Abstract

A Visualization of Historic Shoreline Change Along Morris Island, SC
Track: Ocean, Coastal, and Marine Resources
Authors: Michael Rink

Over the past 115 years, erosion along the barrier islands of South Carolina has caused Morris Island to significantly erode from the coast. After the completion of the Charleston Harbor jetties in 1895, sediment transport was forever altered along the southern beaches and Morris Island began to slowly disappear. All that now remains is the lighthouse that was built in 1876. To understand the physical processes that take place during sediment transport, (both erosion and accretion), a Geographic Information System (GIS) can be employed. Using Esri software products and historic shoreline data obtained from the NOAA National Ocean Service, a series of descriptive maps and an animation can be developed that clearly demonstrates the physical processes of littoral drift over the course of 115 years.