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The Advantages of Coastline Barriers

Although coastal barriers are found along only 15 percent of the world's coastlines, they are common along America's Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. They take many different forms, but the most familiar are barrier islands. From Florida to Maine, barrier islands comprise most of the United States Atlantic coastline. Many people are familiar with barrier islands as resorts and vacation destinations, but coastal barriers also serve other important functions.

  1. Types of Coastal Barriers

    • Beaches and dunes made of sand and gravel sometimes form landforms between the open ocean and coastal wetlands. These landforms are called coastal barriers, but are commonly known as barrier islands or barrier beaches. They take on many forms, such as bay barriers that connect two headlands and enclose a marsh or aquatic wetland, and barrier spits that extend like a finger into open water. Barrier islands are completely detached from the mainland and fringe barriers, like mangroves, are found on tropical and subtropical mainland coasts behind coral reefs.

    Protecting the Mainland

    • Coastal barriers protect life and property on mainland coastal areas by buffering the effects of major storms and waves. Coastal barriers absorb much a storm's destructive force. Storm waves break on the coastal barrier, where the sand acts as a drag on the wave's energy, leaving a diminished, less destructive wave to travel through the wetland or lagoon behind the barrier. The sheltering effect of coastal barriers also helps prevent erosion of the mainland coast during calm weather.

    Aquatic Habitats

    • By protecting their associated aquatic habitats of lagoons, marshes, mudflats and wetlands, coastal barriers support an ecosystem with an incredible variety of animal and plant species. Millions of birds, fish, shellfish and other wildlife use the coastal barrier ecosystem for feeding, nesting and nurseries.

    Economic Impact

    • The aquatic habitats protected by coastal barriers are vitally important to many species of fish and shellfish that sustain a substantial part of the American fishing industry.

      Despite the inherent instability of sand, coastal barrier islands are in demand for development and recreation. Barrier islands and beaches, from the Mid-Atlantic states south to Florida, are prime vacation and resort areas with an immense economic impact on associated coastal communities. Padre Island in south Texas, along with the Gulf coasts of Florida and Mississippi are favorite destinations for college students on spring break.

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