Georgia sound, Vol. 15, no. 1 (Spring 2009

Early Spring 2009

Vol.15, No.1

photo credit: Dr. Clark Alexander, SKIO

The Basics About Beaches & Shoreline Evolution

Beaches come in many different shapes, sizes and varieties. In addition to providing recreational and habitat benefits, barrier beaches protect uplands, lagoons, estuaries and salt marsh from direct impacts from the ocean. Generally speaking, there are three kinds of beaches :

Bay Beaches which form between two adjacent headlands and are surrounded by land on three sides. Bay beaches are common along rocky coastlines in California and the Northeastern States.

Barrier Spits are created where currents build up sandy "arms" into a bay or sound to create beaches. At one end, spits connect to land, while at the far end they exist in open water. This is a common feature along our eastern seaboard where currents are strong and influenced by the ebb and flow of tides.

The third type of beach and the most common of the three recreational beaches here in Georgia is the oceanside shoreline of the Barrier Islands. Barrier Islands are long, low, offshore, narrow islands that are separated from the mainland by a shallow sound and/or salt marsh. These islands typically have inlets to the back bay or rivers at either end.

Gould's Inlet

The evolution of the coast is driven both by natural response to nature's forces and man's response to the natural evolution.

Barrier Islands Are Continuously Moving

Shorelines, especially along the Barrier Islands, are dynamic. They are ever changing. In some cases these changes are so minuscule that they go unnoticed by

On St. Simons Island, the area known as `East Beach' has undergone many changes. Shoreline positions since 1869 are shown.

the average beachgoer. In other cases they are more obvious and can be alarming.

Natural Forces Shape Barrier Islands Through natural long-term evolution, barrier islands change shape and migrate along the coast. Longshore or littoral currents cause this change in shape and migration as waves hit

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Beach Evolution (cont'd)
the shore at an angle, pick up sand on the shore and carry it down the beach. Due to gravity, the water then falls back perpendicular to the beach, dropping its sand as it loses energy. The sand is then picked up by the next wave and pushed slightly further down the beach, resulting in a continual movement of sand in one direction. As one island grows the flow of water through the inlet erodes the island on the opposite side and the inlet gradually moves in the direction of the current.

The natural evolution of barrier islands is also influenced by seasonal weather patterns and wind direction. In the summer and fall, small waves transport sand up onto the beach. In the winter and spring large storm waves erode the sand. When a beach has an increase of sand it is known as accretion. When waves are pulling the sand off the beach or scarping the beach, this is known as erosion.

One-time coastal storm events, such as northeasters or hurricanes, can also cause a change to the shoreline. Most storms are short-lived or are significantly far from the coast, therefore, limiting the amount of damage or change to the shoreline. But occasionally, these storms become strong enough to alter the landscape for decades and in some cases, centuries. Extreme astronomical tides can generate flooding and erosion along low-lying coasts. Storm surges can be generated by intense hurricanes or prolonged onshore winds and waves that can push high volumes of water toward the coast and increase flooding levels. Examples of such shoreline destruction can be seen from Hurricane Katrina that hit the Gulf coast in August, 2005.

Responding to the Natural Evolution of the Shoreline The last major hurricane to affect coastal Georgia was Hurricane Dora in the fall of 1964. As a result of that storm, then US President Lyndon Johnson declared an emergency order that resulted in the placement of a rock revetment along the populated barrier islands of the state.
These revetments, which have been used to combat or reduce erosion, can still be seen today on both St. Simons and Jekyll Islands and are commonly referred to as the "Johnson Rocks'. Shore protection structures, such as the Johnson Rocks, reduce the magnitude of change along the shoreline and are typically installed to keep sand from dropping off in inlets.

Graphic: Dr. Bob Dean, University of

Johnson Rocks on Jekyll Island.

Another technique used to reduce the magnitude of change along the shoreline is sand management. Commonly known as beach nourishment or re-nourishment, sand management is a very expensive technique. However, studies show that beaches that have been nourished or re-nourished have a higher recreational use, provide habitat and protection from erosive storms.

Balancing recreational use, habitat value and the protection of both personal and public property is a challenging task for decision-makers and beach communities. Georgia's beaches belong to the public and are a vital resource to be preserved and protected for the enjoyment and benefit of present and future generations.

Author: Karl Burgess Habitat Management Program Manager Ecological Services Section

www.CoastalGaDNR.org

Early Spring 2009
CZM News and Notes
By Brad Gane, Assistant Director for Ecological Services

Page 3

Greetings! The Georgia Coastal Management Program (GCMP) has a number of new initiatives that we will report on in this and future editions of the Georgia Sound. One initiative supports the acquisition of highly accurate elevation data throughout coastal Georgia using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology. With the support of the Coastal Advisory Council, the GCMP will help to fund this Coastal Georgia Elevation Project (CGEP).
The GCMP has dedicated $200,000 through its Coastal Incentive Grant (CIG) program to the CGEP. CIGs are grants to local governments, academia, and state agencies to support projects of mutual benefit, that is, to further both the GCMP and its objectives, and the objectives of the applicant. In this case the applicant, the Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center (RDC) seeks to develop up-to-date digital topographic data that can be used by all of coastal Georgia's cities and counties. The RDC will receive up to $200,000 from the CIG program if coastal local governments contribute 100% match paid directly to the LiDAR project. The GCMP's contribution to the CGEP is contingent on the data becoming immediately available to the public in a useable form.

http://www.gilles-gachet.ch/Lidar.htm http://ralph.swan.ac.uk/glaciology/projects/slices/

LiDAR is an active sensor, similar to radar, mounted on a small airplane and flown over a project area. As the aircraft travels over the project area, the LiDAR sensor transmits laser pulses to the ground and records the time it takes for the pulse to return to the sensor.

Onboard GPS and computers record the pulse time and the exact location to create a grid of x,y,and z coordinates over a project area, essentially providing 3D elevation data.

Local planners and decision makers use LiDAR data in projects such as:

Flood Plain Mapping

Flood Risk Analysis

Telecommunication Planning

Urban Development

Water-Flow Issues

Habitat Mapping

Subsidence Issues

Riparian Studies

Transportation Mapping

Forestry Management

Emergency Response

Transportation Mapping Shoreline and Beach Volume Changes

The Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center has taken on the management of this

project and is seeking partnerships and funding from Federal, State, and local partners. The

project is a unique opportunity for local governments to obtain very valuable data and our CIG

funding will help offset costs to coastal zone communities.

www.CoastalGaDNR.org

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CZM News and Notes (cont'd)

Sea Level Rise?
Is it real? According to the US Department of Commerce's National Ocean Service, sea level rise is "incontrovertible." That means "unquestionable," "unable to dispute." It didn't just happen yesterday, nor will it be over tomorrow. And there is nothing we can do to stop it. A close look at Georgia's coastal shoreline dynamics shows that sea level change is not new. Coastal Georgia's land surface and offshore configuration show many signs of past sea levels. Neither you, nor I, were around then, but more importantly we did not have a developed society of industrial, commercial and residential areas, transportation, commodity and utility infrastructure, ports, beach communities and recreational facilities, or the many other human uses along our coast. As we look toward the future, many of these human activities are well within reach of an expanding, 'sea level rise driven' water environment.

Coastal Incentive Grant Project Will Predict Land Cover Changes The GCMP has begun to incorporate sea level rise issues into its work. A CIG grant was recently awarded for a project that will overlay an estimated 1-meter sea level rise onto maps of present and planned development areas, and predict land cover changes. Alternative development and conservation strategies will be developed. As more detailed elevation data becomes available, the project will focus on Glynn County and develop sea level rise scenarios identifying flooded lands and affected critical habitats for under 0.25 meters, 0.5 meters, and 1meter sea level rise scenarios. Also, alternative shoreline stabilization projects have been initiated, and a team of Coastal Resource Specialists will incorporate sea level rise into their technical assistance to all of Georgia's coastal communities and local governments.

To give some specific examples, the rise

at Fort Pulaski on the Savannah River

estuary, has been determined to be on

average 3.1 millimeters/year for the last

70 years, or about one foot per century.

The southern Georgia coastal counties

may face a slightly lower rise, based on

Fernandina Beach, FL data of 0.67 feet

photo: nps

per century. EPA's reporting for the

mid-Atlantic states (p. 62, see reference

below) suggests that between now and

Fort Pulaski, Savannah, Georgia

the year 2010 a global sea level rise of

one meter should be considered for future planning and policy discussions. I know 2100 is way

beyond my lifetime, but is it for your children, or their children? Our low sloping, low

elevation, coastal land surface is already being affected by sea level rise, and will continue to

be impacted based

on these projected rates.

Many will debate the causes. But for our Georgia Coastal Management Program, it is not the cause that is of immediate concern but rather the realization that sea level rise is occurring. With the certainty of sea level rise in our present and future, we must find ways to adapt.

For an in-depth introduction to the problem, I invite you to check out the following link to the

USEPA's Climate Change Program, and a document entitled "Coastal Sensitivity to Sea-level

Rise: A Focus on the Mid-Atlantic Region". A link to the document is:

http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/effects/coastal/sap4-1.html

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CRD Workshop Encourages Middle School Girls In Science Careers

The National Science Foundation reports that although women constitute 46 percent of the workforce, just 26 percent hold jobs in mathematics, engineering, science, and technology. In an effort to address this issue, the Glynn County (GA) School system and the College of Coastal Georgia recently sponsored the Expanding Your Horizons Conference for 160 middle school girls to increase their awareness of science, technology, engineering and math careers.

Girls from local public and private middle schools attended the conference, which included a keynote by Connie Patrick, Director of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Brunswick, Ga and two hands-on workshop sessions. Coastal Resources Division scientist Jan Mackinnon taught a workshop on salt marsh biology in which she focused on the different kinds of wetlands and estuaries found in Georgia, the importance of salt marsh habitats and how scientists monitor the health of the marsh.

"The first Expanding Your Horizons Conference was a huge success. It is critical that we, as a community, encourage science and math through hands-on presentations so that our girls are better prepared to pursue careers in these challenging fields."
Jan Mackinnon

Using a terrarium filled with marsh plants and animals, Jan shows the girls how to measure pH and temperature with a meter and probe.

Spotlight on the Coast...
The Ashantilly Center, Darien, Georgia

Ashantilly was the mainland home of Thomas Spalding (1774-1851), one-time owner and developer of Sapelo Island and one of the leading planters on the tidewater. Spalding was also an
agricultural innovator, amateur architect, astute businessman and political figure of McIntosh County and Georgia. The Ashantilly name was chosen in memory of ancestral holdings in Scotland.

In 1918 the Haynes family acquired Ashantilly and its surrounding property. Following a disastrous fire in 1937, the Haynes family began restoration and today Ashantilly remains as one of the finest examples of early coastal Georgia architecture.

Ashantilly Center is open to the public on Monday 10 am 2pm; other days by appointment.

In 1993, Mr. William Haynes, Jr. and his sister, Miss Annie Lee Haynes, donated the house and property to the Ashantilly Center, Inc. in the hopes that it would prove a long-term useful endowment to the people of coastal Georgia.

The Center participates in the annual "Darien Fall Fest" activities, as well as hosts special events on the site throughout the year including a Scottish Ceilidh, Christmas at Ashantilly and the Sunday afternoon `Books and Authors' series. For more information phone (912) 437-4473. Or visit ashantilly.org and click on the blog for current news and events.

Visit with the Ashantilly staff during CoastFest 2009.

www.CoastalGaDNR.org

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25th Annual Coastal Georgia Regional Science and Engineering Fair

The 25th Annual Coastal Georgia Regional Science and Engineering Fair was recently held on the campus of the College of Coastal Georgia in Brunswick, GA. More than 200 students from six counties in Georgia - Glynn, McIntosh, Camden, Brantley, Wayne, and Charlton competed in this year's regional fair. The CRD associates who judged at the 2009 science fair were Jan Mackinnon, Jim Page, Ron Michaels, Cynthia Gregory, and Dawn Kirzl.

The science fair has a threefold goal: (1) to stimulate active interest in science and engineering among our youth; (2) to give them an educational experience through interaction with judges who are professional scientists and/or engineers; and (3) to recognize publicly the students accomplishments. In addition, science fair students must have won on the local level to participate in the higher levels of competition. Winners from the Coastal Georgia Regional Science and Engineering Fair will go on to compete at Georgia Science and Engineering Fair, April 1-4, 2009 in Athens, and could potentially continue to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), May 10-15, 2009 in Reno, NV. Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) is the largest pre-college celebration of science with 1,500 students representing 40 countries competing for nearly $4 million in prizes and scholarships.

Since 1998, CRD has sponsored the Anderson-Waters Marine Science Award at the Regional Fair which is awarded to a student with an outstanding project related to our Coastal Region. CRD presents the Anderson Waters Marine Science Awards each year in honor of William Anderson and Eleanor Waters. Mr. Anderson was a senior scientist with the U.S. Bureau of Commercial Fisheries for 39 years before accepting a position with Georgia DNR to develop the Department's Marine Fisheries Program in the early 1970's. Eleanor Waters was responsible for creating the marine fisheries library at CRD, where she served as librarian until her retirement.

The 2009 winners of the Anderson-Waters Marine Science Award are:

The Junior division winner, Alan Ham (right), a 6th grader from St. Francis Xavier School, receives the Anderson-Waters Award from CRD Director, Susan Shipman, for his project `Determining Mortality rate of Artemia Saliva'.

Anderson-Waters Marine Science Award recipient in the Senior division, Richard Saylor (pictured left), a 10th grade student from Glynn Academy, accepts the award from CRD Director, Susan Shipman for his project `Do Increased Levels of Water-soluble Fertilizer in Water Hasten Eutrophication?'.

In the Elementary Division, the Anderson -Waters Marine Science Award was awarded to

Elizabeth Shavers (not pictured), a 5th grader at Satilla Marsh Elementary School, who won

for her project `Making Waves'.

www.CoastalGaDNR.org

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From the Director's Desk... Ship to Shore
By Susan Shipman Director, Coastal Resources Division
Saluting Commissioner Noel Holcomb
April 1 will mark the passing of the Georiga Department of Natural Resources (DNR) leadership baton from retiring Commissioner Noel Holcomb to incoming Commissioner, Chris Clark. You may be surprised to learn that DNR has only had four Commissioners. Each one has left a positive imprint on the agency, and on this occasion of Noel's retirement, I want to reflect on his career and his many contributions.
A graduate of West Georgia College (B.S. and M.S. in Biology), Noel Holcomb came to work for DNR in 1978 in the Wildlife Resources Division (WRD). The State obtained Ossabaw Island that year, and Noel became the first Wildlife Technician on the Ossabaw Island Heritage Preserve. I am convinced it is on Ossabaw that Noel developed his deep and lasting love for Georgia's coast. Career advancement took him far from the coast in 1985 to Northeast Georgia. As fortune would
have it, however, advancement brought him back to the coast in 1987 ---- to Sapelo Island, where he spent the next three years as a Wildlife Biologist. It was like throwing him in the briar patch.
When Noel was promoted to WRD's Game Management Regional Supervisor for northwest Georgia in 1990, he returned home to his northwest Georgia roots where he spent the next 11 years. In 2001 Noel was selected as Assistant Director of WRD, and appointed Director of the Division in 2003.
Noel Holcomb reached the pinnacle of DNR leadership in 2004. Acting on the recommendation of Governor Sonny Perdue, the Board of Natural Resources appointed him as Commissioner of the DNR in August 2004. As Commissioner, Noel assumed responsibility for the Department's operations, which involve overseeing the management and conservation of Georgia's wildlife, the operation of over one million acres of wildlife management areas and public fishing areas and state parks, the protection and conservation of coastal marshlands and beaches, the preservation of historic and cultural resources and the implementation of environmentally sound business practices for industry.
In his role as Commissioner, Noel has frequently returned to the coast in his capacity as Chairman of the Coastal Marshland Protection Committee and Shore Protection Committee. As Chairman of those bodies, he has overseen the deliberations and issuance of 121 Marsh and 47 Shore permits, as well as our Division's administration and enforcement of the Marsh Act and Shore Act.
Noel is a member of the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, on which he chairs the Teaming for Wildlife Committee. Over the past few years he has represented

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the Southeastern States in the Congressionally mandated review all of the State Wildlife Action Plans for the US. Noel is a member of the Wildlife Society, the Southeastern Committee on Wildlife Diseases, and serves on the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources Advisory Committee's Instruction and Outreach Committee. He also serves on the Governor's Land Conservation Council and the Stone Mountain Memorial Association.

Noel Holcomb leaves a lasting mark in environmental education of our citizenry through the Arrowhead Education Center. He was instrumental in making the Center a reality, in cooperation with the Floyd County Board of Education. Five northwest Georgia school systems plus the Regional Education Support Agency help fund the Education Coordinator position. DNR provides the facility. Over 69,000 students have come to Arrowhead Education Center for programs on the environment, conservation, wildlife and natural resource stewardship. Capitalizing on the resources of the Arrowhead Educational Center, Noel also began the Outdoor Adventure Day in Northwest Georgia during his WRD career. Initiated in May 2000 to coincide with International Migratory Bird Day, annually 1,500 youth and adults participate in fishing, shooting sports and rock climbing.

Noel is deeply committed to preservation of Georgia's natural heritage and his career with DNR has enabled him the opportunity to realize that goal. Concerned about visitors destroying a unique wildflower habitat on Crockford-Pigeon Mountain Wildlife Management Area, Noel led the initiative for a boardwalk through this beautiful habitat. The boardwalk was dedicated to former First Lady Shirley Miller in 1999 as the Shirley Miller Wildflower Trail.

Another of Noel's passions is land conservation. As

Commissioner, he was instrumental in key land acquisition

projects like Pigeon Mountain, Paulding Forest River Creek

and Silver Lake. During Noel's tenure, the Department has

Noel and Terri Holcomb examine protected 39,015 acres in fee and 4,606 acres of conservation

shrimp from a recent trawl easements along Georgia's coast. Noteworthy projects along

aboard the R/V Anna.

the Altamaha River include Clayhole Swamp ( 5,242 acres);

Penholoway Swamp (4,269 acres), Townsend Wildlife

Management Area (6,714 acres), Fort Barrington tract (4,162 acres) and the Cathead Creek

tract (752 acres). In addition, conservation

easements have been secured on Sapelo Island.

Noel's career with DNR enabled

Commissioner Holcomb and I have found ourselves "knee deep in alligators" on more than one occasion,

him to work with diverse wildlife species such as deer, turkey, eagles, waterfowl, sea turtles,

but his support, wisdom and tenacity enabled us to

bats and salamanders.

extract ourselves from such situations. As Noel

Holcomb concludes his DNR career, the colleagues of

Coastal Resources Division join me in saluting our Commissioner for his outstanding

service to the men and women of this agency, to the Marsh and Shore Committees and the

natural resources of this coastal region and to all the citizens of Georgia. We wish Noel a

well-deserved wonderful retirement, filled with many blessings and rewarding endeavors

with his wife, Terri, and son, Zane.

Best to you, Noel!

www.CoastalGaDNR.org

Fall 2008

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Short Strikes
By Spud Woodward Assistant Director for Marine Fisheries
Survey Shrimp Feed Local Community
For over 30 years, the Research Vessel Anna has been a home to scientists collecting samples of marine life from Georgia's coastal waters. From squid to sea squirts, the catch is a look into life beneath the surface of the estuaries. Samples are weighed, measured, and evaluated for other characteristics as part of the Ecological Monitoring Large Trawl Survey. During 2008, this survey produced a catch of approximately 1,200 pounds of food-sized shrimp. As part of a longstanding effort to support the Brunswick-Golden Isles community, these shrimp were donated to various non-for-profit groups, including St. Marks Towers (an assisted living facility), Safe Harbor Children's Home, and Morning Star Treatment Services (also a home for abused children). For more information about the Ecological Monitoring Large Trawl Survey contact Jim Page at (912) 264-7218.
Anglers Aid In Study of Hatchery-Reared Redfish
During 2008, volunteer anglers provided over 200 tissue samples from oneand two-year-old red drum caught in the Wassaw estuary near Savannah. Anglers collected tissue samples by clipping a dime-sized piece of fin and placing it in a vial filled with preservative. CRD collected the vials and sent them along with another 400 samples collected during scientific surveys to South Carolina DNR. Geneticists will use the samples to determine if the fish were wild or hatchery-reared as part of the Peach State Reds Initiative. From July through December 2008, an additional 275 red drum angler interviews were conducted in Chatham County. Information from these interviews will yield more precise estimates of red drum catch and harvest. A socio-economic survey of red drum anglers will be completed during the autumn of 2009. The results of these and other surveys will be compiled as a final report of the Peach State Reds Initiative in early 2010. For more information about the Peach State Reds Initiative go to www.peachstatereds.org or call Doug Haymans at (912) 264-7218.

Committee Issues Permit for Fish Habitat Projects.
Efforts to restore and enhance saltwater fish habitat received a boost when the Coastal Marshland Protection Committee (CMPC) approved a permit request from the Marine
Fisheries Section for deployment of oyster cultch along the Georgia coast. The permit authorizes CMPC staff to issue letters of permission for oyster reef projects that meet the special conditions of the permit. Currently, the Marine Fisheries Section has two oyster reef projects underway one associated with the recently renovated Jekyll Island public boat ramp and one in the Altamaha River Delta. Other projects are planned for the future depending on available from external funds from groups such as the Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership. Oyster reefs are essential fish habitat and provide a myriad of other ecological services such as water filtration and shoreline stabilization. For more information contact Gabe Gaddis at (912) 264-7218.
www.CoastalGaDNR.org

Early Spring 2009
Ossabaw Island Residents Enjoy the Sun

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photo: Adam Mackinnon photo: Lisia Kowalczyk

In 1978, Ossabaw Island was designated as Georgia's first Heritage Preserve with the written understanding that Ossabaw would "only be used for natural, scientific and cultural study, research and education, and environmentally sound preservation, conservation and management of the Island's ecosystem." The island is not accessible to the general public. On a recent fly-over with DNR Helicopter Pilot Ed Watkins, CRD staff member Lisia Kowalczyk snapped this photo of the Ossabaw alligators enjoying the sun at their favorite mid-island location.
photo: Adam Mackinnon
www.CoastalGaDNR.org

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2008 A6t,t5e0n0d+ance

Save the Date! Saturday,

15th Annual

October 3rd

CoastFest is Georgia's largest educational event that celebrates the State's coastal natural environment. This annual event is sponsored by the GA DNR/Coastal Resources Division/Coastal Zone Management Program and made possible through a grant provided by NOAA. The event is free to the public. For more information contact Nancy Butler, CoastFest Coordinator, at 912.262.3140 or email nancy.butler@dnr.state.ga.us

The Georgia Sound is produced by the Georgia DNR/Coastal Resources Division. If you would like more information please visit our web site at : www.CoastalGaDNR.org or contact Coastal Resources Division at (912) 264-7218.
This publication is made possible through the efforts of the Ga DNR/Coastal Resources staff and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Grand Award #NA07NOS4190182.
Editor: Nancy Butler nancy.butler@dnr.state.ga.us