Unprecedented Historical Erosion of US Gulf Coast: A Consequence of Accelerated Sea‐Level Rise?

Abstract

AbstractMost of the US Gulf Coast is composed of barrier islands, peninsulas, chenier plains, and mainland beaches that are the main line of defense for wetlands, estuaries, and urban and industrial centers from rising sea level and severe storms. These wave‐dominated shorelines are currently experiencing widespread erosion. Using newly acquired and existing results from 13 sites spanning south Florida to south Texas, we compare shoreline migration rates during the late Holocene (∼−4000 to 1850 CE) with historical changes since the mid‐19th century. The records show an overall trend of seaward growth during the late Holocene followed by landward migration or a decrease in the rate of growth during historical time. Diminishing offshore sand supply, human alteration of rivers and coastal sand transport, and severe storms have contributed to this change in shoreline trajectory, but their influence has been mostly limited in extent. The most likely cause of this reversal from coastal stability and growth to widespread shoreline retreat is the dramatic historical increase in the rate of sea‐level rise over the past century.