Physical Performance of Beach Nourishment Projects Along a Microtidal Low-Energy Coast, West-Central Florida, USA

Tiffany M. Roberts, Ping Wang, Nicole A. Elko

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This paper examines the two year temporal and spatial performance of several beach nourishment projects constructed in 2006 along three microtidal low-wave energy barrier islands in west central Florida, based on monthly surveys of 145 beach profiles. The performance relates to background transport gradients, localized morphology variations, and project length. The performance of the different projects varied spatially and temporally, relating to a shoreline orientation change of 65 degrees, variations in the general depth of the inner continental shelf, and longshore sediment transport interrupted by two tidal inlets. Short projects adjacent to inlets, with large longshore transport gradients, resulted in 20-70 % volume loss of the initial-fill after 2-years. Along the longer projects further from inlets, 80 % of the fill-volumes remained.

Original languageAmerican English
JournalProceedings of Coastal Dynamics 2009
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 2009

Keywords

  • beach nourishment
  • nearshore sediment transport
  • coastal morphodynamics
  • shore protection
  • storm
  • Gulf of Mexico
  • Florida beaches

Disciplines

  • Earth Sciences
  • Geology
  • Physical Sciences and Mathematics

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