WMBFNews.com | Myrtle Beach/Florence, SC | News, Weather, SportsReport: Ocean is rising along the coast

Report: Ocean is rising along the coast

By Kyle Grainger - bio | email

MYRTLE BEACH, SC  (WMBF) – Scientists from all over the world are in Myrtle Beach to look at shoreline changes and share information they've learned with each other.

Results of a seven year research project is the center of the weeklong conference in Myrtle Beach. The Geological Conference is about beach erosion and sand/sediment movement along the Myrtle Beach shoreline.

"The conditions we're living with may not quite be the same in the future," said Dr. Paul Gayes with Coastal Carolina University, who lead the research along the Grand Strand. "And some of the modeling is concerning for our low lying coastal communities because it keeps coming up. If it comes up faster in the future, then we'll definitely have some things to contend with along the coastal zone."

Gayes says the water level in Myrtle Beach is measured by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration at the Springmaid Pier.  So far, results show that the sea level is rising about one to two millimeters a year. While Gayes says that might not sound like a lot, over time, it could have a big difference on future plans.

Members of the U.S. Geological Survey are also attending the conference. They say the coast has changed for years and it's important for scientists to figure out if these changes are from humans or a natural occurrence. 

"We're dredging that sand back to create coast and watching it wash back into the waves again," said Walter Barnhardt with the U.S. Geological Survey. "So the better we can understand the processes that are acting on the shoreline, the better we can plan our strategies for the future."

The scientists say beach erosion and the water rising could be a problem in the event of a coastal storm.

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