Project Title: Shoreline Change on Sagavanirktok Delta by Prudhoe Bay, North Slope Alaska

• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Beaufort Sea; Ice; north slope; permafrost; Prudhoe Bay; Sea ice; Alaska
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.589.9250; http://doc.nprb.org/web/09_prjs/920_app1_web.pdf

Summary of Proposed Work: Available shoreline position data from the Alaskan Beaufort Sea indicates that most locations have experienced significant erosion (up to 20 m/year) during the past several decades. Also, erosion rates appear to be accelerating recently probably due to climate change. In this project, we will examine shoreline change in the Sagavanirktok River delta (by Prudhoe Bay) to understand the influence of engineering structures (e.g., causeways). The impact of climate warming on shoreline change in this area will also be studied. The North Slope Borough has expressed concern about shoreline change in this area. Data on shoreline position will be obtained from aerial photographs, USGS Maps, and NOAA charts. We will attempt to obtain shoreline position data about every 10 years during the past 60 years. Beach profile measurements, bathymetric data, sediment samples, and wave climate data will be obtained. Based on these data and data on anthropogenic and natural sediment sources, sediment budgets will be developed for the study site for the pre-structure period and the post-structure (i.e., post 1985) period. Climate warming affects shoreline change by (1) increasing the wave climate (a consequence of reduced sea ice), (2) increasing sea level, and (3) enhancing coastal permafrost degradation rates (a consequence of increased nearshore water temperature). Nearshore engineering structures alter the wave, circulation and sediment transport conditions. We will interpret the shoreline change data considering both factors and estimate the shoreline position in the year 2030.