Evolution of a Swash Zone Berm Nourishment and Influence of Berm Elevation on the Performance of Beach-Nearshore Nourishments along Perdido Key, Florida, USA

Abstract

ABSTRACT Brutsche, K.E.; Wang, P.; Rosati, J.D., and Beck, T.M., 2015. Evolution of a swash zone berm nourishment and influence of berm elevation on the performance of beach-nearshore nourishments along Perdido Key, Florida, USA. A nourishment was placed within the swash zone along eastern Perdido Key, Florida, in 2011–2012 using maintenance-dredged material from nearby Pensacola Pass, referred to here as a “swash zone berm nourishment.” The study area was divided into three sections, the swash zone berm project and two adjacent areas to the west and east, and was monitored with time series beach surveys. The performance of the 2011–2012 nourishment with a constructed berm elevation of +0.91m North American Vertical Datum 1988 (NAVD88) was compared with two previous nourishments in 1985 and 1989–1991, with +3.0 m NAVD88 and +1.2 m NAVD88 elevations, respectively. The low elevation for the 2011–2012 nourishment allowed natural overwash processes to occur frequently, which resulted in net onshore sediment t...