E-Book Content
the coast Hazardous Interactions within the Coastal Environment coast.indb 1 6/5/08 11:29:52 AM coast.indb 2 6/5/08 11:29:53 AM the coast Hazardous Interactions within the Coastal Environment Timothy Kusky, Ph.D. coast.indb 3 6/5/08 11:29:54 AM THE COAST: Hazardous Interactions within the Coastal Environment Copyright © 2008 by Timothy Kusky, Ph.D. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher. For information contact: Facts On File, Inc. An imprint of Infobase Publishing 132 West 31st Street New York NY 10001 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Kusky, Timothy M. The coast: hazardous interactions within the coastal environment / Timothy Kusky. p. cm.—(The hazardous Earth) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-13: 978-0-8160-6467-0 ISBN-10: 0-8160-6467-9 1. Coast changes. 2. Coastal zone management. I. Title. GB451.1.K87 2008 551.45’7—dc22 2007042827 Facts On File books are available at special discounts when purchased in bulk quantities for businesses, associations, institutions, or sales promotions. Please call our Special Sales Department in New York at (212) 967-8800 or (800) 322-8755. You can find Facts On File on the World Wide Web at http://www.factsonfile.com Text design by Erika K. Arroyo Illustrations by Melissa Ericksen and Richard Garratt Photo research by Suzanne M. Tibor, Ph.D. Printed in the United States of America VB ML 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 This book is printed on acid-free paper and contains 30 percent postconsumer recycled content. To Mom n n n coast.indb 5 6/5/08 11:29:54 AM coast.indb 6 6/5/08 11:29:54 AM Contents Preface Acknowledgments Introduction 1 Characteristic Landforms and Environments of the Coastal Zone Coastal Environments Should People Live on Barrier Islands? Conclusion 2 Origin of Coastal Hazards: Coastal Processes Waves Wave Erosion of Coastal Cliffs at Plymouth, Massachusetts Rogue Waves Tides Tides in Turnagain Arm, Alaska Storms Formation and Characteristics of Hurricanes Extratropical Cyclones Effects of Storms and Hurricanes Storm Surges Human-Induced Changes to the Shoreline Longshore Sediment Transport and Management: Santa Barbara, California Conclusion coast.indb 7 xi xiii xv 1 1 6 32 34 34 38 39 40 44 45 46 50 51 52 53 56 57 6/5/08 11:29:54 AM 3 Effects of Rising Sea Levels and Coastal Subsidence Causes of Changing Sea Levels Short-Term Climate Changes El Niño, La Niña, and the Southern Oscillation Long-Term Climate Effects Changes in Water/Ice Volume Plate Tectonics, Supercontinent Cycles, and Sea Level Changes in Mid-Ocean Ridge Volume Changes in Continental Area Subsidence of Coastal Environments Types of Surface Subsidence and Collapse Human-Induced Subsidence Ground Water Extraction Sea Water Intrusion in Coastal Aquifers Tectonic Subsidence Compaction-Related Subsidence on Deltas and Passive Margins Conclusion 4 Examples of Coastal Hazards and Disasters (1900–2007) Galveston Island Hurricane, Texas, 1900 Netherlands Storm Surge, 1953 Rethinking Coastal Living Bangladesh, a Recurring Disaster Hurricane Andrew, Florida, 1992 Hurricane Hugo, South Carolina, 1989 Indian Ocean Tsunami, 2004 What Can Be Done to Reduce Coastal Hazards? Personal Safety During Coastal Disasters Conclusion 5 New Orleans: The City Most at Risk for Coastal Disaster in the United States Louisiana Coastal Subsidence and Disappearing Coastal Marsh Hurricane History of New Orleans Hurricane Katrina Chronology Warnings before Hurricane