North Topsail Beach Debacle No Way for NC to Manage its Coast; Op Ed By Robert Young
Is North Topsail Beach the most poorly managed beach community in the country? If not, it certainly seems to be taking a good shot at it. I have watched in dismay as the town has struggled to preserve a small stretch of oceanfront property at all costs.
Rebuilding the Coastline, But at What Cost?
Nearly seven months after Hurricane Sandy decimated the northeastern coastline, destroying houses and infrastructure and dumping 11 billion gallons of untreated and partially treated sewage into rivers, bays, canals and even some streets, coastal communities have been racing against the clock to prepare for Memorial Day.
The Benefits Of Inlets Opened During Coastal Storms
An open letter from the community of coastal scientists regarding the benefits of inlets opened during coastal storms.
To Save a Beach, They May Ruin It
Florida led the nation in establishing detailed criteria for ensuring that only high-quality sand is placed on Florida beaches during construction of beach nourishment projects.
A Fiscal Analysis of Shifting Inlets and Terminal Groins in North Carolina
The debate about terminal groins, shore-perpendicular structures built at inlets in attempt to slow erosion, is worth keeping an eye on, whether you live in western North Carolina or in a coastal community, because it could cost you and our state a pretty penny.
Are there any natural beaches remaining in the United States?
Abstract, by Robert Young, Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, North Carolina, United States.
Rising Waters Threatened The Coast of North Carolina
Climate change is carving its name into the state’s retreating shorelines. Planners are taking official notice as they prepare for a wetter world.
Louisiana Rethinks Its Sand Berms
Many faulted the project as pointless, and transforming the rapidly built berms into permanent barrier islands that can withstand the strong storms and tides of coastal Louisiana will be extremely challenging.
How High Will Seas Rise? Get Ready for Seven Feet
As governments, businesses, and homeowners plan for the future, they should assume that the world’s oceans will rise by at least two meters, roughly seven feet, this century. But far too few agencies or individuals are preparing for the inevitable increase in sea level that will take place as polar ice sheets melt.