Increased Utilization of Storm Surge Barriers: A Research Agenda on Estuary Impacts

• Published in: Earth's future Vol. 11; no. 3
• Main Authors: Orton, Philip, Ralston, David, Prooijen, Bram, Secor, David, Ganju, Neil, Chen, Ziyu, Fernald, Sarah, Brooks, Bennett, Marcell, Kristin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bognor Regis John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.03.2023; Wiley
• Subjects: Animal migration; Closures; Coastal flooding; Coastal zone; Cyclones; Environmental effects; Environmental risk; Estuaries; Flood risk; Floods; Interdisciplinary research; Interdisciplinary studies; Salinity; Sea level; Sea level rise; Sedimentation & deposition; Soil erosion; Storm surges; Tidal waves; Wetlands; United States > US; New Jersey; Jamaica Bay
• ISSN: 2328-4277; 2328-4277
• DOI: 10.1029/2022EF002991

Rising coastal flood risk and recent disasters are driving interest in the construction of gated storm surge barriers worldwide, with current studies recommending barriers for at least 11 estuaries in the United States alone. Surge barriers partially block estuary‐ocean exchange with infrastructure across an estuary or its inlet and include gated areas that are closed only during flood events. They can alter the stratification and salt intrusion, change sedimentary systems, and curtail animal migration and ecosystem connectivity, with impacts growing larger with increasing gate closures. Existing barriers are being used with increasing frequency due to sea level rise. New barrier proposals typically come with maximum closure frequency recommendations, yet the future adherence to them is uncertain. Given that the broader environmental effects and coupled‐human dynamics of surge barriers are not well‐understood, we present an interdisciplinary research agenda for this increasingly prevalent modification to our coastal zone. Key Points Gated storm surge barriers represent a fundamental change to our coastlines and potentially to ocean‐estuary exchanges They are increasingly being built for coastal protection and closure frequency of existing barriers is increasing with sea level rise Funding of interdisciplinary basic and applied science research is critical to inform billion‐dollar decisions on coastal engineering