Due to the fact that we have had six hurricanes in the past three years, coastal erosion is a major concern in our community.  This project will investigate the effects these storms have had on our area beaches and the efforts needed to slow the loss of beaches on barrier islands.

The Question for you to investigate:

What have been the erosion rates and patterns in the Southeastern North Carolina and Northeastern South Carolina coastal areas over the last ten years and what efforts have been made to counteract that erosion?  Do our inlets play a role as to where erosion is more evident?

Your project should include the following:

1. A two-page report on your investigation results.
2. A graph depicting the trends of erosion over the last 10 years.
3. Generate an equation of the line of best fit for your data and use it to predict the erosion rate in the year 2010.
4. Create a map of your estimation of how the coastline will look in the year 2010.
5. Write a letter to your congressman proposing your theory of erosion and your suggestions for erosion control.

You may use the following links to aid your investigation:
 

• Coastal Erosion - Severity of the Problem
• USGS Center for Coastal Geology FY1998 Projects: South Carolina Coastal Erosion Study
• The South Carolina Coastal Erosion Study
• North Carolina NERR - Beaufort, NC

You are not limited to these websites.  You are encouraged to search other sites for more information.