Hard+Stabilization+on+the+Outer+Banks+of+North+Carolina

__**// Hard Stabilization //**__ __**// Summary //**__ **//Hard Stabilization//** is structure that is built to reduce the action of the waves and soft stabilization which mainly refers to adding sediment back to a beach as it erodes away. It’s basically structure that reduces wave energy and protects areas by preventing **//erosion//** of a shoreline by a body of water. The three main structures are **//breakwaters//**, **//seawalls//**, & **//groins//**; they all protect developed areas from water damages. Image Used Courtesy Of : Creative Commons


 * //Seawalls//** are vertical structures used to protect backshore areas from heavy wave action. They also lower wave energy environments, to separate land from water. **//Seawalls//** could be a choice of steel **//sheet pile//**, **//gravity//**, **//concrete//**, or **//rock seawalls//** but they all prevent wave energy from destroying developed areas. Seawalls are very widespread around the world protecting multiple countries. The largest seawall is located on the southwestern coast of the Korean peninsula, it’s a 21 mile seawall enclosed approximately at 160 square miles of seawater between the **//Yellow Sea//** and the **//Saemangeum//** estuary.

Image Used Courtesy Of : **Creative Commons** A **//breakwater//** is an erosion control structure that runs parallel to the shore of an ocean to protect it from waves with full force. **//Breakwaters//** are there to protect homes and beaches, but since it is a man-made structure is have its advantages and disadvantages. A couple of advantages of fixed and floating breakwaters is that floating breakwaters are placed out from the shoreline to break the waves with full force. Fixed breakwaters are placed in the ocean to protect the shore from high and fast moving waves. Also, they have a couple of disadvantages to. A disadvantage of floating //**breakwaters**// is that when big storms arrive they tend to fail and break away from their moorings. A disadvantage to a fixed breakwater is that it can be a total barrier to close off a significant portion of a waterway or entrance channel, thereby causing a faster river or tidal flow in the vicinity as well as potentially trapping debris on the up drift side.

Image Used Courtesy Of : **Creative Commons**

//**Groins**// are walls built perpendicular to a coastline. //**Groins**// are made to trap sand that moves down the coast in longshore transport. They are to help keep as much sand as possible on a beach. It interrupts water flow and limits the movement of sediment. Bassically to prevent erosion. These gorins are usually made of materials such as wood, concrete, or rock piles.

__ Hard Stabilization __

What Is **//Hard Stabilization?//**

Two types of **//Hard Stabilization//**:
 * **//Hard Stabilization//** is structure that is built to reduce the action of the waves and soft stabilization which mainly refers to adding sediment back to a beach as it erodes away.

Benefits of **//Seawalls//**:
 * shore-parallel structures, such as **//seawalls//** and **//breakwaters//**
 * shore-perpendicular structures, such as **//groins//** and **//jetties//**


 * //__Embankments that prevent the erosion of a shoreline by a body of water.__//

Benefits of **//Breakwaters//**:


 * //__Structures that reduce the amount of wave energy reaching the protected area.__//

Benefits of **//Groins//**:


 * //__Groin is a structure built perpendicular to the shoreline usually of rock or metal designed to trap sand that moves in the long shore current.__//

//**Sources:**// [] [] [] [] []

__//**Wiki Brought To You By:**//__ //**Corey Crittendon**// //**Jalen Booker**// //**Jahmontrey Biviens**//

The barrier islands that we know today were created at the end of the last ice age. They were made by sand dunes forming, which are backbone of the island, and sea level rising from melting glaciers. Ever since the islands formed they’ve been continuously moving even till today. But, the problem now is that major structures have built on the islands where the sand supply is eroding away. So, all these people who put money in these buildings and homes want to put hard stabilization on the shores to protect them from the ocean. But, why do this when hard stabilization can affect barrier islands in many numbers of ways. For one barrier island can guard itself from island by creating inlets. When they form, so does the delta which brings sand to the new island and manages rising sea level. Then, the deltas form into salt marshes on the land. Salt marshes can help the island by giving it larger volume of sand and higher elevation. So, if they build these new hard stabilization structures the island can’t manage the rising sea level and then the island will end up destroyed. There are many different types of hard stabilization structures. The most destructive of these stabilizations is the seawall. Seawalls are built onshore and protect the land behind them. But, the land in front of seawall erodes faster, leaving no recreational beach. Once waves start breaking against these walls, turbulence built up by the sudden release of wave energy erodes the sediments on the seaward side. Another type of structure is called, Breakwaters. They run parallel to the shore to get most of blast from the waves. But, if breakwater is built in path of long shore current, the sand it’s carrying will build up behind the wall and you’ll see noticeable erosion down current. The third kind of structure is called, Groins. They are built perpendicular to the shore and go straight out into the ocean. They are meant to block littoral shift from long shore currents, but the down drift side end up eroding faster. Then, finally the most common of the structures are called, Jetties. They are built at angle to the shore and design to protect the harbor’s entrance. But, in California for example; their long shore drift is southward. So, when they construct a jetty that traps sediments on its northern side, increase the erosion on its southern side. All in all hard stabilization destroy recreational beaches by protecting erosion to remaining sand. In the end it affects the ecosystem, and ends up being really expensive because the land will still continue to move. 

The alternative for using hard stabilization is soft stabilization. I say this, because soft stabilization is more naturally better in appearance and does not threatens the habitats. It does not create a manmade appearance or disrupts the natural migration of the island. Soft stabilization it replenishes the beach and extends it seaward. It is little expensive, but not that expensive as hard stabilization. It adds sand to the beach, and in the end it widens the island. This method of stabilization is more natural, helps replenish the beach and the property owners will get to keep their buildings and homes

__Sources:__ 1. Thurman, Harold. Introductory Oceanography. 8th ed. Upper Saddle River, New Hersey 07458: Prentice Hall Inc, 1997. Print. 2. Miller, Ritter. Process Geomorphology. 4th ed. New York, New York: McGraw Hill, 2002. Print. 3. Golding, Caitlin. The Effects of Hard Stabilization on Barrier Islands. July 16, 2002. Word Doc. 4. Jaris, Emily. What is Hard Stabilization?. July 13, 2011. Web.

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//STOP HARD STABILIZATION BY:// //Te'Vonta Royster// //tyrique key// //justin harvey//