Modeling and Mitigation
At half of the sites, sediment transport/shoreline change was both modeled and observed. In all cases the processes had been quantified either by modeling and/or observation. The dominant sediment transport model used was GENESIS. Others include MIKE21 and CERC. Those that modeled using GENESIS, MIKE21, or CERC (3 sites) reported accurate reproduction of the erosion at the hotspot. The success of mitigation of erosion at the hotspot sites (which mainly involved beach fill projects) was mixed or unsuccessful. To quote a response from Miami Beach, the engineers were "unable to hold [the] design template in [the] hotspot area." This statement encapsulates the motivation for hotspot research and suggests that hotspots should be better understood so that coastal engineering endeavors may be more effective and financially efficient.
