Bird-Long Island Management Study Phase 1A: The Application of Geospatial Tools to Qualify Shoreline Change and the Threat to Cultural and Natural Resources on Bird-Long Island

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the rates of shoreline change on Bird-Long Island, the threat to historic resources on the island, evaluate the potential for a living shoreline, and delineate the plant alliances currently present. The pertinent conclusions from this study are: (1) The shoreline database for Bird and Long island contains 16 digitized shorelines; live oysters, oyster shell ridges and low marsh scarps dominate the southern shore of the islands, whereas more significant eroding upland scarps and erosional features characterize the more energetic northern shoreline. (2) Change rates are rapid (1.4-3.3 m/y) on the north shore of Bird-Long Island and are relatively slow on the south channel shoreline (0.20-0.51 m/y) reflecting prevailing environmental energy. (3) Battery Hamilton, a civil war gun emplacement and historic structure, will begin undergoing erosion in approximately 23 years, and will be completely eroded away in approximately 186 years. (4) Oysters and other reef forming organisms would likely colonize a living shoreline or other intervention that would promote habitat and minimize excessive erosion.

• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/40284
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Georgia, Savannah

  Skidaway Institute of Oceanography
  10 Ocean Science Circle
  Savannah, GA  United States  31411

  Georgia Department of Transportation

  Office of Performance-Based Management and Research
  Forest Park, GA  United States  GA 30297-2534

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Alexander, Clark
  • Calabria, Jon
• Publication Date: 2019-3

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 40p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Coasts; Erosion; Erosion control; Historic sites; Reefs; Vegetation
• Candidate Terms: Geospatial analysis
• Geographic Terms: Bird-Long Island (Georgia)
• Subject Areas: Environment; Geotechnology; Planning and Forecasting; Transportation (General);

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01709483
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA-GA-19-1633, 16-33
• Contract Numbers: PI#0013731
• Files: NTL, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Jun 28 2019 11:37AM