Beach profile morphological changes: northeast Graham Island, Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia, Canada
Date
2009-11-04T23:16:48Z
Authors
Zantvoort, Willem Gerald
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Abstract
The northeast coast of Graham Island is macrotidal, composed of unconsolidated
sediments, and subject to extreme wind and wave conditions. Cape Fife coast is erosive,
composed of sand to gravel, and is medium to low sloped with intertidal to subtidal bars.
The north coast is mainly depositional, very low to steeply sloped, and composed of fine
aeolian sands and cobbles. Rose Spit, trending north-northeast separates the two beaches.
Cross-shore profiles documented seasonal morphologies, where active summer swash bar
development is preceded by concave profile. This study identified that bars on the east
coast are linked to erosive hotspots. There was a relationship between wavelength and
amplitude of the bar and the erosive nature of the foreshore. It is proposed that bars
protect against incident waves. Decadal and seasonal evolution of a portion of the
northeast coast was compiled with the combination of aerial photography, bathymetric
data and geomorphological mapping.
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Keywords
Morphology, Erosion