CHANGES IN FETCH LIMITED BARRIER ISLANDS OF THE DELAWARE BAY

The barrier islands in the study area are experiencing dynamic changes. Regionally the barrier islands are experiencing both landward rollover and are migrating inland at a linear rate with no significant difference between the rate of shoreline and back edge migration. The only exceptions are the human developed islands which remain relatively unchanged. We see no evidence that a critical width must be reached before landward migration begins. It is possible that these islands are so narrow to begin with that they exist at that critical width. These islands are responding to sea level rise by migrating landward; they are not at risk of disappearing at the current rate of sea level rise.