Strolling along Haven Beach in Mathews County is a bit of a chore these days. Although the site looks promising from the parking lot, when a beachgoer crosses the dune, he or she is met with a muddy-looking sand bar and mounds of dead sea grasses that have to be walked around or through in order to reach a decent stretch of sand.

A walk to the south reveals a cleaner beach, but it’s narrower than it was in past years, while a walk to the north requires passing through small scrub growth and more mounds of sea grasses before reaching a wider, more pristine beach.

In September 2015, the smaller of two breakwaters at the site lost much of its sand during a storm, said Mathews Planner Thomas Jenkins. He said he suspects that the breakwater system is not adequate and that a larger system of breakwaters might be needed to protect the shoreline. The northernmost breakwater is 280 feet long and the southern one is 100 feet long.

Thus far, the county hasn’t made plans to replace ...