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Barrier Island Evolution - Geomorphic Analysis and Data Collection

Completed
By St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center October 29, 2018

Medium-term coastal evolution involves the interaction of submerged and subaerial geomorphology, oceanography, sediment supply and other geologic constraints, and biological interactions associated with marshes and dune grasses which may capture or release sediments. The resulting sediment budgets determine the balance of topographic and bathymetric elevations and dictate how barrier island trajectories will proceed in the future.

 

Objectives

maps showing island evolution after berm construction
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Lidar topography sequence showing the Chandeleur Islands, berm construction (Feb. 2011), and subsequent berm and island evolution. (Public domain.)

  • Quantify the effectiveness of coastal restoration for mitigating storm impacts to the coastline.

  • Identify the feedback between coastal restoration and barrier island evolution.

  • Determine degree that barrier island response is predictable given past and updated process information and compare current evolution to climatic alternatives.

  • Develop and test methods to generate scenarios for future barrier-island evolution.

  • Support coastal management decisions.

Methodology

  • Interpret historical evolution.

  • Collect satellite imagery, oblique imagery, lidar topography/bathymetry, and sonar bathymetry data.

  • Extract elevation and width data and compare to oceanography, geology, and past data.

  • Develop predictive models for barrier island evolution and vulnerability.

  • Test models and update them with new observations.

  • Interpret and integrate geologic, geomorphic, oceanographic data, and model output.

  • Extract general relationships applicable to all barrier islands.

  • Quantify the contribution of island evolution due to cross-shore and alongshore sediment transport and identify the sediment budget contribution from each of these terms.

Medium-term coastal evolution involves the interaction of submerged and subaerial geomorphology, oceanography, sediment supply and other geologic constraints, and biological interactions associated with marshes and dune grasses which may capture or release sediments. The resulting sediment budgets determine the balance of topographic and bathymetric elevations and dictate how barrier island trajectories will proceed in the future.

 

Objectives

maps showing island evolution after berm construction
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Lidar topography sequence showing the Chandeleur Islands, berm construction (Feb. 2011), and subsequent berm and island evolution. (Public domain.)

  • Quantify the effectiveness of coastal restoration for mitigating storm impacts to the coastline.

  • Identify the feedback between coastal restoration and barrier island evolution.

  • Determine degree that barrier island response is predictable given past and updated process information and compare current evolution to climatic alternatives.

  • Develop and test methods to generate scenarios for future barrier-island evolution.

  • Support coastal management decisions.

Methodology

  • Interpret historical evolution.

  • Collect satellite imagery, oblique imagery, lidar topography/bathymetry, and sonar bathymetry data.

  • Extract elevation and width data and compare to oceanography, geology, and past data.

  • Develop predictive models for barrier island evolution and vulnerability.

  • Test models and update them with new observations.

  • Interpret and integrate geologic, geomorphic, oceanographic data, and model output.

  • Extract general relationships applicable to all barrier islands.

  • Quantify the contribution of island evolution due to cross-shore and alongshore sediment transport and identify the sediment budget contribution from each of these terms.

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