Barrier Beach and Island

Barrier Beach and Island

Barrier islands are long, narrow, offshore deposits of sand or sediments that parallel the coast line. Some barrier islands can extend for 160 km or more. 

Timeline of the Barrier Beach

1. about 18,000 years ago the last Ice Age ended
2. the sea levels began to rise
3. flooding process of the areas behind the beach ridges
4. rising waters carried sediments from those beach ridges and deposited them along new shallow areas
5. waves,rivers and currents continued to bring in sediments that built up, forming the barrier islands

Open Ended

Why Barrier islands are important?

Why Barrier islands are important?

1. they protect the coastlines from severe storm damage
2.  they harbor several habitats that are refuges for wildlife

Tidal creek

is often an estuary which is affected by waves or tides

Tidal flat

(also called backdune, overwash or mud flat) formed by sediments that get pushed through the dune system by storms, such as hurricanes. Grasses grow and stabilize these

Tidal inlet

 is a channel, maintained by tidal flow, connecting the ocean with a bay, lagoon or marsh and tidal creek system

Multiple Choice

Barrier beach is generally formed where sea bed and coastline are gently sloping. Which part of the US will be the best location for them?

• West coastline

• East coastline

• East and South coastline

• North coastline

in Google Maps find

• St. Petersburg
• Daytona Beach
• Texas coastline from Galveston southward