Merrimack River Beach Alliance (MRBA)
Welcome to the Merrimack River Beach Alliance — a regional partnership of Salisbury, Newbury, and Newburyport working together with state and federal agencies to protect, improve, and enhance the beaches and shoreline along the Merrimack River and surrounding coast.
Our beaches are a shared resource. They support local communities, tourism, wildlife habitat, and coastal resilience. By working together across town boundaries, we can make smarter investments, plan for the future, and create a safer, more accessible shoreline for everyone.
What We Do
- Improve public access to beaches and waterfronts
- Protect dunes, marshes, and natural coastal systems
- Support coastal resilience and flood protection
- Coordinate regional planning and grant funding
- Keep the public informed and involved
Our Communities
Past projects:
2024,2025 Salisbury Beach-DCR has received $1.75 million dollars to conduct a dune nourishment project from beach public access 5 to beach public access 11. Permits filed through the Town of Salisbury.
2021 Newburyport Harbor dredging project to improve navigation. The project – was in the federal fiscal 2021 budget — moved sand from the Piscataqua River for placement near shore to protect the area from continuing erosion from major storms and waves.
2010 channel dredging
MRBA along with partner agencies working on coastal protection, environmental management, and public access.
Get Involved
Residents, beach users, and community members are encouraged to follow our work, attend meetings, and share ideas. Visit our MRBA News page to sign up for updates.