit

• Baldwin County: flood land disturbance applications are $25 per activity, such as filling, grading or excavating, with a double fee for starting early. Baldwin County land disturbance fee
• Waterward fill: filling in front of the wall is a different matter. ADEM defines fill as material that raises wetlands or water bottoms. ADEM fill definition
• Land lost in a storm: State Lands may approve reclamation if you prove sudden loss, not slow erosion. State Lands reclamation rule

Do not push soil or sand into the water to fill a hole. Ask the city and State Lands first.

Does my flood zone matter?

Most shoreline lots sit in a flood zone, and that changes what a city or county will ask for. Baldwin County’s floodplain ordinance took effect February 20, 2024. Baldwin County floodplain ordinance

Flood maps for every Baldwin County panel have been effective since April 19, 2019. FEMA Baldwin County panels Look up your lot on the FEMA map service before you plan regrading.

Which parts let water out?

A bulkhead is designed to drain, not to seal. If the drains fail, water builds up and pushes soil toward the cracks.

• Weep holes: small openings that let groundwater out of the wall.
• Filter cloth: a fabric behind the wall that passes water and holds soil.
• Porous backfill: clean gravel or similar material that drains well.

Orange Beach’s review criteria for protective shoreline structures call for drainage with a porous filter and weepholes. Orange Beach zoning section 10.0305(k) That tells you what the city expects a sound wall to include.

Who pays to fix a shared wall?

On a shared wall, check the documents. Under Alabama’s condominium act, the association maintains common elements unless the declaration says otherwise. Alabama Uniform Condominium Act Costs for a limited common element can be charged only to the units it serves. Condominium assessments

For homeowners associations, the declaration must put maintenance of common areas on the association. HOA common area definition A sinking yard on a common bulkhead is a board matter. Send photos and a dated request in writing.

See the HOA guide and condo guide.

What should I check after every storm?

Walk the wall within a day or two of any high-water event. Early signs are cheap to fix.

1. Photograph the yard for new dips, wet spots or sand fans.
2. Check the water side at low water for gaps, missing boards or exposed filter cloth.
3. Clear leaves and debris from weep holes and drains.
4. Compare cap marks and stakes with your earlier photos.
5. Keep every photo with a date, for permits or a State Lands claim.

Orange Beach’s 2026 permits show how small some fixes can be. One owner declared $18,000 to remove and reinstall a vinyl wall under 4 feet. Orange Beach 2026 permits

What can I do this week?

You do not need to fix everything at once, but you can limit damage. Act on the cheap steps now.

• Fence off the dip and keep vehicles off the yard near the wall.
• Redirect downspouts and sprinklers away from the area.
• Cover bare soil near an open joint to slow washout, without pushing soil toward the water.
• Take dated photos and book an assessment.

A seasonal habit also helps. Walk the wall before a named storm, and again after. If a storm exposes a hazard to life or significant loss of property, the Corps can authorize emergency work on first contact. Corps emergency permit

Soil loss questions owners ask

Why does the dip come back after I add dirt?

Because the water path is still open. Soil leaves through a gap in the wall or around a drain. Trace and close the path first.

Is a sinking yard a sign the whole wall is failing?

Sometimes. Soil loss can be a small leak or the first sign of movement. Check the cap for cracks and look for a lean.

Do I need a permit to refill behind my bulkhead?

Ask your city or county. In Orange Beach, bulkhead and site work falls under a Site Permit. Orange Beach Site Permit

Can I use sand from the water to refill?

No, not without State Lands. Dredging state-owned bottom needs a Dredge Permit with a $500 minimum fee. State Lands dredge fees

Will insurance pay for soil loss?

Usually not. Flood insurance does not cover seawalls, bulkheads or retaining walls. NFIP policy exclusion