National Park Service Management Response to Hurricane Isabel at Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout National Seashores

摘要

Hurricane Isabel made landfall along Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout National Seashores (NS) on 18 September 2003. Both parks experienced similar coastal storm processes including wind, waves, overwash, and storm-surge flooding during Isabel (with some variation in magnitude). Along Cape Lookout NS, where infrastructure is minimal, coastal processes are allowed to occur with minimal human interference. Extensive overwash deposits resulting from Hurricane Isabel will be allowed to remain in their natural state with very little human manipulation, preserving part of the barrier island evolution process. Restoring visitor access after the storm largely consisted of rebuilding docks and remarking the unpaved interior interdunal road and beach access ramps on top of the newly deposited sand. The infrastructure along Cape Hatteras NS includes State Highway 12 and eight villages. To restore the transportation corridor and visitor access after the storm, sand had to be cleared from the highway and paved parking areas, and damaged asphalt repaired. Park management decisions were made for placement of sand cleared from the highway, as well as sand removed from private property within the villages. Overwash sand deposits not covering asphalt surfaces within the Seashore were left undisturbed. Hurricane Isabel made the need for long-term environmentally sound transportation planning along the Outer Banks apparent. Cape Hatteras NS recognizes this need and has long been a member of an interagency panel that is working to provide recommendations for transportation alternatives that would be more compatible with natural coastal processes.