Coastal Bays and Sea Level Rise: a long term analysis of Chincoteague Bay Barrier Island System.

The physical setting and dynamic processes of Coastal Bays provide the foundation for a complex and productive ecosystem. Stresses to the Coastal Bays system, and management challenges for the coming century, are related largely to the increasing pace of development in the coastal zone, and the prospect of accelerated sea level rise driven by global warming. The Chincoteague Bay, ideally located behind barrier islands support a critical habitat for migratory shorebirds and waterfowl, many important commercial and recreational fishing and numerous rare and threatened plant and animal species. Against this background, a 50-100 year storm can exert a powerful influence by reshaping and restructuring the barrier islands and Coastal Bays. In this study, we plan to illustrate how Hurricane Sandy exerted such an influence on the Chincoteague Bay. Using long-term tidal data, we will show how storm surges from Hurricane Sandy inundated and altered low lying areas of the region.