Concepts for Functional Restoration of Barrier Islands

Abstract

This Coastal and Hydraulics Engineering Technical Note (CHETN) presents guidance for functional restoration of barrier islands. The concept of functional restoration is introduced here as an engineering and ecological design such that a barrier island can perform as a wave attenuator, storm surge buffer, and ocean boundary for an estuary, bay, and mainland over the defined project lifetime. Ecological design is required as part of the restoration to minimize initial nourishment losses and to ensure that environmental goals are met. Functional restoration allows for the possibility that a restored island could migrate alongshore and cross-shore, and possibly overwash to some extent as long as it continued reducing the risk of damage to the estuary, bay, and mainland. This CHETN reviews existing knowledge on the benefits of barrier islands and presents guidance for functional restoration.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 2009
Accession Number
ADA508394

Entities

People

  • Julie Dean Rosati

Organizations

  • Engineer Research and Development Center

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Barrier Islands
  • Birds
  • Climate Change
  • Coastal Engineering
  • Elevation
  • Engineering
  • Engineers
  • Habitats
  • Hurricanes
  • Hydraulics
  • Islands
  • Natural Resources
  • Sea Level
  • Sea Level Rise
  • Storm Surges
  • Storms
  • Tropical Cyclones

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Coastal and Marine Engineering/Sediment Transport/Hydraulic Engineering
  • Software Engineering