Morphological Shoreline Changes along the Lake Clark National Park - Cook Inlet Coast , 1992 - 2004 . Joel Cusick

Shoreline change was identified as a vital sign for the Southwest Alaska Monitoring Network because land loss or gain at the marine edge has important ecological and jurisdictional implications to resource managers of coastal National Parks. To evaluate the type of shoreline changes occurring along the 82 km coastline of Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, 7 of 10 cross-shore beach profiles established in 1992 were re-surveyed in 2004 using rod and transit leveling. Cross-shore beach profiles revealed variation in rates of erosion and accretion along the parks coastline. Erosion, landward migration of mean high water (MHW), was observed at 5 cross-shore profiles and accretion, seaward migration of MHW, was observed at 2 profiles. Annual average rates of erosion and accretion ranged from-0.18 to-0.50, and 0.55 to 3.13 m/yr respectively. Erosion of bluffs and shorelines has implications for protection and management of park structures, natural and cultural resources, private inholdings, and the need for future monitoring.