Title:

The Future of Hampton’s Beach: Measuring Coastal Erosion with GPS and Beach Profile Data

Hampton Beach has been experiencing floods and home destruction or damage caused by ocean waves and storms, which has led to the need for beach profiling to monitor changes in the shape and slope of the beach. This beach profiling study aims to determine if the changes in beach shape and slope during different times of the year correlate with certain disasters and if berms are a working solution against damage from the ocean. The study began in 2020 by Larry Ward and has been continued by volunteers. Two methods were used to collect beach profile data: the Emery Board Method and the GPS Method. The Emery Board Method involved two people using rods to measure the height difference between each rod as the slope, while the GPS Method was a more accurate and precise form of data collection, with a GPS receiver attached to an antenna and slowly walking up and down the beach. Our group collected beach profile data in the exact spot at two different times of year. The first round of data collection was in October 2022, when large berms were present on the beach, and the second round of data collection occurred in February 2023, when the berms were eroded. According to graphs constructed with the profile data gathered for both rounds, the beach became more linear in February 2023 when the berms were eroded as opposed to in October 2022 when the berms were present and more prominent. The results of the study indicate that berms appear to be doing what they are made to do and that the GPS method is a more accurate form of beach profiling, although the emery method was also very effective at measuring accurate beach profiles as well. The study's findings will be helpful in developing strategies or creating strucutres to help to mitigate the damage caused by storms and oceans on Hampton Beach. Overall, this study demonstrates the effectiveness of using beach profiling methods to monitor changes in the beach's shape and slope, and highlights the importance of developing solutions to address coastal erosion and its impacts on communities.

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