Case Studies
















http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091023163509.htm

Saving Sand: South Carolina Beaches Become a Model for Preservation

Myrtle Beach is a huge tourist location. Many tourists flock there every year to lie out on the sand and relax. They may not be able to lie out on the sand for much longer because of the threat of coastal erosion. So far the scientists in charge of dealing with coastal erosion have only studied a small portion of the beach. But even in this small area, they can see that it is a representation of a problem on a much larger scale. What are they doing to help the situation? The scientists have researched and found suitable offshore sites from which sand can be taken. They then took into consideration the budget of Myrtle Beach and are developing the best way to preserve it.




http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100125123233.htm

Maximum Height of Extreme Waves up Dramatically in Pacific Northwest

After recent research conducted on waves in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States, a group of scientists came to some grim findings. Their new assessment says that waves now may reach as high as 46 feet. This is huge in comparison to the 33 feet that were estimated in 1996. They even say that a wave has the possibility to exceed 55 feet! This would drastically increase coastal erosion in the area, as waves that big will pummel the coast, quickly sweeping away sediment. These waves also may bring a host of other problems.




http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091214173652.htm

The University of Colorado at Boulder conducted a recent study on coastal erosion in Alaska, specifically the northern coastline, halfway between Point Barrow and Prudhoe Bay. Their study led to an alarming conclusion. The coastline was eroding at the rate of one-third a football field annually. The university found that it was the mixture of three phenomena that was causing such quick erosion: declining sea ice, warming seawater, and increased wave activity. The worst part of this conclusion, though, is that they deemed that in this situation, there is no end in sight.