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Geomorphological impact of Hurricane Irma on Marco Island, Southwest Florida

Natural Hazards volume 106, pages 1–17 (2021)Cite this article

Abstract

Hurricane Irma caused significant damage on Marco Island, where it made landfall on September 10, 2017. Pre- and post-hurricane beach profiles were analyzed for an arched spit, “Tigertail,” along the northwestern side of the island, and volumetric quantification of its evolution was estimated using SANDS software. LiDAR data from 2008 to 2017 and Google Earth historical imagery dating back to 1995 were used to compare landscape-level changes as a consequence of the storms that affected the region. The data show that the sand spit evolved dramatically from a relatively small sand bar in 1995. The impact of Hurricane Irma appears to be most significant on the northern end of the spit, where nearly 200,000 m3 of sediment was added by the storm between R-monuments V-311 and V-314. About 95,000 m3 of sediment was removed by Hurricane Irma from the mid-island southward, between V-316 and R-133. Overall, the impact of Hurricane Irma was significant for Tigertail Beach and its surroundings, when compared to previous hurricanes, with a net gain from transport and redeposition of 118,000 m3 of sediment on the barrier island and its surroundings.

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Acknowledgements

This study was partially supported by a NOAA/NCCOS Grant (Award #2624084). Lindino Benedet is acknowledged for providing ADCP data gathered from the study area during hurricane Irma.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. U. A. Whitaker College of Engineering, Emergent Technologies Institute, Florida Gulf Coast University, 16301 Innovation Lane, Fort Myers, FL, 33913, USA

    Natalie Harvey & Thomas M. Missimer

  2. Department of Marine and Earth Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, 10501 FGCU Blvd S, Fort Myers, FL, 33965, USA

    Andrew Gross, Felix Jose & Michael Savarese

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  1. Natalie Harvey
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  2. Andrew Gross
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  3. Felix Jose
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  4. Michael Savarese
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  5. Thomas M. Missimer
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Correspondence to Felix Jose.

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Harvey, N., Gross, A., Jose, F. et al. Geomorphological impact of Hurricane Irma on Marco Island, Southwest Florida. Nat Hazards 106, 1–17 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-020-04445-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-020-04445-3

Keywords

  • Tigertail
  • Shoreline morphology
  • Hurricane irma
  • Marco island
  • Storm impacts
  • Overwash deposit