Papers by Tiffany Roberts Briggs
Ocean & Coastal Management, 2022
Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, 2020
Shore & Beach, 2019
Wave forcing from hurricanes, nor’easters, and energetic storms can cause erosion of the berm and... more Wave forcing from hurricanes, nor’easters, and energetic storms can cause erosion of the berm and beach face resulting in increased vulnerability of dunes and coastal infrastructure. LIDAR or other surveying techniques have quantified post-event morphology, but there is a lack of in situ hydrodynamic and morphodynamic measurements during extreme storm events. Two field studies were conducted in March 2018 and April 2019 at Bethany Beach, Delaware, where in situ hydrodynamic and morphodynamic measurements were made during a nor’easter (Nor’easter Riley) and an energetic storm (Easter Eve Storm). An array of sensors to measure water velocity, water depth, water elevation and bed elevation were mounted to scaffold pipes and deployed in a single cross-shore transect. Water velocity was measured using an electro-magnetic current meter while water and bed elevations were measured using an acoustic distance meter along with an algorithm to differentiate between the water and bed during swa...
Coastal Engineering 2008, 2009
ABSTRACT Eight beach nourishment projects were constructed in 2006 on three barrier islands along... more ABSTRACT Eight beach nourishment projects were constructed in 2006 on three barrier islands along the west-central Florida coast. A total of 2.0×106 m3 of sand borrowed from Egmont Shoal near the entrance of Tampa Bay, were placed on beaches with varying lengths and orientations. An intensive monitoring study including monthly surveys of 125 profiles was conducted to quantify the performance of the beach fills. The first year performance of the beach nourishment projects is controlled by the following factors, including 1) high energy events, particularly the first storm after nourishment, 2) sediment grain size, 3) project length, and 4) longshore transport gradient. Profile equilibration is dominated by the first storm. For most of the profiles, equilibration occurred in the form of a nearshore bar development. The dynamic bar responds to the subsequent storm impacts and protects the dry beach. The longshore spreading pattern is controlled by sediment grain size. For the 2006 projects, longshore spreading occurred through transport and deposition of the fine sediment along the nearshore bar. Project length and transport gradient also strongly influence performance. The longer Sand Key project performed better with much less volume loss than the shorter projects with greater background erosion rates. Read More: http://www.worldscientific.com/doi/abs/10.1142/9789814277426_0209
Proceedings of Coastal Dynamics 2009, 2009
ABSTRACT This paper examines profile equilibration and longshore spreading associated with beach ... more ABSTRACT This paper examines profile equilibration and longshore spreading associated with beach nourishment based on weekly to monthly profile surveys along the west-central Florida coast. Profile equilibration occurred rapidly and was largely completed after the first post-fill storm, typically with the formation of a nearshore bar and the overall beach-profile slope approaching the pre-nourishment slope. The bar moved offshore and onshore in response to subsequent storm and calm-weather conditions, respectively, while shoreline position remains largely stable. Longshore spreading is strongly influenced by grain size. Fine sand (~ 0.20 mm) tends to be transported and deposited along the nearshore bar resulting in little change along the shorelines and on the dry beach. The coarser shell debris tends to spread along the shoreface through the growth of a diffusion spit, which abruptly changed the shoreline orientation at the ends of project. Read More: http://www.worldscientific.com/doi/abs/10.1142/9789814282475_0075
Proceedings of Coastal Dynamics 2009 - Impacts of Human Activities on Dynamic Coastal Processes, 2009
This paper examines the two year temporal and spatial performance of several beach nourishment pr... more This paper examines the two year temporal and spatial performance of several beach nourishment projects constructed in 2006 along three microtidal low-wave energy barrier islands in west central Florida, based on monthly surveys of 145 beach profiles. The performance relates to background transport gradients, localized morphology variations, and project length. The performance of the different projects varied spatially and temporally,
Shore & Beach
Coastal flooding, from both extreme events and sea level rise, is one of the top management chall... more Coastal flooding, from both extreme events and sea level rise, is one of the top management challenges facing U.S. coastal stakeholders today. The intensity of coastal flooding is expected to increase with global sea level rise. This paper focuses on flooding challenges from the perspective of coastal communities. The myriad of flood mitigation strategies that have been implemented across the U.S. vary based on a multitude of factors including spatio-temporal scale of the coastal flooding hazard. ASBPA administered a survey of 106 coastal stakeholders from around the U.S. to assess specific community challenges and needs related to coastal flooding in late 2021. A majority of respondents indicated that their community includes an underserved population or neighborhood (54%) or nearby communities do (25%). While the vast majority of survey respondents indicated that flooding was a major challenge, only 24% of respondents’ communities have a coastal flooding adaptation plan. Improveme...
Shore & Beach, 2021
Frequent or consecutive storms impacting coastal areas can result in unexpected or variable impac... more Frequent or consecutive storms impacting coastal areas can result in unexpected or variable impacts. This study evaluates spatiotemporal variability and cumulative impacts on the subaerial beach from four major tropical storms of varying intensity and proximity impacting the study area of Palm Beach County, Florida, during the 2020 Atlantic Basin Hurricane season. Impacts from Hurricanes Isaias, Laura, Sally, and Teddy were measured using Real-Time Kinematic Global Positioning System (RTK GPS) at 14 transects throughout the northern and southern portion of the county. Alongshore morphologic variability resulted from each storm, with some expected patterns of erosion and accretion with a few unexpected impacts. The first three storms caused swash or collision regime impacts on the Sallenger scale. Hurricane Teddy was the fourth storm to impact the study area, causing overwash at numerous locations. Whereas the first two storms of the season caused mostly erosion of the subaerial beac...
Coastal Sediments 2019, 2019
Page 51 It has been documented that dredge and fill operations associated with beach nourishment ... more Page 51 It has been documented that dredge and fill operations associated with beach nourishment projects cause the mortality of infaunal organisms found within the wet beach and benthic environments (Saloman, 1974; Oliver et al. 1977; NRC 1995; USACE 2001). Dredging activity involves the removal of sediment, including the benthic infauna residing within the substrate. The placement of fill material upon the beach and the intertidal area has the potential to smother and kill the existing infauna community within the swash zone and nearshore benthic habitats. The resultant temporary loss of these lower trophic level organisms has cascading effects on a wide range of species that prey upon them. These include commercially and recreationally important fish as well as threatened and endangered species such as the piping plover and red knot. As such, state and federal regulatory agencies have previously required multiyear preand post-construction infaunal monitoring program as a condition of a project’s permit in order to document the effect these actions have on these important biological resources.
Coastal water quality is an important factor influencing public health and the quality of our nat... more Coastal water quality is an important factor influencing public health and the quality of our nation’s beaches. In recent years, poor water quality has resulted in increased numbers of beach closures and corresponding negative impacts on tourism. This paper addresses some of the issues surrounding the management challenge of coastal water quality, in particular, beach water quality monitoring. For this effort, data on beach water quality monitoring activities conducted by states were assessed and synthesized. In total, 29 states were surveyed: 16 reported information for seawater; six reported for freshwater only; eight reported for both seawater and freshwater. Thresholds for advisories and closure vary nationally; however, all 29 states have established an online presence for their monitoring programs and display advisories and closures in real time, most often on spatial information (GIS) portals. Challenges in monitoring, prediction, and communication are assessed and discussed....
Shore & Beach
In partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program (... more In partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program (USGS CMHRP) and the U.S. Coastal Research Program (USCRP), the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA) has identified coastal stakeholders’ top coastal management challenges. Informed by two annual surveys, a multiple-choice online poll was conducted in 2019 to evaluate stakeholders’ most pressing problems and needs, including those they felt most ill-equipped to deal with in their day-to-day duties and which tools they most need to address these challenges. The survey also explored where users find technical information and what is missing. From these results, USGS CMHRP, USCRP, ASBPA, and other partners aim to identify research needs that will inform appropriate investments in useful science, tools, and resources to address today’s most pressing coastal challenges. The 15-question survey yielded 134 complete responses with an 80% completion rate from coastal stakehold...
William Morris Davis – Revista de Geomorfologia
Beach nourishment is a common strategy for erosion mitigation that also increases coastal resilie... more Beach nourishment is a common strategy for erosion mitigation that also increases coastal resilience to storm impacts, provides habitat, and supports the economy. Regulations often require that placed sediment closely match the native grain size distribution and composition, however characteristics can vary based on the borrow site. Certain sediment properties will also influence beach slope and other critical beach functions. This study evaluates the 3-dimensional sediment properties and beach morphology of nourished and non-nourished barrier island beaches in northern Palm Beach County, Florida, USA. Surveyed beach profiles were compared with predicted slope based on median grain size. The inlet-adjacent beach managed with annual placement of beneficial use of dredged materials consisted of poorly sorted coarse sand and the steepest measured slope. Sediment was progressively finer and better sorted downdrift with decreasing foreshore slopes. Although sediment near the shoreline is...
Ocean & Coastal Management
Abstract This study analyzed decadal and regional trends in one type of shore protection method: ... more Abstract This study analyzed decadal and regional trends in one type of shore protection method: beach nourishment, since its beginning in the U.S. nearly 100 years ago. While strategies such as managed retreat may be more feasible in the long-term, beach nourishment is a dominant method of shore protection in the U.S. today. During the last century, the beaches of over 475 U.S. communities have been restored with over 1.5 billion cubic yards (cy) (1.2 billion cubic meters (m3) of sand. Over 3200 individual nourishment events have occurred with many communities renourishing multiple times. Six states account for over 83% of the total volume of sand placed on beaches: California, Florida, New Jersey, North Carolina, New York, and Louisiana. New Jersey has been the most productive state in terms of sand volume per linear foot (meter) of shoreline, but has placed less than 3 cy along each foot (7 m3/m) of its oceanfront coasts annually. Growth in sand volume placed has been exponential over the last century, with the total annual volume of sand placed on U.S. beaches increasing to 37 million cy (28 million m3) per year in the last decade. Regionally, long-term beach management programs in California, Florida, and Louisiana reveal that despite significant differences in motivation, timelines and funding mechanisms, similarities are long-term beach management plans and dedicated funding sources at local, state, and/or federal levels.
Shore & Beach
Coastal inlets separate individual barrier islands or barrier spits and adjacent headlands (Hayes... more Coastal inlets separate individual barrier islands or barrier spits and adjacent headlands (Hayes and Fitzgerald 2013). Inlets modify longshore transport and store sediment in flood and ebb shoals leading to dynamic adjacent shorelines. For example, 80% to 85% of the beach erosion in Florida can be attributed to inlets (Dean 1991). In some cases, structured inlets are designed to trap sand in a preferred location to minimize interference with navigation and facilitate its removal through dredging. Sound coastal engineering practice requires that this sand be placed on adjacent eroding beaches (NRC 1995) to protect coastal resources. This paper provides a brief overview of coastal inlet management and identifies Best Management Practices (BMPs) intended to balance human needs for inlet navigation with the natural systems adjacent to tidal inlets. Today’s conservation measures, which are a result of considerable monitoring, numerical modeling, and other science-based methods, demonstr...
Journal of Coastal Research
ABSTRACT Briggs, T.R.; Figlus, J.; Torres-Freyermuth, A.; Puleo, J.A.; Warren, W., and Alrushaid,... more ABSTRACT Briggs, T.R.; Figlus, J.; Torres-Freyermuth, A.; Puleo, J.A.; Warren, W., and Alrushaid, T., 2020. Variability in onshore sediment transport on a natural beach during a Central American cold surge event. Journal of Coastal Research, 36(3), 487–497. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. Beaches facing the Gulf of Mexico along the northern part of the Yucatan Peninsula experience frequent Central American cold surge events, or northerly storms locally called “Nortes,” which interrupt the usual daily patterns of sea- and land-breeze–dominated nearshore dynamics. These perturbations of prevailing hydrodynamic forcing conditions also affect sediment distribution and transport parameters in the surf and swash zone, which are critical elements in understanding and modeling complex morphodynamic processes during storm events. However, detailed measurements of sediment characteristics throughout the water column during a storm event are scarce. This study presents field measurements of bottom and suspended sediment transported in the onshore direction during a 24-hour storm event impacting the Yucatan Peninsula. Sediment load data within the water column collected in 3 hour intervals via vertical arrays of streamer traps, deployed at two cross-shore locations in the inner surf zone, are compared with sediment data from collocated bottom grab samples. Time series of grain size distributions, sediment statistics, and respective vertical variations throughout the water column are related to measured bed-level changes to verify applicability of simple erosion and accretion predictors. Results indicate that bottom sediment and sediment distributions throughout the water column deviate substantially due to storms, highlighting the complexity and difficulty of assessing sediment transport and morphodynamic processes with a single-parameter sediment characteristic. Calculated total onshore transport rates during the Norte were on average one order of magnitude higher than during nonstorm conditions.
Continental Shelf Research
Shore & Beach
Frequent or consecutive storms impacting coastal areas can result in unexpected or variable impac... more Frequent or consecutive storms impacting coastal areas can result in unexpected or variable impacts. This study evaluates spatiotemporal variability and cumulative impacts on the subaerial beach from four major tropical storms of varying intensity and proximity impacting the study area of Palm Beach County, Florida, during the 2020 Atlantic Basin Hurricane season. Impacts from Hurricanes Isaias, Laura, Sally, and Teddy were measured using Real-Time Kinematic Global Positioning System (RTK GPS) at 14 transects throughout the northern and southern portion of the county. Alongshore morphologic variability resulted from each storm, with some expected patterns of erosion and accretion with a few unexpected impacts. The first three storms caused swash or collision regime impacts on the Sallenger scale. Hurricane Teddy was the fourth storm to impact the study area, causing overwash at numerous locations. Whereas the first two storms of the season caused mostly erosion of the subaerial beac...
Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 2016
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Papers by Tiffany Roberts Briggs