25 Nearshore and Estuarine Research: Dynamics and Future Resiliency in the Coastal Zone II
This session focuses on drivers of change in coastal environments as well as planning for future resiliency in tidal marshes, mudflats, estuaries, and barrier systems, including human activity impacts, sea level rise, & changing sediment supply.
Monday, 23 March 2026
1:30 PM - 5:30 PM
CCC, Room 22/23
Response and recovery of welded barrier following ‘Superstorm’ Sandy and the 2023/2024 Extratropical Cyclones: Napatree Point Conservation Area, Watch Hill, Rhode Island
Paper number: 25-4
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 2:35 PM – 2:55 PM
Authors
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Emma BeanEastern Connecticut State University, Ashford, CT
Abstract
Napatree Point is a 2.4 km long headland-bounded barrier spit (i.e., welded barrier) extending partially across the mouth of Little Narragansett Bay estuary in Watch Hill, Rhode Island. The western 1.5 km of the barrier and headland are part of the Napatree Point Conservation Area (NPCA), and much of the barrier is ‘unmanaged,’ no replenishment and minimal sand fencing. The morphology of the barrier has been measured at five locations since July 2013 (n = 63 surveys). ‘Superstorm’ Sandy is the most significant storm (in terms of storm surge elevation) to impact the area since 1954. Digital elevation models derived from pre- and post-storm LiDAR show that the dune crest retreated up to 13 m (mean retreat distance 4 m) and the elevation lowered by up to 1.4 m. Dune volume decreased by up to 23 m3 m-1. The foredune was largely removed along the western portion of the barrier (overwash regime) and retreated due to frontal erosion at the eastern half (collisional regime), where washover fan deposition was limited to trail crossings. The foredune crest elevation has increased by an average of 0.4 m following Sandy (2012-2018) while volume increased by an average of 2.75 m3 m-1 yr-1 between 2012 and 2018 (a period of relative quiescence). Dune volume in 2018 exceeded the 2011 volume (within the uncertainty) suggesting the barrier recovery here is approximately 5-6 years. The barrier was subsequently impacted by three back-to-back extratropical cyclones in December 2024 and January 2024. Post-storm surveys showed a strong correlation between dune height and response, and much of western half of the barrier was overwashed. Revegetation occurred rapidly and the washover fan deposition was almost undetectable by August 2024. Research on barrier systems improved understanding of changing morphology and volumes, how timing between storm events contributes to dune erosion and mitigation, and how dune vegetation is resilient to minor overwash events. Understanding storm impacts on barriers over different timeframes will help to predict future storm impacts on coastal barriers. This talk will present an overview of the barrier response and recovery based on-going monitoring and past undergraduate student-based project(s). In addition, there will be a conference field trip to this site for interested participants.
Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 58, No. 2
doi: 10.1130/abs/2026NE-411347
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