Long Beach Erosion

Sand dunes are a valid indication of the quality of the soil and the surrounding ocean. When vegetation is established in sand dunes, it stabilises it- i.e. gives the dunes structure. This structure helps prevent erosion by using the plant life to trap the sand. Without these plants (and ultimately the sand dunes) sand will be subject to many natural forces without protection, meaning any major storm could theoretically remove large amounts of sand from the beach with no natural means of replenishing it. Long Reef Beach is commendable in the amount of vegetation it has produced.

Thusly, chronic coastal erosion is beginning to become a huge problem along a majority of the U.S. coast, exclusively on Hawaiian Islands (Romine and Fletcher, 2013). “Kona” storms, with southerly winds and waves, can trigger momentary erosional events to south and west exposed beaches on the coast (Romine and Fletcher, 2013). Erosional events are undoubtedly proving to control most shoreline changes throughout the state Hawaii, let alone Kauai. Romine and Fletcher’s studies of historical shorelines on major Hawaiian Islands, including Kauai, have proven that shoreline changes on the islands are displaying a dominant trend of being caused by erosion (2013) on the leeward and windward sides of the

There are 2 types of beaches. One is erosion dominant and the other is deposition

Newhaven is well known for having a harbour arm built in 1890 and is 700m wide. The harbour stops any sediment from moving further and protects river Estuary from any longshore drift damage. The harbour also allows boats to preserve their acess to the river Ouse. Longshore drift occurs when waves approach the coastline at an angle of 45°. The sediment is then carried up the beach (Swash) at the same angle. The wave then moves back down (Backwash) at 90°. This results in a zigzag motion along the beach which transports and deposits sediment along the coastline. The formation of the cliff depends on erosion or weathering, the three main types of marine erosion include abrasion, attrition and hydraulic action. The two significant types of weathering in coastal areas are corrosion and wetting/drying. As a result of longshore drift, the sediments and shingle is transported from the sea and tends to be depostited on the oppersite side of the harbour arm. The beach is used mainly by locals of pleasure and lesuire. predict that the cliff will be

tides. There are also many programs which help to ensure the stabilization of dunes, these include the planting of new vegetation to combat erosion, fencing and designated

Wave cut platforms are another feature of an erosional coastline. Along coastlines with cliff edges that sit about the shore these features are apparent they look like gently sloping areas of landnear the shore just above sea level. (Chambers, 2007) These benches and marine terraces are the product of wave action eroding the rock at the base of the cliff until the cliff cannot support itself on its new foundation and crumbles into the sea. Over time the collapsed land will have much of the smaller debris eroded away and much of the remaining rock or earth will be somewhat smoothed over to create a gentle slope to the water. (Chambers, 2007)

Barrier beaches are not static, they are constantly being changed (Coastal Change ) by the forces that formed them; waves and wind. One change effecting barrier beaches is they are moving closer to the main coast. This movement is caused by the rise in sea level. As the sea level rises waves crash higher and higher upon the beach, as they do this the dunes are pushed back. There are also seasonal changes in the barrier beaches. During stormy seasons sand is removed from the beach and deposited off shore on the longshore bar. During calm season waves redeposit sand upon the beach and the beach grows.

The beach front plain is upheld by a bed of crystalline shake secured with southeasterly plunging wedge-molded layers of sand, mud and rock. Water going through this approximately compacted blend breaks up a significant number of the minerals. The most solvent components are iron, calcium and magnesium.

However, these structures do not protect the shore in front of them. In fact, when bulkheads and seawalls are used in areas where there is significant wave action, they may actually accelerate beach erosion. This happens because much of the energy of the waves breaking on the structure is redirected downward, to the toe where the wall meets the soft sand or earth. The shore on this side of the bulkhead or seawall is thus subjected too much more of the force of the waves than if there were no wall, and it erodes quickly. Man made structures interrupt wave-driven drift, stealing sand from down shore beaches.

Dr. Fred Rich presented his research on the presence and creation of sand dunes on the Ohoopee River Preserve from a geological perspective. Dr. Rich is a professor at Georgia Southern University in the department of Geology and Geography. The main purpose of his research was to explain how sand dunes form, where they are located and why they exist. Sand dunes are sand ridges near lakes or deserts that are formed by the wind, aeolian deposition. The presence of a sand dune creates a significant contrast in the deposition of the environment in which one side can be a flourishing environment full of trees or grasses while the other side is just a xeric environment of sand. The preserve itself is a prime example in which the area is surrounded by a cypress forest while the sand dune area inside is just a xeric environment with

Culburra beach is one of the only beaches that have not undergone any human reforming and remains in its natural state. Culburra Beach does not have any man-made sea walls, boulders or human reforms. It does however have a natural sea wall consisting of sand dunes and natural vegetation, that separates the sea from the first line of houses. In order to ensure that Culburra beach continues to flourish, all humans have to do is ensure they do not pollute the beach and waters and build houses too close to the natural beach. Culburra Beach has been able to continually achieve a natural cycle as the waves bring sand into beach and then take the sand back out into the ocean. This forms a natural process and recurring cycle, allowing the beach to function

Sea level rise is also a significant factor of erosion because as the sea level has risen over time, beaches and barrier islands have moved, transporting sand in the process. Sea level rise is a long-term process of coastal transformation as sand is steadily removed from beaches and barrier islands and transported to other areas, creating less protection for beaches and estuaries. As sea level rise continues to increase along the South Carolina coast, erosion by coastal flooding will become an even greater problem (United States 1.1). One study on the correlation between sea level rise and erosion concluded that sea level rise does increase erosion rates if nothing else due to the fact that “rising sea level enables high-energy waves to reach farther up the beach and redistribute sand offshore” (Leatherman 55). Human activity through construction also has a negative effect on beaches and erosion, for example the building of structures such as seawalls, jetties and groins have negatively effected the movement of sand, thus not allowing the proper amount of sand to reach the beaches and barrier islands to replace the moving sand due to other factors (United States 1.1). Erosion is a natural process of coastal change due to many factors, but human activity and development can increase the rate at which

Coastal dune management positively protects against the loss of Southport Spits ' beach by helping maintain, conserve and rehabilitate the natural dunal areas remaining. It is important for sand dunes to be maintained as they significantly protect the coastline. Also, sand dunes act as a buffer against wave damage during

Beaches are some of the most romanticized places on the planet, for good reason; however, the encroachment of humans onto beach and coastal habitats has resulted in several negative outcomes. At Santa Monica State Beach (and adjoining pier), one of the most popular and polluted beaches in California, the impacts of urban development, industry, and other man-made problems have caused mass pollution in the surrounding environment. The effects this pollution has on the coastal wildlife, water quality, and human health are catastrophic to the ecology and natural habitat of the beach. The beach began to decline in the early twentieth century with the construction of the Santa Monica Pier in 1909 after sixteen weeks of construction that on its own resulted in many tons of concrete being poured into Santa Monica Bay (City of Santa Monica, 2015). Over the next few decades land developers, and beach goers alike contributed a toxic combination of chemicals, bacteria, and trash that has resulted in Santa Monica Bay having several dead zones (Heal the Bay, 2015), which devastate the marine life population.

Horizons Solution Site. (2003). The Santos beaches recovery program. [Electronic Version]. Retrieved November 24, 2005 from