Increasing shoreline erosion rates with decreasing tidal range in the Virginia Chesapeake Bay

Abstract

The Virginia Chesapeake Bay has a large variation (200%) in tidal range (.36m to 1m) over a relatively short (120 km) distance. Analysis of a regional sampling of shoreline morphology and processes demonstrates that decreasing tidal ranges result in increasing long-term erosion rates. This results because larger tidal ranges form a higher elevation beach. Thus, in larger tidal range areas, water levels increased by storm surges have a lower probability of reaching the elevation of the fastland (bluff or dune) material to augment erosion. Secondly, the wave energy is distributed over a greater distance in the course of a tidal cycle.