The Importance Of Coastal Resilience

The coast is defined as the place where the land and the sea meet. This includes the adjacent waters, as well as the shoreline and extends so far landward and seaward (Post & Lundin, 1996). The width of the coastal zone varies due to the seasonal changes and any adjustments, whether natural or manmade. While preventative measures must be put in place to mitigate these effects, procedures must also be put in place to ensure that the coastal zone can bounce back from the impact of these effects. Martinez et al. defines coastal resilience as “a measure of the system’s capacity to respond to the consequences of perturbation” (2017). Coastal resilience usually refers to the coastal zone’s ability to thrive and repair themselves after being affected

The most basic revetments consist of timber slants with a possible rock infill. Waves break against the revetments, which dissipate and absorb the energy. The shoreline is protected by the beach material held behind the barriers, as the revetments trap some of the material. They may be watertight, covering the slope completely, or porous, to allow water to filter through after the wave energy has been dissipated. Most revetments do not significantly interfere with transport of longshore drift. Since the wall absorbs energy instead of reflecting it, the surf progressively erodes and destroys the revetment; therefore, maintenance is ongoing, as determined by the structural material and product quality. (“Shoreline Protection - Types of Shoreline Protection” by science.jrank.org)

Storm surge barriers, or floodgates, were introduced after the North Sea Flood of 1953 and prevent damage from storm surges or any other type of natural disaster that could harm the area they protect. They are habitually open and allow free passage, but close under threat of a storm surge. (“Shoreline Protection - Types of Shoreline Protection” by