GSA Today Archive |
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GSA Today, v. 9, no. 12, December 1999
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Table of Contents
Science Article: (View Abstract)
Hurricanes Dennis and Floyd: Coastal Effects
and Policy Implications
Robert S. Young, David M. Bush, Andrew S. Coburn, Orrin H. Pilkey, William
J. Cleary
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Hurricanes Dennis and Floyd:
Coastal Effects and Policy Implications
Robert S. Young, Department of
Geosciences and Natural Resources Management, Western Carolina University, Culhowee,
NC 28723
David M. Bush, Department of Geology,
State University of West Georgia, Carrollton, GA 30118
Andrew S. Coburn, Orrin
H. Pilkey, Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines, Division
of Earth and Ocean Sciences, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University,
Durham, NC 27708
William J. Cleary, Center for
Marine Science Research, UNC–Wilmington, 601 South College Road, Wilmington,
NC 28403-3297
ABSTRACT
Tropical systems Dennis and Floyd impacted eastern North Carolina in 1999, the
fourth and fifth storms in three years to make landfall in this area. All five
storms were very similar in strength (wind speed); however, the effects on the
coast were quite different. In addition to absolute storm strength, morphological
changes to the natural environment were controlled by the forward speed of the
storms, orientation of the shoreline relative to storm track, underlying geology,
impacts of recent storms, and associated rainfall. Damage to buildings was a function
of the placement of structures with respect to the shoreline and the removal of
weaker buildings by previous storms. On the basis of these observations, we recommend
a new Hurricane Impact Scale, which will allow prediction of possible storm impacts
and comparisons of coastal impacts in other hurricanes. Each additional hurricane
demonstrates that our society does not have a forward-looking plan for dealing
with coastal storms. Instead, we typically repair and rebuild in place, and continue
the upward spiral of property damage in storms. Although the dollar amount of
property damage will be low from these storms, the public must bear the cost of
cleanup and repair of infrastructure.
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