St. Kitts Beach Erosion Hazard Map

For a more detailed view, click on the map image 

Map use

This map shows beach erosion hazard for selected beaches in St. Kitts and and is based on annual beach change rates over the period 1991- 1999. The map can be used to answer some general questions such as:

  1. Which beach areas should be considered for  development?

  2. What is the relative beach erosion hazard for a specific beach?

  3. What is the spatial relationship of existing coastal infrastructure to beach areas prone to 
    erosion?

In a general way, this map can be used as a tool to: 

  1. Perform preliminary selection of beach areas for sand mining, tourism and housing development, coastal structures (e.g docks) and infrastructure development.
  2. Identify beach areas that have shown historical patterns of erosion and are likely to display similar patterns in the future.
  3. Display the spatial relationship of beach erosion hazard areas with existing coastal infrastructure. During episodic erosion events, it is important to be able to identify the infrastructure located near beach areas that are susceptible to erosion.
  4. Sensitize the general public about beach erosion and associated impacts. 
  5. Assist with the development of strategies for addressing problems that may arise because of beach erosion. For example, illegal sand mining is a major issue facing coastal planners today. With the information presented in this map, it is possible to prioritize beaches for mining. Additional investigation of seasonal erosion and accretion patterns can also guide the development of a rotation system for sand mining.
  6. Prioritize the allocation of resources for erosion defence, increased monitoring and/or further research on coastal dynamics.

Limitations

  1. Beach erosion hazard categories are based on historical erosion rate data only. Other factors influencing coastal erosion are not considered. 
  2. The road network is based on a topographic map that was created in 1984. Therefore, some major roads are not shown.

Base map source

Scale 1:25,000
Number of sheets 1
Grid British West Indies
Projection Transverse Mercator 
Spheroid Clarke 1880 (Modified) 
Unit of Measurement Meter
Meridian of Origin 62 West of Greenwich
Latitude of Origin Equator
Scale factor at Origin 0.9995
False Coordinate of Origin 400,000 m Easting; Nil m Northing
Contour interval 50 feet
Series E803 (DOS 343)
Edition 1984

Digital basemap data provided by the Dept. of Surveying and Land Information, The University of the West Indies.


USAID/OAS Post-Georges Disaster Mitigation: http://www.oas.org/pgdm

Page last updated on 07 Sep 2001