About this book:

"Coasts in Motion: Shoreline Dynamics, Hazards, and Management" offers a comprehensive guide to understanding and managing dynamic coastal environments. The book begins by establishing the fundamental forces shaping coastlines, detailing the generation, transformation, and breaking of waves, the rhythmic influence of tides and storm surge, and the intricate balance of sediment budgets within littoral cells. It thoroughly explains nearshore currents, longshore transport, and how these forces sculpt beaches, dunes, barrier islands, estuaries, deltas, and rocky coasts. The early chapters emphasize reading coastal forms as a record of energy and material exchange over various timescales.

A central theme woven throughout the book is sea-level rise, exploring its global drivers, local factors, and the projections that challenge traditional coastal management. The text integrates discussions of coastal hazards, including storm impacts, compound flooding from hurricanes, nor’easters, and rivers, and methods for assessing and mapping these risks. It then transitions into practical management strategies, evaluating both hard engineering solutions like seawalls, groins, jetties, and breakwaters, and nature-based approaches such as living shorelines, reef restoration, and marsh creation. Beach nourishment and broader sediment management are presented as crucial tools for maintaining coastal health and resilience.

The latter part of the book delves into the societal dimensions of coastal management, covering community engagement, equity, and the preservation of cultural heritage. It examines the complex legal and policy frameworks, including permitting, zoning, and coastal acts, that govern human interactions with the shore. Economic and financial aspects of resilience are discussed, highlighting cost-benefit analyses, funding mechanisms, and the value of ecosystem services. Through diverse case studies on dune restoration, barrier island evolution, and urban waterfronts, the book illustrates real-world applications and the tradeoffs inherent in coastal decision-making.

Ultimately, "Coasts in Motion" advocates for an "adaptive pathways" approach to future coastal design and management. Recognizing inherent uncertainties in climate change and coastal processes, this strategy emphasizes flexible, sequenced actions, continuous monitoring, and a willingness to adjust plans as conditions evolve. The book posits that effective coastal management requires a blend of scientific understanding, engineering ingenuity, policy acumen, and community collaboration, urging readers to move with the dynamic coast rather than against it, fostering resilient communities and ecosystems in the face of ongoing change.