A Disappearing Act:Gulf Coast Barrier Islands and threats posed by climate
change
Rebekah Jones
Questions and Approach
• How have barrier islands been affected by recent hurricane activity?
• Does climate change pose a threat to Gulf Islands?
• Are the effects of climate change already manifesting on the surface?
• What role do barrier islands play in protecting the shoreline?
• What will the degradation of these islands mean for storm surge on the coast?
• Use of GIS and remotely sensed data to measure surface area loss
• Government intervention methods to protect barrier islands, if any
• History of island use
• Projections for sea level rise, hurricane activity compared to that of recent years
Ship Island, Miss
2000 (left) and 2005 (right) Landsat 5 images of damage following Hurricane Katrina. Ship Island has lost 65 percent of its total surface area since 1948.
NDVI
Sept. 2010
Åug. 2006
Findings:
• Overall massive loss of surface area since 1986
• Disruption in the natural aggradation cycle of island regeneration, and possible total submergence of secondary
islands by 2025, and main islands by 2040
• Loss of life, increased property damage and coastal retreat from intensified storm surge a possible result
Overall displacement of large populations resulting from an irreversible process which appears to be worsening
