Coastal Sand Dunes and Beach/Dune Interaction

RobinDavidsonArnott
DepartmentofGeography,UniversityofGuelph rdarnott@uoguelph.ca

Outline
Introduction Definition and examples Vegetation and coastal dunes Sand supply - controls, rates, seasonal patterns Storms, coastal dune erosion - erosion, overwash Dune recovery Dunes and lake levels - decadal, isostatic Coastal dune management

Coastal Dunes
Form along coast - sand primarily derived from beach Distinguish between free dunes and impeded dunes formed largely by trapping and stabilisation of sand by vegetation Active dune zone consisting of foredune and embryo dune - interaction with waves and beach Dune field landward of foredune - consists of stabilised transverse dunes and variety of forms resulting from blowout and migration.

Beach and Foredune Definitions

Crest

Foreshore

Beach

Embryo dune

Backshore

Stoss slope

Foredune

Dune toe

Coastal Dune Profiles

Foredunes
Vegetated ridges that form just landward of the backshore and parallel to the shoreline Sediment supply from beach trapped by vegetation Fordunes grow in height and width - vegetation grows upward with dune Seaward margin determined by limit of wave action Landward margin determined by height of dune, and transport over crest onto lee slope

Embryo Dunes (incipient dunes)

Form at base of existing foredune or on backshore seaward of foredune May grow from coalescence initially around isolated plants - shadow dunes - hummocky form Creeping form of vegetation - vines, rhizomes - produces continuous coverage - sand platforms On prograding shoreline embryo dunes may coalesce and grow vertically - new foredune cuts off sediment supply to older foredune On stable and eroding coasts they are removed every few years by large storms

Foredunes

Simple foredune ridge and ephemeral embryo dune deposition on lee slope

Large foredune ridge, west coast Scotland no embryo dune present

Dunes and Dunefields

Unvegetated transgressive dunefield, Namibia

Vegetated, progradational dunefield, Long Point Lake Erie

Blowouts and Parabolic Dunes

Disturbance to protective vegetation may result in erosion of foredune or dunes in dunefield Simplest form is roughly circular bowl blowout Rapid erosion leads to elongation and landward migration of slip face which buries vegetation ahead of it base becomes stabilised when reaches water table and sides may be stabilised by vegetation to produce trailing arms Disturbance may be natural wave action, animals, drought or human actions such as trampling, ATVs, construction

Blowouts and Parabolic Dunes

Parabolic Dunes, North Island, New Zealand

Bowl blowout, Greenwich Dunes, PEI

Blowouts and Parabolic Dunes

Burial by sand kills existing vegetation while sand mobility prevents establishment of new vegetation

Controls on Foredune Form and Evolution

Coastal morphology - barrier, headland/bay, straight mainland coast Vegetation species - especially pioneering plants Beach and dune sediment budget Wave and wind climate; temp and precip Natural and human disturbances

Vegetation and Coastal Dunes

Vegetation acts to trap sediment blown off the beach or through blowouts and parabolic dunes Vegetation also acts to shelter the sand surface, preventing subsequent erosion by winds and stabilising the dune Unlike sand fences or litter vegetation can grow up through the sand resulting in foredunes that may be more than 10 m in height Roots of vegetation act to increase resistance to erosion by waves

Vegetation and Coastal Dunes

sand trapping and protection

Pioneer Vegetation
Backshore and foredune harsh environment Plants must be able to tolerate high surface temperatures, dessication, low fertility, instability and burial by sand, occasional inundation by waves/water; and on marine coasts salt spray; Annuals survive burial as seeds; perennials have rhizomes or stolons that spread out and which can emerge from burial depths of up to a metre in the case of marram grass. Plant species may differ around the world but there are only a few primary forms

Pioneer Vegetation
Embryo dune and foredune development may reflect the form of the colonising vegetation Plant succession largely response to gradient of salt spray and especially burial by sand time is not a major factor Great Lakes dominant pioneer species is marram (Amophila breviligulata) as well as other grasses, annuals (including Cakile edentula); sea grape vine and cottonwood (Populus deltoides)

Pioneer vegetation

St. Kitts, West Indies Beach Morning Glory; Black Torch, Sea Grape (woody bush)

Long Point, Lake Erie Marram; Little Bluestem (grass), Dogwood, Cottonwood, Grape (vine)

Beach and Dune Sediment Budget

water only

water andwind

wind only

Sand Transport to Foredune

Transport rate function of U3 Allow for threshold about 5 m/sec for dry sand Can predict gross sand transport from hourly mean wind speed collected at nearby climate station Net deposition function of cosine of wind angle to beach Actual measured deposition generally much less (5-20% of predicted) because of a range of potential transport-limiting factors

Transport-Limiting Factors
Moisture content of beach surface Presence of gravel lag deposits, flotsam, vegetation Presence of snow, ice, frozen beach Fetch distance (beach width and wind angle) controlled by beach sediment budget, water levels and wave run-up

Measurement of Seasonal Patterns of Deposition using a Bedframe

Original version 2m X 2m - Dexion on 4 rebar corner posts. Used at Long Point 1988-92

Mark 3 version 1m X 1m - aluminium on central wood post. Used at Greenwich Dunes, PEI 2002-2009

Measurement of Seasonal Patterns of Deposition using a Bedframe

deposition (cm)
40 30 20 10 0 July September December

elevation(m)

2 1 0 0 20 40 60 80

Site location, distal end Long Point

Line profile and measured deposition May-December, 1988.

Measurement of Seasonal Patterns of Deposition using a Bedframe

September

October

November

December

Seasonal Patterns of Deposition

Late spring/summer Winter

Late summer/early fall

Late winter

Late fall

Spring

After Law and Davidson-Arnott, 1990

2Dsonic

Monitoring Station

north west east

solar panels

time machine

Box:USBterminal, hobo,etc.

DelgadoFernandez et al., 2009, Journal of Coastal Research v25, 1160-1167

Intro

Fetch effect

RS methods

Nature Events

Model

Conclusions

Image Processing Processing Image

Rectification
Intro Fetch effect RS methods Nature Events Model Conclusions

Image Processing

Vegetation
Intro Fetch effect RS methods Nature Events Model Conclusions

Image Processing

Beach Extraction

Intro

Fetch effect

RS methods

Nature Events

Model

Conclusions

Image Processing
Surface Moisture
Intro Fetch effect RS methods Nature Events Model Conclusions

Image Processing

Beach Surface
Intro Fetch effect RS methods Nature Events Model Conclusions

Incident wind direction

Image Processing

Fetch Length
Intro Fetch effect RS methods Nature Events Model Conclusions

Obliqueonshoreevent,December1 Shortfetchandmoisture

une od y r b em

Obliqueonshoreevent,December15 Snowicecover

184 wind events

number of events

30% (27)
Wind event magnitude very small small medium large very large

27% (11)

11% (33) 7,6% (109) 25% (4)

66 transport events
number of events

39%(19)
Tansport intensity 0 trace low medium strong very strong

33%(6)

17%(25) 2.5%(15) 8%(1)

23 transport events 27onshore onshore transport

number of events

events
Transport intensity 0 trace low medium strong very strong

46%(2) 12.5%(5) 29%(1) 11.9%(19)

Actual versus predicted transport

Short-term Field Experiment April 2010

Storms and Dune Erosion

Storms with large waves and storm surge can erode embryo dunes and foredune, returning sand to the beach integral part of beach/dune interaction Foredune thus acts as a source of sediment for the beach and a physical buffer against wave attack inland In Great Lakes storm impact is enhanced during periods of high lake level and reduced during periods of low lake level

Storms and Dune Erosion

Small storms erode embryo dune and cliff base of foredune Larger storms cliff whole of foredune and may lead to breaching and overwash Dune recovery from smaller storms may take only a few years Large overwash events may remove pioneer vegetation from long stretch of coast recovery make take a decade or more

Storms and Dune Erosion

Foredune erosion Long Point, December 1985

Overwash Long Point, December 1985

Line 6 June 2004 and May 2005

Ramp Embryo Dune Slumped Blocks

Before storm

After storm

Line 6 2002 -2009

Dunes and Lake Level Cycles

After Olson, 1958

Isostatic Lake Level Effects

Isostatic uplift cm/century

Isostatic Lake Level Effects

Lake level change at a point on the shoreline function of uplift rate minus uplift rate at entrance to connecting channel Lake Huron uplift at Sarnia about 7cm/C Relative differences: Grand Bend 3cm/C Sauble/Wasaga Beach 16cm/C Manitoulin 30cm/C

Dynamic Beach Regulation

REGULATORY FLOOD STANDARD
Regulatory flood standard Flood allowance for the wave uprush and other water related hazards

100-year Flood Level (Not to scale)

Dynamic Beach Regulation

REGULATORY DYNAMIC BEACH STANDARD (non-eroding beach)
Regulatory dynamic beach standard Dynamic beach allowance

Regulatory flood standard

(Not to scale)

Dynamic Beach Regulation

Dynamic Beach Regulation

Grand Bend/Oakwood, 1993
1972; 1986 dune erosion limit

Regulatory Flood Standard

Regulatory Dynamic Beach Standard

Dune Conservation

Simple posts and ropes keep people off the embryo dune and stoss slope of the foredune system in shots from new Zealand and Australia (top and bottom left) in contrast to the sand fences and highly artificial beach in New Jersey which is nourished and raked in order to maintain an unnaturally wide beach.

Dune Conservation
Primarily about managing people Conserve deposition close to the beach in embryo dune and on foredune slope preserve vegetation adapted to these areas especially at top of beach Prevents sand inundation landward of dune, provides protection from storms especially during high lake level replenishes beach