Coch, N.K., 2019. Forensic analysis of the 1893 “New York City” hurricane: Implications for the future. Journal of Coastal Research, 35(4), 729–736. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

Examination of an offshore-replenished beach in New York City in 1995 revealed that it contained anthropogenic debris from the distant past. Dating of the debris determined that the archeological items were deposited from a category 1 hurricane that made landfall in New York City on the nights of 23–24 August 1893. This “midnight storm” caused great damage in spite of its relatively low category on the Saffir-Simpson scale. A detailed study of the storm was conducted because it was the first hurricane to hit a major metropolitan area with many high-rise buildings. Subsequent discovery of the original weather records from New York City allowed for the re-creation of meteorological conditions in 1893, and they account for the great destruction it caused. The meteorological data were also used to conduct a SLOSH analysis that provided additional information on the storm. These analyses helped to determine why the damage was so high. The results of this study have provided valuable information for damage mitigation in future northern hurricanes.

Liu, G.; Cai, F.; Qi, H.; Zhu, J., and Liu, J., 2019. Morphodynamic evolution and adaptability of nourished beaches. Journal of Coastal Research, 35(4), 737–750. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

Beach nourishment has been widely used for coastal protection in China. However, few beaches have been monitored after nourishment, and the evolution of nourished beaches has not yet been elucidated. This paper presents a study of two nourished beaches, both of which are in low–wave-energy environments but have different tidal ranges: Huizhan Beach, with a large tidal range, and Meiliwan Beach, with a small tidal range. To gain a better understanding of the evolution of these nourished beaches, beach profile surveys were carried out repeatedly over 4 and 2 years after nourishment, respectively. The nourished beach evolutions were analyzed in terms of profile morphology, foreshore slope, dry beach width, and remaining sand volume. From the results obtained, it can be seen that Huizhan Beach profiles demonstrated major changes during the initial adjustment, followed by a stable state, while Meiliwan Beach profiles demonstrated major changes both during the initial adjustment and after a storm. Moreover, Huizhan Beach presented a rapid volume loss during initial adjustment, which was related to both the steeper foreshore slope and longshore spreading. For the analysis of profile equilibration, Huizhan Beach profiles changed rapidly and achieved equilibrium in several months, while Meiliwan Beach changed in stages and approached final equilibrium after the first postnourishment storm. The different mechanisms of profile equilibration at the two beaches were closely related to the tidal ranges of the sites. On the basis of the observed evolution, two types of profile evolution patterns of nourished beaches with different tidal ranges were proposed.

Hallin, C.; Almström, B.; Larson, M., and Hanson, H., 2019. Longshore transport variability of beach face grain size: Implications for dune evolution. Journal of Coastal Research, 35(4), 751–764. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

This study investigates grain-size sorting through longshore transport processes and how it influences dune evolution. The analysis is based on a data set of 58 sediment samples distributed alongshore over a 6.5-km-long sandy beach in Ängelholm, Sweden. Grain size differs significantly from north to south, where median grain size varies from about 0.4–0.15 mm. The long-term coastal evolution is derived from shoreline change analysis of a series of aerial photos from the 1940s until today and from longshore sediment transport rates calculated on the basis of wave data simulated by the SWAN wave model employed in the Coastal Engineering Research Center (CERC) formula. The results show an almost unidirectional longshore transport from north to south; the beach is eroding in the northern part and accreting in the southern part. The McLaren model, a grain size–based model to predict transport direction, was tested against the grain size data. The test indicated transport in the opposite direction. This result supports previous studies suggesting that the McLaren model has limited applicability for sandy beaches with a dominant longshore transport. The sediment samples were collected at the mid–beach face position in an area where sediment is supplied to the beach during accreting conditions. Sediment in the appropriate grain size to build dunes—at this beach, 0.2–0.3 mm—was found in the parts of the beach where the dunes are growing. In the eroding parts, the sediment was coarser, suggesting that the longshore transport influences the supply of sediment for aeolian transport. The gradients in longshore transport rate were also found to affect dune morphology; the dunes were higher in the eroding and stable parts of the beach and lower in the accreting parts.

Johnson, A.C.; Noel, J.; Gregovich, D.P.; Kruger, L.E., and Buma, B., 2019. Impacts of submerging and emerging shorelines on various biota and indigenous Alaskan harvesting patterns. Journal of Coastal Research, 35(4), 765–775. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

Future alongshore benthic species shoreline lengths undergoing both sea level rise and relative sea level lowering (postglacial isostatic rebound) where SE Alaska Natives regularly conduct traditional and cultural harvests were approximated. From 30-km radii of six community centers, shorelines were examined by merging relevant portions of the NOAA ShoreZone database (utilizing alongshore bioband length segments as accounting units) with nearshore bathymetry and measures of mean global sea-level rise along with local GPS information of isostatic rebound rate. For this analysis, adjustments for the year 2108 were made by using 9868 alongshore length units (totaling 3466 km), each unit having uniform substrate and biologic type, by conducting geometric analysis of shoreline attributes. Given up to 1.8 m of sea level lowering, up to 30% decreases in estuary shoreline lengths are predicted. Trends, verified with both archeologic and land ownership records, confirm utility of simple geometric-based assessments (bathtub approach), particularly for low-energy bays with minimal stream input and bedrock/sediment–dominated shorelines and sites dominated by either isostatic rebound, sea level rise, or both. Predicted changes have implications for traditional and cultural gathering, food webs, and ocean carbon sequestration rates. For example, greater change in shoreline length segments is predicted for protected low-slope gradient bays and estuaries dominated by eelgrass (Zostera marina) and inferred butter clam (Saxidomus gigantean) habitats than for exposed, rocky, steep-gradient peninsulas with red foliose algae, including dulce (Palmaria sp.) and bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana).

Pitman, S.J. and Lee, D., 2019. Determining the accuracy of visual wave height observations and the perception of surfzone hazards made by lifeguards. Journal of Coastal Research, 35(4), 776–783. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

In deciding whether the water at the beach is safe to enter, one key parameter on which people base their assessment is the size of breaking waves. To understand the accuracy with which wave height can be visually estimated, this study utilises 1566 observations of wave height made by New Zealand's Surf Life Saving Northern Region's lifeguards over a 3-year period across 15 sites. Lifeguard observations were compared against hindcast wave data for each of the times and locations logged by the lifeguards. Across the entire data set, spanning wave heights of 0–5 m, there was consistent underprediction of the breaking wave height (mean – 0.48 m). The magnitude of underprediction was greatest for large surf, where waves between 3 and 4 m were underestimated by 1.75 m on average. This study showed that for small waves, lifeguards on the calmer east-coast beaches were more accurate in their estimation, whereas lifeguards from the west coast significantly underestimated smaller waves. West-coast lifeguards regularly deal with surf in excess of 3 m, and therefore they may perceive far less risk from these small waves, leading to significant underestimation. This study shows an inherent bias for underprediction of wave height by a large number of experienced observers, which implies that there may be a tendency to underpredict the degree of hazard during rescue situations. Furthermore, there are implications for the general public's ability to make informed assessments of hazard when entering the water.

Liu, J.; Han, G.; Liu, X.; Yang, K.; Li, X., and Liu, M., 2019. Examining the distribution and variation of dissolved carbon species and seasonal carbon exports within the Jiulongjiang River Basin (Southeast China). Journal of Coastal Research, 35(4), 784–793. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

The water chemistry, including major ions and dissolved carbon of Jiulongjiang River in SE China, were determined to examine the distributions and variations of dissolved carbon species. Dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) concentrations in the river water were within the range of 7.50 to 49.04 mg/L (averaged 22.12 mg/L) in the wet season and from 8.83 to 84.91 mg/L (averaged 41.17 mg/L) in the dry season. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) varied from 0.54 to 2.89 mg/L (averaged 1.04 mg/L) in the wet season and from 1.34 to 3.56 mg/L (averaged 2.34 mg/L) in the dry season. The concentrations of DIC were comparable among the three tributaries, whereas the DOC was significantly higher in the Xixi River and Nanxi River than the Beixi River. The calculations employing the mass balance method indicated that weathering process and anthropogenic inputs played an important role in the dissolved carbon production in the Jiulongjiang watershed. The DOC exhibited significant correlations with the rural area whereas the DIC did not show any significant correlations with land-use types, indicating that the DOC was closely related to agricultural activities. The carbon export fluxes from the Jiulongjiang River were calculated based on the discharge data. The DIC-C export reached to 1.2 × 10⁵ t/y, whereas the DOC-C export was nearly 3.2 × 10⁴ t/y. In addition, seasonal variation of carbon exports had been observed; because of the large water discharge in the wet season, more DIC and DOC were transported from the Jiulongjiang River in the wet season than in the dry season. The source analysis demonstrated natural processes account for the majority of carbon exports.

Vlodarchyk, B.; Olivito, A., and Houser, C., 2019. Spatial and temporal variation of surf drownings in the Great Lakes: 2010–17. Journal of Coastal Research, 35(4), 794–804. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

Drownings on the Great Lakes are an emerging public health issue in the United States and Canada, but little is known about the physical and human dimensions of drowning and associated coastal hazards in this region. This study describes spatial and temporal variation of surf-zone drownings on the Great Lakes between 2010 and 2017 with respect to the demographics of the drowning victims, proximity to population centers, and interannual variations in the regional climate. A total of 391 drownings were reported on the Great Lakes during this period, but there is considerable variability in the number of drownings among the lakes and from year to year. The largest number of drownings occurred on Lake Michigan (n = 207; 53%), with most drownings concentrated along the southern end of the lake, near large population centers. The number of drownings in the other lakes ranged from 67 in Lake Erie (17%) to 27 (7%) in Lake Superior. Most drownings during this period occurred in the summer months of June, July, and August, with a disproportionate number occurring on a Sunday (n=102; 26%). Most drownings involved males between 10 and 30 years old (n = 167; 43%), with males between 15 and 20 years old accounting for the largest proportion of drownings (n = 69; 18%). Most drownings occurred during periods when wind speeds (a proxy for wave height) were relatively weak (2–5 m s^-1), although there were many drownings when winds ranged from 5 to 10 m s^-1. The number of drownings in each year was found to be dependent on air and water temperature, annual precipitation, and the concentration of ice in the previous winter. The identified relationships suggest that the number of drownings is expected to increase in the future with a warming climate, which, in turn, suggests a need for increased education and lifesaving programs in the region.

Lu, H.; Gu, F.; Qi, D.; Chen, X., and Wang, Y., 2019. Investigating near-bottom hydrodynamic processes in the Yangtze River estuary using in situ measurements. Journal of Coastal Research, 35(4), 805–813. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of hydrodynamic processes in the near-bottom layer of the Yangtze River estuary to further understand near-bottom hydrodynamic processes in this area. For this purpose, in situ acoustic Doppler velocimetry measurements were taken at two sites (upstream and downstream) during a neap-spring tidal cycle. Results show that tidal asymmetry is significant with wide variations across different areas. The turbulence is anisotropic, and the turbulence pulsation intensity increases with current speed, while turbulence anisotropy weakens. C_d values estimated at both sites vary from 10^–4 to 10^–2, exhibiting obvious time variation and relationship with current. Their average values are 0.001 and 0.0008, respectively, which are much smaller than 0.0061, which is associated with the local median grain size of bed sediments. The relationship between inertial dissipation rate (ε_sp) and friction velocity (u*) at both sites agrees well with the values using the classical law of the wall most of the time, indicating that the classical law of the wall is applicable to the near-bottom of the Yangtze estuary most of the time, except when current speed is low. Differences in the dynamic processes between TR1 and TR2 indicate that, apart from the tidal influence and the geographical location influence, stratification should be another important factor driving hydrodynamic processes in the near-bottom layer.

Maio, C.V.; Crowell, A.L.; Sullivan, R.M.; Buzard, R.M.; Whitley, M.A.; Bogardus, R.C., and de Wit, C.W., 2019. Examining coastal dynamics and archaeological site evidence at a drowned cirque basin influenced by earthquakes and Little Ice Age glaciation. Journal of Coastal Research, 35(4), 814–834. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

This study contributes baseline information regarding the framework geology, drivers of coastal change, and archaeological record along the fjord-indented coastlines of southcentral Alaska. Field data were collected in July 2015 from James Lagoon, a 30-m-deep drowned cirque valley adjacent to McCarty Fjord in the Nuka Bay region of Kenai Fjords National Park. A 1790 CE terminal moraine deposited by McCarty Glacier extends across the cirque opening and delimits the lagoon. Acoustic surveys of the lagoon reveal bedrock overlain by deltaic, lacustrine, and marine facies containing beds that indicate past submarine landslides. Lagoon and marsh sediment cores contain coarse sand horizons interbedded with silt and peat, evidence of repeated low-frequency, high-intensity events. The largest of the event beds in the marine cores occurs near the surface and is likely associated with the 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake (moment magnitude 9.2). Trees killed during the 1964 earthquake fringe the coastline and indicate ∼2 m of coseismic subsidence. Radiocarbon ages of five exposed subfossil stumps indicate two pre-1964 subsidence events occurring between 1710 and 1789 and 1078 and 1125 median probability calendar year CE (cal CE). A Sugpiaq culture archaeological site dated to 1565 cal CE existed on the western shore of James Lagoon in the interval between these two events, possibly for proximity to an ice floe harbor seal rookery at McCarty Glacier. Archaeological site elevation above mean high water at James Lagoon and around Nuka Bay is inversely related to the extent of cumulative site erosion caused by coastal submergence during the last two great earthquakes. These combined findings lay the groundwork for future research and provide context to ongoing coastal hazards and their effects on cultural resources.

Gu, H.; Guo, Q.; Lin, P.; Bai, L.; Yang, S.; Sitharam, T.G., and Liu, J., 2019. Feasibility study of coastal reservoirs in the Zhoushan Islands, China. Journal of Coastal Research, 35(4), 835–841. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

With continuing economic and social development, tourism and ocean-related industries are rapidly growing such that the shortage of fresh water is becoming a severe problem in the Zhoushan Islands, Zhejiang, China. It was assumed that this occurred because the city is lacking freshwater resources. Driven by this assumption, a project of water diversion from the mainland has been completed for two stages, and a third stage has been planned. However, 26–28% of rain water of 4.6–4.9 billion m³ has been discharged into the sea. This is much more than that obtained from the water-diversion project. Based on an analysis of the precipitation pattern in the region, the possibility of constructing coastal reservoirs in the Zhoushan Islands are discussed, which will play a significant role in solving the freshwater shortage of islands such as Zhoushan.

White, R.A.; Piraino, K.; Shortridge, A., and Arbogast, A.F., 2019. Measurement of vegetation change in critical dune sites along the eastern shores of Lake Michigan from 1938 to 2014 with object-based image analysis. Journal of Coastal Research, 35(4), 842–851. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

Coastal sand dunes are common on coastlines around the world and are often heavily managed to control erosion or to enable their dynamic nature. The largest body of freshwater coastal dunes in the world occurs on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan in North America. This dune system is one of the most heavily utilized landscapes in the Great Lakes region and has tremendous economic and cultural significance. As a result, they are managed in association with Michigan's Sand Dune Protection and Management Act, which seeks, in part, to preserve their diversity, quality, and function. To achieve these goals, it is essential to understand the dunes' geomorphic evolution and behaviors. Prior research has thoroughly investigated their geomorphic development in the past 5000 years; however, this record is based on ¹⁴C and optical dates with inherent chronological uncertainty. In contrast, little is known about the patterns or rates of vegetation expansion and contraction in this period. High-resolution remote sensing data may provide new insights into the spatial conditions of the landscape not available through field data collection. Land cover change mapping provides an estimate of the extent of vegetation change in these environments. The use of black and white historical photographs are difficult for these studies because of their lack of spectral information. Geographic object-based image analysis (GEOBIA) incorporates spatial context into the classification process and can improve classification resolution and accuracy from such images. A GEOBIA technique was applied to estimate the extent of vegetation change from 1938 to 2014 in coastal dune systems along much of the eastern coast of Lake Michigan. Results show that 14 of 16 study sites experienced significant vegetation increase; however, classification accuracies depend on the successful co-registration of the images and land cover heterogeneity. These results provide essential baseline information for maintaining the diversity, quality, and function of this dynamic landscape.

Williams, H.; Van Hoang, L.; Elliott, P.; Nguyen, H.H., and Manh, H., 2019. A tentative record of mid-Holocene sea-level highstand and barrier overwash from the Cam River mouth, Vietnam. Journal of Coastal Research, 35(4), 852–860. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

A freshwater coastal marsh near the mouth of the Cam River in Northern Vietnam stands 2–3 m above mean sea level and is bordered by a coastal barrier that reaches about 6 m above mean sea level. A core from the marsh contains a 14-cm-thick sand and shell layer. The presence of abundant shell fragments suggests inland transport of littoral sediment, and the sand layer is tentatively identified as a washover deposit. The coast of the study area contains a beachrock standing above the modern beach and reaching to ∼4 m above mean sea level. A tentative explanation of this beachrock is that it represents a beach that formed during a mid-Holocene 2–3-m highstand, evidence for which has been reported from Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam. Possible explanations of the sand and shell layer include the following: it is a late-Holocene tropical cyclone washover deposit, formed by a large storm surge that overtopped the coastal barrier; or it is a late-Holocene tsunami deposit formed when a tsunami wave, probably from a nearby source, overtopped the coastal barrier. The lack of other distinctive washover deposits in the core suggests that overwash of a magnitude that formed the relatively thick sand and shell layer is a rare event at this site within the last 3000 years. Given the tentative but intriguing results of this study, further research at this site is warranted to better define the stratigraphy and age of the apparent washover deposit.

Schulz, J.L. and Leberg, P.L., 2019. Factors affecting prey availability and habitat use of nonbreeding piping plovers (Charadrius melodus) in coastal Louisiana. Journal of Coastal Research, 35(4), 861–871. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

The Gulf of Mexico is home to a large proportion of the wintering population of the threatened piping plover (Charadrius melodus), but little is known about the bird's ecology in this region. In Louisiana, the majority of nonbreeding piping plovers are found on the state's rapidly eroding barrier islands. Between August 2013 and May 2014, surveys were conducted to assess the abundance and habitat use of piping plovers, as well as to characterize their invertebrate prey base, on Whiskey and Trinity islands. Seventy-eight percent of piping plovers observed were foraging, 18% roosting, and 4% engaged in other ambulatory activities. Intertidal habitat, such as foreshore beach and tidal flats, was used by 87% of foraging and 96% of roosting piping plovers. Though available, backshore beach, interior sand flats, and dunes were rarely used. The invertebrate community was dominated by haustoriid amphipods (87.5% of individuals collected), followed by bivalves (9.3%) and polychaetes (2.7%). Seasonal patterns and between-island differences were observed in all three invertebrate taxa, but these effects differed between beach habitat and the gulfside and bayside of prominent sand spits. Moisture had a positive effect on amphipod abundance and polychaete presence. There was no association between invertebrate and plover abundance, and prey abundance did not differ between sample sites where piping plovers were observed foraging and random sites. The low abundances of birds and prey, coupled with high variation among samples, are challenges for establishing baseline datasets to evaluate the consequences of coastal restoration activities.

Tsai, C.-C.; Chang, J.-Y.; Hsu, H.-C., and Chen, Y.-Y., 2019. Using symbolic computing to obtain Lagrange-Euler solutions for nonlinear progressive waves on a uniform current. Journal of Coastal Research, 35(4), 872–883. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

In this study, a symbolic implementation is introduced to perform the Lagrange-Euler transformation for the solutions of nonlinear progressive water waves on a uniform current over a finite depth. In the computation, the solutions in the Lagrangian description are obtained first and transformed subsequently to the corresponding solutions in the Eulerian description. To accomplish an automatically symbolic computation, operators for obtaining Taylor-Fourier coefficients are introduced to convert the hierarchical system of governing differential equations into a system of algebraic equations. The fifth-order Eulerian and Lagrangian solutions in the literature are extended to the seventh order by the proposed method. The correctness of the solution is checked by Richardson extrapolation to the limit. For efficient utilization in practical engineering applications, the seventh-order Eulerian solutions are implemented in C++ codes with accuracy improvements over the existing solutions demonstrated. Furthermore, this study can be considered a constructive demonstration of the equivalence between the Lagrangian and the Eulerian solutions. Some source codes are freely available online and can be used for further studies.

Brown, S.; Nicholls, R.J.; Pardaens, A.K.; Lowe, J.A.; Tol, R.S.J.; Vafeidis, A.T., and Hinkel, J., 2019. Benefits of climatechange mitigation for reducing the impacts of sea-level rise in G-20 countries. Journal of Coastal Research, 35(4), 884–895. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

This paper assesses the potential benefits of climate-change mitigation in reducing the impacts of sea-level rise over the 21st century in G-20 countries (excluding the European Union as a whole), using the Dynamic Interactive Vulnerability Assessment model. Impacts of the expected number of people flooded annually and wetland losses were assessed. To assess the benefits of mitigation, it was assumed that defences were not upgraded during the study. Globally, with a sea-level rise of 0.68 m by the 2080s (with respect to 1980–99), representing a potential future with limited climate-change mitigation, and with the Special Report on Emissions Scenarios A1 socio-economic scenario, 123 million additional people could be flooded annually and 39% of present global wetland stock could be lost. For a 0.19-m rise in sea level, associated with a substantial reduction in emissions, the number of people flooded could be reduced to 13 million/y, with 21% of global wetland stock loss, unless new wetlands emerge. Collectively, non-Annex 1 G-20 countries experience a disproportionately higher number of people flooded in their nations compared with the proportion of population flooded globally. The greatest wetland losses for G-20 countries are projected for Australia, Indonesia, and the United States. Thus, G-20 nations with the highest emissions or gross domestic product frequently do not experience the greatest impacts, despite some of these nations being potentially more able to pay for adaptation.

Zhang, J.; Song, S.; Zhai, Y.; Tong, L., and Guo, Y., 2019. Numerical study on the wave-induced seabed response around a trenched pipeline. Journal of Coastal Research, 35(4), 896–906. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

The investigation of wave-induced seabed dynamic response in the vicinity of an offshore trenched pipeline is particularly important for analyzing the stability of a pipeline. In this study, an improved two-dimensional (2D) numerical model is used to investigate the wave-induced dynamic seabed response for manifold backfilled depths and the associated residual liquefaction under the wave loading. To calculate the accumulated pore pressure, the superstatic pore pressure accumulation Sassa model is improved by (1) extending 1D to 2D and (2) expressing the shear modulus using the soil plastic parameters. The improved model is first validated by comparing the simulation with the experimental data without a pipeline. The effects of wave and pipeline characteristics, such as wave length and height, pipeline diameter, and stiffness, on the wave-induced dynamic seabed response are simulated. The effects of backfill sand properties and backfill depth on pore pressure accumulation around a pipeline are examined. The results indicate that the influence of pipeline parameters on the dynamic response is only obvious in a certain scope and the possibility of pipeline instability due to soil liquefaction decreases with the increase of the backfill depth.

Cutler, E.M.; Albert, M.R., and White, K.D., 2019. A low-cost shoreline dynamic simulation model for proposed beach nourishment and dune construction: Introducing a new feasibility analysis tool. Journal of Coastal Research, 35(4), 907–919. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

Beach nourishment and dune construction are common coastal risk-management strategies for shoreline erosion in the United States. Federal involvement with such projects relies on cost–benefit analyses, which in turn rely on life-cycle models of shoreline processes, such as the Army Corps of Engineers' Beach-fx event-driven physical and economic coastal model. However, use of these models can be computationally and data intensive. Costs associated with conducting a feasibility analysis for beach nourishment and dune construction may leave a community with few resources to explore other risk-management options. This paper, therefore, presents a first-order, screening-level, low-cost dynamic model that delivers results approximately comparable with those from life-cycle models. Applying the model to three locations in Florida shows that simulated nourishment intervals are within 5 years of those predicted by Beach-fx, leading to a similar number of nourishments over a project life span. A discussion on how one could apply the model to other areas is also included. It is intended that this model could serve as a first-pass screening tool for communities considering beach nourishment and dune construction before they decide to invest in the more thorough, but costly and data-intensive, life-cycle model simulations.

Nolte, S.; Butzeck, C.; Baldwin, A.H.; Felton, G.K., and Jensen, K., 2019. Efficiency of varying sediment traps under experimental conditions simulating tidal inundations. Journal of Coastal Research, 35(4), 920–924. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

Accelerated sea-level rise (SLR) is threatening tidal marshes worldwide. An important control of tidal marsh survival under accelerated SLR is sediment deposition. Therefore, factors affecting sediment deposition rates (SDRs) have been studied extensively using various types of sediment traps. The efficiency of various sediment traps has been compared in several studies, but most of these were conducted in shallow lakes or rivers. In contrast, the efficiency of different sediment traps in tidal marshes is unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the trapping efficiency of four frequently used sediment traps, namely flat traps constructed of either tiles or floor mat and circular traps with and without a lid, under controlled experimental conditions simulating tidal inundations in a flume. The strong differences between circular sediment traps (high efficiency) and both flat-surface sediment trap methods (low efficiency) found in this study were remarkable. Additionally, further evidence was found for decreases in SDRs with increasing distance to the inflow of the flume (sediment source) and with decreasing suspended sediment concentration. These findings indicate that trap design has a large influence on sedimentation rate and that studies using different types of sediment traps are not directly comparable.

Specht, C.; Specht, M.; Cywiński, P.; Skóra, M.; Marchel, Ł., and Szychowski, P., 2019. A new method for determining the territorial sea baseline using an unmanned, hydrographic surface vessel. Journal of Coastal Research, 35(4), 925–936. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

This article discusses a method of determining a territorial sea baseline, which establishes the boundary of maritime zones (inland waters, territorial sea, contiguous zone, and exclusive economic zone) of a coastal state. So far, only approximately 200 of the 430 sea borders have been delimited, which is less than half of all boundaries. The reason behind that omission (apart from the legal, technical, and measurement-related aspects) is the issue of baseline measurement methodology. The aim of this study was to develop a method for determining a territorial sea baseline using an unmanned hydrographic vessel in a 400-m-long water body with a sandy bottom. The measurements were performed with a small, unmanned surface vessel with a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver (Trimble R10) installed with a miniature singlebeam echo sounder (SonarMite BTX). These devices enabled measurements by the hydrographic method in the coastal zone at a depth below 1 m. The measurements involved determining the internal border of the territorial sea and creating a bathymetric chart with isobaths using geodetic software. To verify the results of tests conducted with an unmanned vessel, an additional (reference) measurement was taken in the same water body by the geodetic method with a GNSS receiver and a position accuracy of 2–3 cm (p=0.95), which involved developing a digital terrain model by the “stop and go” method. The geodetic measurements were conducted on the same sounding lines as those of an unmanned hydrographic vessel—by the direct measurements performed with a geodesist in water at a depth of 0 to 1 m.