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Coastal & Marine Geology Program > St. Peterburg Science Center > West-Central Florida Coastal Studies Project

West-Central Florida Coastal Studies Project

West-Central Florida Coastal Studies Home Introduction: Project Overview Investigators Research: Framework Processes Morphodynamics Methods: Methods and Tools Video Monitoring Publications: Reports, Maps, and Posters Contact: Chief Scientist

Upham Beach Video Monitoring Video Monitoring: Introduction | Technical Description | Applications | Upham Beach Photos Upham Beach, located just south of Blind Pass near St. Petersburg, Florida, is a popular beach that has seen high rates of erosion in the recent past. Consequently, several nourishment projects have been conducted in the past to restore beach widths. Beach nourishment is expensive, costing about $1,500,000 every time it is performed. In this location, the high rate of erosion has necessitated a repeat interval of about 3-5 years. A video monitoring station has been set up to record changes in beach morphology. A black and white video camera has been programmed to automatically record a still image once every hour. An automated computer downloads the images daily, so that they are immediately available for further analysis and for viewing through the internet. The camera is mounted on the roof of a tall building overlooking the beach. Technical Description of the video monitoring project Applications of video monitoring A set of six photos taken from the same rooftop housing the video monitoring station over a period of three years shows conditions before nourishment and immediately following its completion, as well as demonstrating the high rate of erosion in photos taken a year after nourishment.

Coastal & Marine Geology Program > St. Peterburg Science Center > West-Central Florida Coastal Studies Project