Enhancing Coastal Community Resilience in North Carolina: Monitoring Erosion and Nature-based Solution Efficacy on a Fetch-limited Barrier Island

Abstract

Fetch-limited barrier islands protect low-lying coastal communities like those in eastern North Carolina. They are natural barriers against powerful waves and storm impacts. However, coastal storms can subject barrier islands to elevated water levels and forceful waves, overwhelming their resistance to ongoing erosion. Sugarloaf Island in Morehead City, North Carolina has undergone noticeable and rapidly progressing changes in its physical and ecological features, linked to recent storms. This exemplifies a critical need for restoration measures on the island. To increase the resiliency of downtown Morehead City, a restoration committee was created to protect Sugarloaf Island from continued erosion by implementing an innovative approach that combines nature-based solutions with engineered structures. While this approach is innovative, there is an urgent need to support the Sugarloaf Island restoration project through assessments of the island's resilience before and after storm events, as well as an evaluation of the efficacy of these innovative nature-based solutions. To support the committee and understand the dynamic changes occurring on the island, we employ on-demand small Uncrewed Aircraft System (sUAS) remote sensing devices alongside survey-grade Real-Time Kinematic Global Navigation Satellite Systems (RTK-GNSS) and use innovative geospatial workflows to quantify seasonal erosion. Our results show: 1) consistent erosion during active and dormant marine weather seasons and 2) overall accretion once all restoration measures are in place. This project facilitates seasonal surveys throughout the year to gain insights into the short-term impacts of storms and coastal restoration efforts. The results of this study improve the assessment of erosion concerns, and our understanding of the effectiveness of nature-based solutions in enhancing the resiliency of a coastal community in North Carolina.