Open AccessCoastal erosion on the east coast of Graham Island, Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia
Author(s) -
Kim W. Conway,
J. Vaughn Barrie
Publication year - 1994
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.4095/194097
Subject(s) - storm , oceanography , shore , slumping , period (music) , geology , coastal erosion , east coast , erosion , cape , queen (butterfly) , winter storm , holocene , barrier island , pleistocene , longshore drift , sediment transport , archaeology , sediment , geography , geomorphology , ecology , hymenoptera , physics , acoustics , biology
The coastal zone of eastern Graham Island, the largest of the Queen Charlotte Islands, is subject to severe erosional events during winter storms. Over 11 m of land was lost over a one year period (1992-1993) at one monitoring site (Cape Fife) and 1.5 m wasmeasured to have eroded at the same location in a 24 hour period following a storm (Feb. 8, 1994). Analysis of airphotos indicate that a rate of erosion of about 1 m per annum is indicated in the northern part of the study area. Slumping of oversteepened Holocene dunes and Pleistocene cliffs duringand shortly after southeasterly winter storms combined with strong longshore transport to the north are the dominant processes observed. Shore-attached bars may also play an important role in sediment storage and transport of eroded sediments on the east coast of GrahamIsland.