Hurricane Katrina Before and After Photos

Pre- (A) and post-storm (B) photography reveal the dramatic changes that occurred along the entire stretch of islands. This loss of sand and marsh is quantified using lidar topographic surveys (C and D). The elevation difference (E) between the two surveys reveal erosion over the entire island. This is in contrast to the erosion/accretion patterns typical of the overwash regime, in which a barrier island slowly migrates inland. This extreme coastal change may lead to long-term, permanent changes in the barrier island morphology and may affect its future resilience in storms.