Hotspot Questionnaire


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For the purposes of this survey, hotspots are defined as areas that persistently have elevated erosion relative to the surrounding beach, including locations that erode more during storms (short-term only) and/or long-term (annual-decadal). We purposely have not established a minimum or maximum size or erosion rate. Please include all areas, however large or small, in which heightened erosion has repetitively occurred. Confirmation of receipt will be provided.

Summary statistics and results from the questionnaire will be posted in the "Questionnaire Results" link above. The "Ongoing Research" and "Hotspot References" links will also be ammended as more information becomes available.

Please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Jesse McNinch at 804.684.7191 (mcninch@vims.edu ) or Ms. Jennifer Miselis at 804.684.7857 (jmiselis@vims.edu ) if you have any questions.

The questionnaire requires about 30 minutes to complete per hotspot. You may find it useful to have site maps of the hotspot sites and a ruler as some of the questions ask that you provide distances. Thank you for your time.

Instructions:

  1. Please fill in and submit a separate survey for each hotspot location, including all project beaches (renourished and non-renourished) for which information is available.
  2. In questions that require distances, list features within five kilometers of the hotspot.
  3. There is additional space in the text boxes provided. Just keep typing.
  4. Please note that when using Internet Explorer as your web browser, the form will be submitted after hitting "Return/Enter." Please tab through the boxes so that partial forms are not accidentally submitted or use another browser, such as Netscape.
  5. If the form is accidentally submitted, reset it and resubmit a complete form.

  1. Hotspot Location
    1. State:
    2. Corps District:
    3. Nearest city:
    4. Locally referred to as:
    5. Latitude and Longitude:
      Degree Minutes Seconds N Latitude
      Degrees Minutes Seconds W Longitude

  2. Size of Hotspot (linear distance along beach):
    Meters

  3. Is the occurrence of erosion...
    1. chronic (long-term)
      post-storm (short-term)
      both chronic and post-storm
      unknown
    2. Are erosional events followed by rapid recovery (heightened accretion) at the hotspot?
      yes no unknown

  4. Relative Rates of Erosion
    1. cross-shore erosion rate at hotspot:
      m/yr (long-term)  AND/OR   m/day (short-term) OR not quantified
    2. cross-shore erosion rate of surrounding beach:
      m/yr (long-term)  AND/OR   m/day (short-term) OR not quantified

  5. Engineered Setting
    1. List man-made structures in proximity and note distance from the center of the hotspot. (In cases with multiple structures, list those within one kilometer of the hotspot.):
      Groins: meters meters
        meters meters
      Jetties: meters meters
      Seawalls: meters meters
      Breakwaters: meters meters
        meters meters
      Piers: meters meters
      No structures    
      Other, describe:    


    2. History of beach fill (include nearby fill that may have impacted site)

      Most recent:
      Volume (m3) Season: Year: Mean Sediment Size (mm):
      Placement location encompasses:
      Hotspot
      Surrounding beach distance from hotspot
      Prior Fill:
      Volume (m3) Season: Year: Mean Sediment Size (mm):
      Placement location encompasses:
      Hotspot
      Surrounding beach distance from hotspot
      Prior Fill:
      Volume (m3) Season: Year: Mean Sediment Size (mm):
      Placement location encompasses:
      Hotspot
      Surrounding beach distance from hotspot

  6. Oceanographic Setting
    1. Mean significant
      wave height (m):  wave direction (m):
      wave period (m): OR not quantified
    2. Estimated longshore current
      % of time (annual) direction (e.g. NW, right)
      % of time (annual) direction (e.g. SE, left)
    3. Estimated longshore transport:
      1. Principle (m3):    Secondary (m3): Not quantified

      2. and method of calculation:

        CERC wave power formula
        Fill observations
        Other, describe:


    4. Tidal range (m):

  7. Geologic Setting
    1. Barrier island Mainland beach:
    2. Approximate slope of beach and nearshore:
      degrees    unknown
    3. Mean grain size of native beach sediment (pre-fill):
      mm      unknown
    4. Mean grain size of hotspot sediment:
      mm      unknown
    5. Proximity to nearest inlet or river mouth from hotspot center:
      m      unknown
    6. Condition and state of upper beach:
      Hotspot : Surrounding Beach :
      multiple dune ridges multiple dune ridges
      single, primary dune single, primary dune
      bluff or scarp bluff or scarp
      no dunes, flattened upper beach no dunes, flattened upper beach
      other, describe other, describe
    7. Has the underlying geology been surveyed?
      yes no unknown
    8. Observed exposures of different sediments (outcrops) across beach or shoreface in region, distance from hotspot, and depth of outcrop. :
      Hotspot : Surrounding Beach :
      hardbottom (e.g. rock) hardbottom (e.g. rock) distance (m) depth (m)
      peat peat    distance (m)   depth (m)
      gravel gravel  distance (m)   depth (m)
      mud mud    distance (m)   depth (m)
      no outcrops no outcrops
      unknown unknown

  8. Nearshore and Beach Setting
    1. Typical sandbar condition:
      Hotspot: Surrounding Beach:
      single,shore-parallel bar single,shore-parallel bar
      transverse bars transverse bars
      both both
      planar, no bar planar, no bar
      other, describe:
      		other, describe:
      unknown unknown
    2. Describe common beach states observed through seasons:
      straight
      beach cusps
      mega cusps (large-scale sand waves)
      other, describe
      unknown
    3. Are there bathymetric highs or lows on nearby shoreface?
      Highs (e.g. hardbottom): yes no unknown
      Lows (e.g. borrow pit): yes no unknown

      If yes, what is the distance from the hotspot?
      Highs:
      m   m
      Lows:
      m   m

    4. Has resulting wave refraction been quantified?
      modeled observed both unknown

  9. Possible Causes and Mitigation Attempts:
    1. Describe personal ideas (however speculative) on cause of elevated erosion:


    2. Has sediment transport or shoreline change been quantified at the site (define model and cite technical memo or report if published):
      modeled observed both

      If modeled,
      define model
      technical memo/report

      Were the erosion observations accurately reproduced?
      yes no unknown

    3. What attempts have been made to mitigate erosion at the hotspot?

      OR unknown none

    4. Describe level of success
      successful mixed unsuccessful
        describe further, if necessary:

  10. Other Information:

    Any additional information that can be provided about your site such as reports, pictures, site maps, etc. would be greatly appreciated and can be placed in the following server folder: (ftp://chlguest:chl99wave@134.164.160.15/birkemeier/HotSpotResearch/)

    Yes, I am sending additional information.
         Filenames:


    No, I am not sending any additional information.

  11. Contact Information:
    1. Name:
    2. Email:
    3. Phone:


    12. If you have any trouble using this form, please contact the webmaster .

    10 September 2001