Coastal Hazard Management
Coastal Hazard Management
Lessons and Future Directions from New Jersey
As with most shorelines around the world, New Jersey beaches are slowly, but inexorably, being eroded, threatening coastal structures and development. In some years more sand is deposited than removed, but all of the state’s monitoring devices show that sea level is gradually rising and pushing the New Jersey shoreline inland. The shore is a valuable resource, and its natural, cultural, and economic attractions draw a multitude of permanent and temporary residents each year, extending housing and commercial development onto areas that were once swampland. Not surprisingly, development at the water’s edge has been accompanied by an increasing exposure to the natural hazards of the coastal zone--erosion, flooding, and wind damage.
In this book, Norbert Psuty and Douglas Ofiara incorporate perspectives from the areas of coastal sciences, economics, public policy, and land-use planning in creating a systematic plan for coastal management and protection. It has been more than a decade since New Jersey developed the nation’s first state shore protection plan, and this volume provides a timely evaluation of its achievements and future challenges. This self-contained book provides all of the relevant theories, models, and examples so the reader will not need to refer to any other literature to gain an understanding of the issues and policies surrounding shore protection. It is the authoritative handbook for practitioners and policy makers in many fields, including coastal science and management and engineering, as well as public policy and economics.
Psuty and Ofiara offer a useful and accessible compendium of the multiple issues associated with coastal management efforts in New Jersey. àThis easy-to-read resource has an extensive (more than 250 entries), updated reference list. Particularly useful are the final chapters, which reassess coastal management strategies of New Jersey, including options and future directions for the long-term stewardship of the region. Highly recommended.
For anyone who wants a thorough examination of the stateÆs billion-dollar coastal management program, Psuty and Ofiara are right on the money.
Psuty and Ofiara offer a useful and accessible compendium of the multiple issues associated with coastal management efforts in New Jersey. àThis easy-to-read resource has an extensive (more than 250 entries), updated reference list. Particularly useful are the final chapters, which reassess coastal management strategies of New Jersey, including options and future directions for the long-term stewardship of the region. Highly recommended.
For anyone who wants a thorough examination of the stateÆs billion-dollar coastal management program, Psuty and Ofiara are right on the money.
DOUGLAS D. OFIARA is an assistant professor of public policy and management at the Edmund S. Muskie School of Public Service at the University of Southern Maine, and is a visiting scholar with the Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences at Rutgers University. He and others together with Psuty worked on the Coastal Hazard Management Report submitted to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, out of which this book was developed.
Acknowledgments
Dynamic Coastal Systems: Illustrations from New Jersey
Concerns
Outlook
New Jersey's Shoreline: Coastal Features and Geomorphological History
Background
Development of Information
Beaches and Coasts
New Jersey's Coastal Characteristics and Delineation
Geomorphological Regions
The Reach Concept in Management
Shoreline Change: Historical Displacement
Sediment Supply
Sea-Level Rise
Changes in Shoreline Position
New Erosion Data: New Jersey Beach Profile Network
Identification of High-Hazard Zones
Application to Management
Conclusion
Coastal Storms: Their Importance to Coastal Systems and Management
Post-1980 Stormy Weather
Identification of Northeasters and Hurricanes
Significant Coastal Storms
Measures of Storm Severity and Intervals of Recurrence
Conclusion
Sea-Level Rise: Its Dimensions and Implications
Introduction
Pertinent Studies on Sea-Level Rise
Rate Changes in Sea-Level Rise in New Jersey
Future Storm Levels
General Options for Management
The Atlantic City Tide Gauge Revisited: Reason to Pause
Challenges for New Jersey
Conclusion
Hard and Soft Approaches to Coastal Stabilization
Application to New Jersey
Structural ``Hard'' Approaches
Nonstructural ``Soft'' Approaches
An Overview of Beach Nourishment in New Jersey
Conclusion
Coastal Dunes: A Natural Buffer
Characteristics of Coastal Dunes
Interest in Dunes and Dune Management
Dune Management Objectives
Placement and Dimensions of a Dune
Building and Enhancing Coastal Dunes
Coastal Dune Restoration and Maintenance
Developing a Dune Protection and Maintenance Ordinance
Conclusion
Coastal Economics: Application to Coastal Management, Shoreline Stabiliation, and Tourism
Background
Economic Principles of Shoreline-Stabilization Management: An Introduction
Economic Measures
Economic Methods
Economic Aspects of Beach Use, Shoreline Management, and Coastal Tourism Summary: Beach Use and Stabilization
Values
Policy Overview
Hazard Management as a Component of Coastal Management
Hazard Management Applied to Coastal Policy
New Directions and Objectives
Mitigation in New Jersey
Consistency of State and Federal Efforts
Formulating the State Plan in Terms of the National Mitigation Strategy
Future of Hazard Management in Shoreline
Management
Conclusion
The Reassessment of Coastal Management in New Jersey
Background: The New Jersey Shore
Protection Master Plan
The Process of the Reassessment
Education, Outreach, and Interpretive
Programs for the Precollege Community
Library Information Systems and Internet
Home Page
Results of Public Interactions
Conclusion
Coastal and Hazard Management: Trends, Options, and Future Directions
Public Policy, the Insurance Industry, and Natural Catastrophes: Recent Trends Insights from Recent Hazard Mitigation Efforts
Policy Outlook
Options Addressing Hazards in the United States
Options and Future Directions
The State of New Jersey's Policy and Management Approach
Appendix A Model Municipal Dune Protection Ordinance
Appendix B Estimated Expenditures on Travel and Tourism in New Jersey, 1987--1994
Notes
References
Index
