Natural
Soft
Hardened
A natural shoreline at GTMNERR
Photo credit: Melody Ray-Culp, USFWS
A living shoreline in Panama City Beach, Florida
A hardened shoreline in south Florida
Natural shorelines
Natural shorelines perform their natural functions without any help from us and should not be replaced with construction projects. Shorelines are naturally dynamic environments, and “do nothing” or coastal retreat are the first options to be considered when faced with an eroding shoreline. Sea level rise compounds erosion problems by changing the location of the coastline and exposing new areas to erosion. There are many tools to help assess coastal flooding risk in your area, such as this Coastal Risk Screening Tool, this Coastal Flood Exposure Mapper, and this Sea Level Rise Map. However, most property owners are seeking active solutions to the loss of their property in the face of erosion, so “do-nothing” is not an option. Sea level rise compounds erosion problems by changing the location of the coastline and exposing new areas to erosion.
Living shorelines
Living shorelines offer the most environmentally friendly options for doing something. A living shoreline can often cost less than a seawall, and only improves with time. See “Why Choose a Living Shoreline Approach” for more benefits to stabilizing your property with a living shoreline.
Hardened shorelines
Shoreline hardening interrupts natural shoreline processes, reduces nursery habitat for marine species and foraging habitat for wading birds, degrades water quality, and can actually increase erosion processes. Hardened shorelines include seawalls and bulkheads, which are often the default method of shoreline protection option selected by property owners to “hold-the-line” along the edge of their property. They are detrimental because they:
- Can increase erosion on adjacent property beyond both ends of the seawall and can result in scouring along the base.
- Can change the gradual sloping profile of a natural shoreline into a right angle, creating a bathtub effect – an abrupt transition from deep water to dry land that eliminates the intertidal habitat where many marine and estuarine species live.
- Do not provide any filtration of runoff as it flows from the land into the estuary.
- Do not provide fish and wildlife habitat – many animals use the transition area between the water and land to find food, rest, and build nests.
- Are a barrier between diverse animal habitats, blocking migratory pathways for plants and animals.
- Can cost more.