Shoreline Resilience and Inlet Management

Summary

Many coastal ponds on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, and mainland Massachusetts shorelines are drained intentionally (“breached”) to lower pond water levels that threaten homes and to promote healthy habitats. However, breaches often close before a significant exchange with the ocean can occur and frustrating local efforts to improve water quality and overall ecosystem health. The PIs will take advantage of several scheduled breachings to observe and develop models for the recovery of beaches and the corresponding closing of ponds after inlet breaching. Their work will help develop breaching strategies for coastal managers that optimize exchange between coastal ponds and the ocean for a range of ponds and barrier spits, as well as a range of wind, tidal, and wave conditions.