Dune, cliff, and bluff erosion and migration often involve direct threats to resources, buildings and infrastructure, and even to human safety, and are a major management issue in many parks.
Over wash fans and flood plains serve as indicators of potential change and can provide early warning to park managers of an impending issue or of a need for additional monitoring and research.
Determine trends and characterize the variability in beach-dune topography of the ocean coastline in Network parks over seasonal, annual, and long-term scales.
Characterize and improve understanding of how long term trends in marine hydrodynamic processes (tide, current and wave), offshore topography (sediment quality, bathymetry and location of migrating shoals and bodies) and the location of man-made structures influence NCBN park beach/dune systems.
Changes in features including dunes, cliffs, shore lines, over wash fans/flood plains, and edge of vegetation will be monitored through a combination of GPS ground surveys and regular LIDAR data acquisition. Other features of interest may include bathymetry, location of migrating shoals and bodies, ocean current patterns, and sea level position. Data acquired through this protocol will be used to monitor long-term topographic changes, as well as examine the effects of jetties, shoreline armoring, dredge channels, beach nourishment sites, and dune manipulations.