David F. Richards IV
Water Resources & Remote Sensing Lab (WRRS), Department of Geology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 20602, USA
Adam M. Milewski
Water Resources & Remote Sensing Lab (WRRS), Department of Geology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 20602, USA
Brian Gregory
Southeast Coast Inventory & Monitoring Network (SECN), Main Office, Southeast Coast Network, Athens, GA 30605, USA
Changes in sea level along the coastal southeastern United States (U.S.) influence the dynamic coastal response. In particular, the Southeast Coastal Network (SECN) of the National Park Service (NPS) has exhibited evidence of fluctuations in sea level which caused coastal erosion. Airborne LiDAR acquired from NOAA for Fort Matanzas National Monument, Fort Pulaski National Monument, Charles Pinckney National Historic Site, and Cape Lookout National Seashore were analyzed to identify changes in both elevation and the spatial volume of unconsolidated sedimentary material in the coastal southeast over time. Areas that exhibited an increase (deposited material) or decrease (eroded material) in elevation were mapped across the study area from 2006 to 2018. Results indicate a quasi-cyclic process where unconsolidated sediment distribution and the morphodynamic equilibrium changes with time. The coastal zones are steadily oscillating between the process of erosion and deposition affecting the coastal geomorphological dynamic. The use of LiDAR for evaluating coastal sustainability and resiliency due to this environmental phenomenon is clear.
[1] Gornitz, V.M., Daniels, R.C., White, T.W., et al., 1994. The development of a coastal risk assessment database: vulnerability to sea level rise in the U.S. Southwest. Journal of Coastal Research Special Issue. 12, 327-338. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25735608.
[2] Wu, S.Y., Yarnal, B., Fisher, A., 2002. Vulnerability of coastal communities to sea-level rise: A case study of Cape May county, New Jersey, USA. Climate Research. 22(3), 255-270.
[3] Church, J.A., Hunter, J.R., McInnes, K.L., et al., 2006. Sea-level rise around the Australian coastline and the changing frequency of extreme sea-level events. Australian Meteorological Magazine. 55(4), 253-260.
[4] Leatherman, S.P., 1984. Coastal geomorphic response to sea level rise: Galveston Bay, Texas. Barth and Titus (eds). Coastal Zone. 151-178.
[5] Nicholls, R.J., Wong, P.P., Burkett, V., et al., 2007. Coastal systems and low-lying areas. https://ro.uow.edu.au/scipapers/.164,315-356.
[6] Markewich, H.W., Pavich, M.J., Buell, G.R., 1990. Contrasting soils and landscapes of the Piedmont and Coastal Plain, eastern United States. Geomorphology. 3(3-4), 417-447. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0169-555X(90)90015-I
[7] Leece, S.A., Pease, P.P., Gares, P.A., et al., 2006. Seasonal controls on sediment delivery in a small coastal plain watershed, North Carolina, USA. Geomorphology. 73 (3-4), 246-260. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2005.05.017
[8] Philips, J.D., Wyrick, M., Robbins, J.G., et al., 1993. Accelerated erosion on the North Carolina coastal plain. Physical Geography. 14(2), 114-130. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02723646.1993.10642471
[9] Hauer, M.E., Evans, J.M., Mishra, D.R., 2016. Millions projected to be at risk from sea-level rise in the continental United States. Nature Climate Change. 6(7), 691-695. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate2961
[10] Desmet, K., Kopp, R.E., Kulp, S.A., et al., 2018. Evaluating the economic cost of coastal flooding (No. w24918). National Bureau of Economic Research. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3386/w24918
[11] Klein, R.J.T., Nicholls, R.J., 1999. Assessment of coastal vulnerability to climate change. Ambio. pp. 182-187. https://www.jstor.org/stable/4314873.
[12] Lindsey, R., 2019. Climate Change: Global Sea Level. National oceanic and atmospheric administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service, Silver Spring. https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-global-sea-level (Accessed on 18 January 2020).
[13] Bamber, J.L., Oppenheimer, M., Kopp, R.E., et al., 2019. Ice sheet contributions to future sea-level rise from structured expert judgment. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 116(23), 11195-11200. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1817205116
[14] Von Holle, B., Irish, J.L., Spivy, A., et al., 2019. Effects of future sea level rise on coastal habitat. Journal of Wildlife Management. 83(3), 694-704. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.21633
[15] Morton, R.A., 2003. An overview of coastal land loss: With emphasis on the southeastern United States. United States (p. 28). US Geological Survey, Center for Coastal and Watershed Studies.https://www.citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?-doi=10.1.1.730.5008&rep=rep1&type=pdf.
[16] Morton, R.A., Miller, T.L., 2005. National assessment of shoreline change: Part 2, Historical shoreline change and associated land loss along the U.S. Southeast Atlantic coast. U.S. Geological Survey. Open-File Report. 1401, 1-40. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20051401
[17] Gutierrez, B.T., Plant, N.G., Thieler, E.R., 2011. A Bayesian network to predict coastal vulnerability to sea level rise. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface. 116(F2). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2010JF001891
[18] Brock, J.C., Purkis, S.J., 2009. The emerging role of lidar remote sensing in coastal research and resource management. Journal of Coastal Research. (10053), 1-5. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2112/SI53-001.1
[19] Carson, W.W., Anderson, H.E., Reutebuch, S.E., et al., 2004. May. LiDAR applications in forestry – An overview. Proceedings of the American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing Annual Conference (pp. 1-9) 04-1-2-02_04_1_2_02_deliverable_06.pdf (https://www.firescience.gov).
[20] Sallenger, A.H., Jr., Krabill, W.B., Swift, R.N., et al., 2003. Evaluation of airborne topographic lidar for quantifying beach changes. Journal of Coastal Research. 125-133. https://www.jstor.org/stable/4299152.
[21] Woolard, J.W., Colby, J.D., 2002. Spatial characterization, resolution, and volumetric change of coastal dunes using airborne LIDAR: Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Geomorphology. 48(1-3), 269-287. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-555X(02)00185-X
[22] Young, A.P., Ashford, S.A., 2006. Application of airborne lidar for seacliff volumetric change and beach-sediment budget contributions. Journal of Coastal Research. 22(2), 307-318. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2112/05-0548.1
[23] O’Dea, A., Brodie, K.L., Hartzell, P., 2019. Continuous coastal monitoring with an automated terrestrial lidar scanner. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering. 7(2), 37. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse7020037
[24] Gesch, D.B., 2009. Analysis of lidar elevation data for improved identification and delineation of lands vulnerable to sea-level rise. Journal of Coastal Research. 53, 49-58. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2112/SI53-006.1
[25] Elaksher, A., 2008. Fusion of hyperspectral images and lidar-based dems for coastal mapping. Optics and Lasers in Engineering. 46(7), 493-498. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.optlaseng.2008.01.012
[26] Titus, J.G., Richmond, C., 2001. Maps of lands vulnerable to sea level rise: modeled elevations along the US Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Climate Research. 18(3), 1-24. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/cr018205
[27] Barnhardt, W., Denny, J., Baldwin, W., et al., 2007. Geologic framework of the Long Bay inner shelf: implications for coastal evolution in South Carolina. Coastal Sediments. 2151-2160. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1061/40926(239)169
[28] Warner, J.C., Armstrong, B., Sylvester, C.S., et al., 2012. Storm-induced inner-continental shelf circulation and sediment transport: Long Bay, South Carolina. Continental Shelf Research. 42, 51-63. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csr.2012.05.001
[29] Ingram, K., Dow, K., Carter, L., et al., 2013. Climate of the southeast United States: Variability, change, impacts, and vulnerability. Washington DC; Island Press/Center for Resource Economics.
[30] Davey, C.A., Redmond, K.T., Simeral, D.B., 2007. Weather and Climate Inventory, National Park Service, Southeast Coast Network. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/SECN/NRTR- 2007/010. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado.
[31] Phillips, J.D., 1997. A short history of a flat place, three centuries of geomorphic change in the Croatan. Annals of the Association of American Geographers. 87(2), 197-216. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/0004-5608.872050
[32] Campbell, K.M., Rupert, F.R., Arthur, J.D., et al., 2001. Geologic map of the state of Florida. Tallahassee, FL: Florida Geological Survey.
[33] Faulkner, G.L., 1970. Geohydrology of the Cross-Florida Barge Canal area with special reference to the Ocala vicinity. Diane Publishing.
[34] Graham, J., 2009. Geologic resources inventory scoping summary Fort Matanzas National Monument, Florida. Geologic resources Division National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior. 1-9.
[35] Tibbals, C.H., 1990. Hydrology of the Floridan aquifer system in east-central Florida. U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper; (USA).
[36] Clarke, J.S., Hacke, C.M., Peck, M.F., 1990. Geology and ground water resources of the coastal area of Georgia. Bulletin (USA).
[37] Weems, R.E., Edwards, L.E., 2001. Geology of Oligocene, Miocene and Younger deposits in the coastal area of Georgia (Vol. 131). Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Division, Georgia Geologic Survey.
[38] Veatch, O., Stephenson, L.W., 1911. Preliminary report on the geology of the Coastal Plain of Georgia (No. 26). Foote & Davies Company.
[39] Huddleston, P.F., 1988. A revision of the lithostrati graphic units of the Coastal Plain of Georgia: The Miocene through Holocene. Georgia Geological Survey, Bulletin. 105, 1-152. B-104.pdf (https://www.georgia.gov).
[40] Heron, S.D., Robinson, G.D., Johnson, H.S., Jr., 1965. Clays and opal-bearing claystones of the South Carolina Coastal Plain (No. 31). State Department Board.
[41] Sloan, E., 1979. Catalogue of the mineral localities of South Carolina. South Carolina Geological Survey.
[42] Campbell, B.G., 1996. Geology, hydrogeology, and potential of intrinsic bioremediation at the National Park Service Dockside II site and adjacent areas, Charleston, South Carolina, 1993-94 (Vol. 96, No. 4170). US Geological Survey.
[43] Aucott, W.R., Davis, M.E., Speiran, G.K., 1987. Geohydrologic framework for the Coastal Plain aquifers of South Carolina (No. 85-4271).
[44] Aucott, W.R., 1996. Hydrology of the Southeastern Coastal Plain aquifer system in South Carolina and parts of Georgia and North Carolina (No. 1410-E). U.S. Geological Survey. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3133/pp1410E
[45] Aucott, W.R., 1988. The predevelopment groundwater flow system and hydrologic characteristics of the Coastal Plain aquifers of South Carolina (Vol. 86, No. 4347). US Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey.
[46] Lautier, J.C., 2001. Hydrogeologic framework and groundwater conditions in the North Carolina Central Coastal Plain. North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources Division of Water Resources.
[47] Winner, M.D., 1978. Ground-water resources of the Cape Lookout National Seashore, North Carolina (No. 78-52) U.S. Geological Survey, Raleigh, North Carolina. 78-52, 1-59.
[48] Lautier, J.C., 2009. Hydrogeologic framework and groundwater conditions in the North Carolina East Central Coastal Plain. North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources Division of Water Resources.
[49] NOAA: Data Access Viewer. n.d. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), NOAA Office of Coastal Management. https://coast.noaa.gov/dataviewer/#/lidar/search/ (Accessed on 3 May 2018).
[50] Ranasinghe, R., 2016. Assessing climate change impacts on open sandy coasts: A review. Earth Science Reviews.160, 320-332. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2016.07.011
[51] Clarke, D.J., Eliot, I.G., 1987. Groundwater level changes in a coastal dune, sea-level fluctuations and shoreline movement on a sandy beach. Marine Geology. 77(3-4), 319-326. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0025-3227(87)90120-4
[52] Aubrey, D.G., 1983. Beach changes on costs with different wave climates. Sandy beaches as ecosystems. pp. 63-85.
[53] Vousdoukas, M.I., Ranasinghe, R., Mentaschi, L., et al., 2020. Sandy coastlines under threat of erosion. Nature Climate Change. 10(3), 260-263. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-020-0697-0
[54] Park, J.Y., Wells, J.T., 2005. Longshore transport at Cape Lookout, North Carolina: shoal evolution and the regional sediment budget. Journal of Coastal Research. 21(1), 1-17. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2112/02051.1
[55] Park, J.Y., Wells, J.T., 2005. Longshore transport at Cape Lookout, North Carolina: shoal evolution and the regional sediment budget. Journal of Coastal Research. 21(1), 1-17. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2112/02051.1
[56] Leung, L.R., Prasad, R. 2019. Potential impacts of accelerated climate change: Third Annual Report of Work (No. PNNL-27452-Rev. 1). Paciffic Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA United States. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2172/1524249
[57] Hoover, D.J., Odigie, K.O., Swarzenski, P.W., et al., 2017. Sea-level rise and coastal groundwater inundation and shoaling at select sites in California, USA. Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies. 11, 234-249. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2015.12.055
[58] Deronde, B., Houthuys, R., Henriet, J.P., et al., 2008. Monitoring of the sediment dynamics along a sandy shoreline by means of airborne hyperspectral remote sensing and LiDAR: a case study in Belgium. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms: The Journal of the British Geomorphological Research Group. 33(2), 280-294. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.1545
Copyright © 2022 David F. Richards IV, Adam M. Milewski, Brian Gregory
This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.
