By Megan Sam
Six months after Hurricanes Helene and Milton reshaped Florida’s coastline, researchers from the University of Florida joined academic, government and industry partners from across the country for an intensive field campaign at Midnight Pass and Milton Pass, two barrier islands opened by the storms. Their goal: to document the long-term impacts of a breach with a level of detail and interdisciplinary coordination not seen in past efforts.
“The opening of these passes created a rare opportunity to track novel data and continue investigating these newly formed inlets from the moment of breaching to potentially years or decades later,” project co-lead Nina Stark, Ph.D., a professor of civil and coastal engineering and associate director with the CCS, said. “Our work will help determine what data is essential for better coastal management, how best to collect it, and deepen our understanding of the processes maintaining or shaping these inlets and their impacts on surrounding areas. This knowledge will improve predictions and guide decision-makers on the future of these waterways.”
Barrier island breaches can have serious consequences, ranging from loss of life and property to disruptions in transportation, utilities and navigation. At the same time, they can offer environmental benefits, such as improved water quality and the restoration of natural water flows. Depending on local conditions and priorities, a newly formed inlet can be perceived as a valuable addition that improves navigation and boosts environmental health, or a serious risk to property, recreation and public safety.
Determining whether a breach poses more risk or benefit depends on a clear understanding of both its immediate and long-term effects. That’s where research plays a crucial role. Historically, studies of these events have been short-term or limited to a single discipline. But today, with the help of advanced technology and growing cross-disciplinary collaboration, researchers are better equipped to take a more holistic, long-term view of barrier island breaches and their wide-ranging impacts.
To build on this broader approach and address some of the gaps in knowledge, the recent field campaign brought together specialists from 10 different entities: University of Florida, University of Delaware, University of Central Florida, Georgia Tech, North Carolina State University, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, University of South Florida, Gannett Fleming and the ECS Florida. The research was supported by the National Science Foundation, the Nearshore Extreme Events Reconnaissance Association, the Geotechnical Extreme Events Reconnaissance Association, and the Natural Hazard and Disaster Reconnaissance Facility at the University of Washington.
The campaign began on June 17 with measurements of currents, water levels and wave dynamics at Midnight Pass. From June 25 to 26, the team expanded its work to map the land and seafloor, collect soil samples, capture drone imagery and monitor change, a highly coordinated effort spanning land, water and air at the same time.
“We had so many researchers from different institutions working together seamlessly, many who were meeting for the first time,” said Alexandra Schueller, doctor in engineering, project co-lead and postdoctoral researcher at the University of Delaware. “We were able to collect all our target data points. It was incredibly rewarding to see our detailed survey plan executed so successfully.”
Data analysis is underway. The researchers plan to host a cross-disciplinary workshop to share findings and follow up with nearby county officials and local stakeholders in Sarasota County and Charlotte County. All results will be made publicly available through the NHERI DesignSafe platform by the end of the year, supporting community efforts to prepare for and adapt to future environmental and infrastructural changes.
“I hope people are as excited about this dataset as I am,” Stark said. “I want it to drive cutting-edge research, encourage more large-scale data collection and spark collaborations that develop into collaborative, long-term work that supports hurricane preparedness and resilience.”