Chapter 10:

Coastal Processes
GEO 101: Introduction to Environmental
Geology

Environmental Geology
Chapter 10
Five Fundamental
Concepts

Chapter 5 Objectives

Increasing human
population

To understand :

The concept of
sustainability

2.Components of beach

Earth as a system

4. Rip currents

Hazardous Earth
processes

5.Coastal erosion

Scientific knowledge and

values

7.Human activities and their

effects

1.Wave terminology
3.Sand transport at the beach

6.Shoreline protection

8.The effects of hurricanes

Waves

Size of waves depend on:

Velocity of wind
Duration of wind
Distance that wind blows across the
surface, or fetch

What happens to wave

as it approaches shore?

Shape?
Speed?
Why?

Wave RefractionWhy?
-bending of waves

Longshore Currents
A current of water and moving sediment that
develops in the surf zone as he result of waves
that strike the land at an angle.

 Long
Beach
NY
Longshor
e
Current

Rip currents
A seaward flow of water in a confined
narrow zone from a beach to beyond the
breaker zone.

Parts of the Beach

Beach erosion

Beach budget inventory of sources and

losses of sediment to a particular stretch
of coastline.

Erosion Factors

Engineering Structures
Hard stabilization engineering
structures to protect a shoreline from
waves
Soft stabilization adding sand o a beach
(beach nourishment)
Managed retreat living with beach
erosion with perhaps a mixture of hard
and soft stabilization

Controversy

Beach Nourishment

The Atlantic Coast

The Gulf Coast

The Great Lakes

Hurricanes

Storm Surge

How do I prepare for a

hurricane?
BEFORE
DURING A WATCH
DURING A WARNING
AFTER

E-lines and E-zones

Based on
erosion rates
Hawaii
Erosion
Zones:
http://www.so
est.hawaii.ed
u/coasts/eros
ion

Fire Island

Case Study # 1: Cape

Hatteras

Case # 2 Montauk Point

1800s Montauk

Montauk Today

Montauk BluffsErosion

What should we do? Create a quick

5 minute presentation you have
30 minutes!
Introduction Slide (Take home Message)
Site Description
Your Plan
Why your plan is great
Conclusion Slide (Take home message)