Question 1
The societal response to coastal changes caused by sand transportation has mostly been a moderate effort in harm mitigation. The erosion of shorelines and beaches tends to be seen as less of a cause for concern than higher-impact or episodic natural events, like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, and tornadoes (Dilley & Rasid, 1990). Sand transportation, also known as sediment transportation, is the movement of sand and other earthy particles (such as mud, clay, gravel, or boulders) along a sloping surface due to the motive force of gravity. This causes beaches to erode and shorelines to retreat.
People have used several different mitigation strategies to deal with beach erosion and protect the houses, roads, and other infrastructure further inland. One of these strategies is known as “hardening the shoreline.” This involves building an underwater wall at the waterline. However, this method has been found to have deleterious consequences to the environment. For example, since the wall reflects the waves around it, more energy is sent around the wall to be available for sediment transportation; thus, the wall actually increases erosion and accelerates the destruction of the beach. This is bad for the environment as well as the local economy since it forces coast-dwellers to relocate (“Beach Erosion Mitigation Strategies”). Another mitigation strategy is known as sand replenishment, and it involves bringing sand in from another source to add to beaches (it is also called “beach nourishment”). Unlike shoreline hardening, this strategy is mostly environmentally sound. It helps keep beaches intact, and it protects beach ecosystems by increasing the amount of habitable landmass and giving beach-dwelling creatures a place to burrow. However, it is economically unsound as a long-term solution, because it is extremely expensive (Lombardo, 2015).
Question 2
Hurricanes pose a major threat to coastal areas. The high waves and rising water levels caused by hurricanes inundate coastlines and lead to loss of life. In fact, the areas that experience the greatest loss of life when a hurricane hits are coastal areas. Island habitats are especially vulnerable to hurricanes. The large ocean swells accompanying the hurricane’s arrival cause beach erosion, as well as damage to waterfront structures. Thus, hurricane-prone islands may face the danger of shoreline retreat; as the loss of sand causes beaches to become narrower and lower in elevation, the islands literally begin to shrink. In addition to these threats, hurricanes also bring heavy rainfall and flash flooding to coastlines. This is a common danger of even weak (category 1 or 2) hurricanes, tropical storms, and tropical depressions (“Hurricane – a dangerous triple threat,” 2012).
Historically, the federal government has responded to hurricanes by issuing a federal disaster declaration. The president himself is the official in charge of making this declaration. It authorizes the use of federal funds to begin mobilizing emergency management personnel into the area and evacuating citizens out of the area prior to the storm (Morris, 2008). Since 1988, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been the body of government responsible for coordinating federal hurricane response and relief efforts. FEMA was given statutory authority by the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, which created the system still in place to this day. When a hurricane strikes a part of the United States, FEMA leads the charge in protecting against, recovering from, and mitigating the damage due to the hurricane (“About the Agency,” 2016).
Works Cited
“About the Agency.” FEMA. 1 April 2016. Web. 23 April 2016.
“Beach Erosion Mitigation Strategies.” Lindorm, Inc. Web. 23 April 2016.
Dilley, Robert S., and Harun Rasid. "Human response to coastal erosion: Thunder bay, Lake superior." Journal of Coastal Research (1990): 779-788.
“Hurricane – a dangerous triple threat.” National Weather Service. 12 April 2012. Web. 23 April 2016.
Lombardo, Crystal. “Beach Replenishment Pros and Cons.” Vision Launch. 19 May 2015. Web. 23 April 2016.
Morris, John C. “From Disaster to Lessons Learned: What Went Wrong in the Response to Hurricane Katrina?” 2008. Web. 23 April 2016.
