1. GEOLOGY AND GEOMORPHOLOGY OF THE NEW JERSEY COAST FROM THE SANDY HOOK BAY TO CAPE MAY FABIO CASTIBLANCO GE254

2. NEW JERSEY COAST Stretches from Sandy Hook to Cape May 127 Miles Densely populated – Economic Focal Point Geologically Extremely flat (trend that heads inland) Composed of sediments Erosional Coast

3. NEW JERSEY COASTAL PLAIN CREATION Pre-Pleistocene Glaciation Cohansey Formation Bridgeton Formation Pleistocene Glaciation Pensauken Formation Cape May Formation Multiple facies

4. PRE-PLEISTOCENE ENVIRONMENTS Cohansey Formation Stanford, 2005

5. PLEISTOCENE GLACIATION Stanford, 2005

6. CURRENT SHORELINE Different shoreline beach types Barrier Bar system Back Bays Exposed Beaches EROSION Erosion on beaches 2.2 meters a year Sediment transport Directionality of transport Human intervention Groins Sea Level Rise

7. EROSION- GROINS Cape May - Groins

8. DEPOSITION

9. CURRENT EROSIONAL PATH Factors increasing erosion/ worsening the situation Human intervention Cutting off supply for replenishment Pumping from off shore sand Global warming Stronger storms Hurricane Sandy Sea level rise Going to get worse!

10. SANDY AFTERMATH USGS

11. SUMMARY The New Jersey Coast is not headed in a good direction Erosional coast, economically developed Under threat of erosional forces Increasingly worse Can we do anything? Short-term = Yes Long-term = No