SHORELINE EROSION ALONG ONE OF GEORGIA'S MOST VULNERABLE BARRIER ISLANDS: JEKYLL ISLAND, GA, USA

Over the past few decades, a number of published studies have suggested that shoreline erosion may be intensifying in response to rising global sea-levels. As populations increase within the coastal zone, communities are continuously pushing to develop closer to shorelines that are ultimately retreating toward them in most cases. Jekyll Island in an exemplary site along the Georgia coast where a number of coastal properties, both oceanfront and soundside, are confronted with property loss due to chronic shoreline erosion. Furthermore, there is increasing pressure Georgia's legislature to open the island up for more development, thus placing buildings/structures on or within close proximity of the shore. High resolution shoreline studies, conducted within a GIS framework, are needed to help to further our understanding of the natural seashore and aid with managing human activities and possible impacts along the shore.

To date, few studies exist that detail the spatial and temporal extent of historical shoreline erosion along the Georgia's developed barrier islands. The current study aimed at improving upon previous investigations by utilizing improved GIS analysis techniques coupled with high resolution shoreline data derived orthophotos and coastal survey maps (NOS T-sheets) of Jekyll Island. Preliminary results show that more than 60% of Jekyll Island's shoreline has experienced net erosion from 1867 to 2002 at an average rate of -0.6 m/yr (± 0.08 m/yr).