A Field Team led by Nina Stark (U. Florida) deployed 17 wave and pore pressure gages and collected surveys prior to Helene in Cedar Key, Suwannee, Shired Island, and Horseshoe Beach, FL with equipment and support from the NHERI Rapid Facility prior to Hurricane Helene. The data include measurements spanning natural mangrove, dune, and tidal flat systems, as well as rubble mound and seawall features, and will help researchers and coastal managers understand the benefits, drawbacks, and unintended consequences of “green” and “gray” coastal protection methods.
A NEER-GEER Team (also led by Dr. Stark) collected extensive bathymetry, topography, and soil observations following Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The findings are expected to improve understanding, prediction, and mitigation of inundation and erosion during severe tropical storm events due to storm surge and wave action, and will contribute to improved risk assessments and impact predictions of tropical cyclones on coastal communities.
