Short Communication: Storm impact and recovery of a beach-dune system in Prince Edward Island

Abstract Coastal barriers are under increasing stress from a changing climate that is projected to result in sea level rise and an increase in the magnitude and frequency of storms in some regions. Predicting the response and recovery of beach-dune systems to future events is important for coastal management as foredunes provide protection to ecosystems, infrastructure, and recreational areas from storm waves and surge. The resiliency, or ability coastal systems to recover, depends on the rate at which sediment is returned to the beach and backshore by nearshore and aeolian processes, and as a result is sensitive to frequency and intensity of storm activity. This study focuses on the impact and short-term recovery of a foredune system at Brackley Beach, Prince Edward Island (PEI), following the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian in September of 2019. Unoccupied Aerial Vehicle (UAV) surveys and Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry were used to quantify initial post-storm impacts and recovery of the beach and dune. Following Dorian, an average of 1.7 m3 m−1 was eroded from the foredune and 2.8 m3 m−1 from the beach along the 1 km study site, suggesting removal of sediment from the beach-dune system into the nearshore. In the two -month period that followed, aeolian transport events lead to the development of a recovering dune ramp, whereas little beach recovery was observed.