27 May 2026

Multi-Temporal Geomorphic Change and Application of the Coastal Engineering Resilience Index Along the Mississippi Mainland Beaches and Dunes

Abstract: This report addresses the Mobile District’s request for a representative resilient beach and dune profile for the Mississippi mainland beach and dune project. The report summarizes a workflow that uses a custom ArcGIS Pro toolbox and 10 lidar datasets spanning a 22-year period of analysis. The workflow involves (1) lidar data compilation; (2) the extraction of geomorphic features, such as shorelines and dune toes and crests, on over 5,800 profiles along the Mississippi mainland coast; (3) the calculation of Coastal Engineering Resilience Index values for each transect for each lidar dataset; (4) selection of representative resilient profiles for various datasets; (5) development of synthetic profiles and Coastal Engineering Resilience Index (CERI) calculations on those profiles; and (6) data delivery and the development of a Web service hosting the project outcomes. The results of these analyses indicate that the protective width (i.e., from the shoreline to the seawall along the coast) is a major contributor to the resilience of a given section of beach. However, the resilience of these estuarine beaches can also be enhanced by increasing protective elevation. Overall, the work demonstrates the value of applying these workflows and toolboxes during the engineering planning and design phase.