Scientists studying how to best manage Westport’s fragile barrier beaches hope to have a clear map to follow by June or July, when they complete their study of beaches at East Beach Avenue, the Knubble and Atlantic Avenue.

The study is being funded by about $234,000 in grants, with a $12,000 town match, and were authorized by the town following several years' worth of harsh winter storms that devastated East Beach Avenue and caused impacts up and down the coastline. Leading the study are Westport’s planning department, and scientists from the Woods Hole Group and the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD), and others.

The goal of it all is to give Westport science-based answers on how better to respond to storms and erosion, and how to build resistance to them into the town’s infrastructure.

Woods Hole project director Conor Ofsthun and others last week held a Zoom-based update on the study’s progress to date. Crews have been taking sediment samples from the study sites since February, surveying topography and mapping out how the areas have changed over time.

They’re also looking at past maintenance policies and initiatives, with an end goal of understanding existing conditions and vulnerabilities, and are preparing a survey to help inform their work:

“We don’t want to redo anything that doesn’t need to be redone,” Ofsthun said. “We really hope to be out in the community a lot, especially closer to the summer. We’re looking to leverage existing and past work to accelerate us into the future.”

The completed study will include information on near, medium and long-term management practices and recommendations, he said:

“Where are (the beaches) going in the future? How can the town work together to create adaptive plans? What are the long term prospects and can we do anything about that?”

Though long-term planning is important, Ofsthun said just as important are near-term solutions. Some towns have been building erosion models 50 years out, when ocean levels could be four feet or higher — Ofsthun said the study will seek closer answers.

“Honestly, if we’re looking at that (long-term model) for these beaches, it’s going to be devastating.” But “it’s almost worthless to look at because it’s so far ahead. You don’t jump from zero to four — it’s a gradual gradation. So what is happening along the way? This is what we want to answer.”

Gooseberry Island?

As scientists focus on Westport’s barrier beaches, another group is nearly done with a $3 million study into the hydrology around Gooseberry Island, and its causeway. That study, led by Boston University and the Buzzards Bay Coalition, is expected to wrap up by the end of May.