CHANGING PROFILES OF PLUM ISLAND, MA FROM 10/26/12 TO 12/3/12: A STUDY OF AN ISLAND IN FLUX

The intensity of storm surges and their erosional impacts pose a threat to the security of coastal communities. Climate change has the potential to increase both the frequency and intensity of tropical cyclones, causing greater storm surges, which have the capacity to displace a greater volume of sediment and reshape the coastal landscape (IPCC, 2007). We monitored the effects of multiple storm surges on both the ocean-side and leeward-side of Plum Island, Newburyport, Massachusetts. Multiple beach profiles were taken on both sides of the island from October 26, 2012 (pre-Sandy) to December 3, 2012 (post-Sandy and Athena). While beach scraping by residents in preparation for Hurricane Sandy resulted in a temporary buildup of sand on the ocean-facing beach, there was a negative loss of beach profile over the entire study period. During the same time period there was a positive gain on the leeward side of the island, clearly demonstrating beach roll over.