Historical bathymetry and bathymetric change in the Mississippi-Alabama coastal region, 1847-2009

• DOI: 10.3133/sim3154
• Publication Date: 2018-08-15T18:59:04Z
• Authors: Noreen A. Buster; Robert A. Morton
• Keywords: Seafloor Spreading; Dredging; Longshore drift; Coastal erosion; Storm Surge; Deposition

Land loss and seafloor change around the Mississippi Alabama (MS-AL) barrier islands are of great concern to public local, state, federal agencies. The provide wildlife protected areas recreational land, they serve as a natural first line defense for mainland against storm activity (index map on poster). Principal physical conditions that drive morphological coastal in this area include decreased sediment supply, sea-level rise, storms, human activities (Otvos, 1970; Byrnes others, 1991; Morton 2004; Morton, 2008). Seafloor responses same processes can also affect entire zone. Sediment eroded from is entrained littoral system, where it redistributed by alongshore currents. Wave current partially controlled profile seafloor, interdependency along with anthropogenic influences has significant effects nearshore environments. When system altered such dredging, case MS-AL region, state altered, transport be disrupted. As result deeply dredged channels, adjacent island migration blocked, environments downdrift become starved, sedimentation channels modified. deposition erosion reflected through evolution. In rapidly changing environment, understanding historically why changes occurring essential. To better assess comprehensive dynamics zone, 160-year evaluation bathymetry bathymetric region was conducted.