INVESTIGATING THE REALIZED AND POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF STORM SURGE EVENTS ON THREE DIFFERENT ATLANTIC AND CARIBBEAN COASTLINES: DELMARVA PENINSULA, VIRGINIA; FLORIDA KEYS, FLORIDA; AND CURACAO, NETHERLANDS ANTILLES

Coastal landscapes are among the most familiar landscapes observed by the average American college student. Yet for as much time as we spend recreating in these landscapes, we fail to appreciate the geologic and biologic processes that shape them. We understand little about how these dynamic features change in response to storm events and sea-level change, much less how they can be effective in protecting our growing coastal communities and natural resources if they themselves are protected. Some of the growing problems facing coastal communities as a result of population growth and climate change lie in managing the desire to engineer the coastlines and in predicting the impacts of intensification of storm activity and rising sea levels.

One of the most significant geologic hazards associated with living in these landscapes is storm surge. Associated with strong storms including nor’easters and hurricanes, storm surges produce elevated water levels that often result in severe coastal flooding, significant erosion of beaches, destruction of watercraft and fisheries, and other coastal infrastructure. Storm surge also poses a major threat to densely populated coastlines and has a significant potential for loss of life – especially if coincident with high-tide events. Nonetheless, coastal ecosystems – when functioning properly – have numerous natural lines of defense that work in concert to protect coastlines by dampening the effects of storm surge and limiting the amount of flooding and erosion.

This study investigates three different coastal ecosystems (Virginia salt marsh – barrier island complexes, Florida reef – mangrove complexes, and Curacao reef – terrace complexes) and their underlying geomorphology and ecology in order to understand how they function to minimize the impact of storms. Each case study is based on coastal changes attributed to specific storm events through pre- and post-storm assessments. In addition, GIS techniques are used to explore the range of potential impacts of storm surge given the different coastal geomorphologies and assuming different impairments in natural defenses.