Turks and Caicos Islands

Table 4.6.1: Impacts associated with 1 m and 2 m SLR and 50m and 100m beach erosion in the Turks and Caicos
Islands
EVENT SCALE
Tourism Attractions Transportation Infrastructure
Major
Tourism
Resorts
Sea Turtle
Nesting
Sites
83
Airport
Lands
Major
Road
Networks
Port
Lands
SLR 1.0 m 73% 44% 50% 4% 40%
2.0 m 86% 60% - 6% -
Erosion 50 m 95% 100% - - -
100 m 100% - - - -
To examine SLR-induced coastal erosion, a simplified approximation of the Bruun Rule (shoreline recession
= SLR X 100) that has been used in other studies on the implications of SLR for coastal erosion was adopted
for this analysis. The prediction of how SLR will reshape coastlines is influenced by a range of coastal
morphological factors (e.g. coastal geology, bathymetry, waves, tidal currents, human interventions). The
most widely used method of quantifying the response of sandy coastlines to rising sea levels is the Bruun
Rule. This rule is appropriate for assessing shoreline retreat caused by the erosion of beach material from
the higher part of the beach and deposition in the lower beach zone, re-establishing an equilibrium beach
profile inland (Zhang, Douglas, & Leatherman, 2004).
Results from the calculated SLR-induced erosion for a 50 m and 100 m scenario on key tourism attractions
(resorts and sea turtle nesting sites) are provided in Table 4.6.1. Indeed if erosion is damaging tourism
infrastructure, it means that the beach will have essentially disappeared. With projected 50 m erosion, 95%
of the resorts in the Turks and Caicos Islands would be at risk, with all (100%) at risk with 100 m of erosion.
Sea turtle nesting sites are also severely impacted by SLR-induced erosion, with 100% of these sites
impacted with a 50 m erosion scenario. Such impacts would transform coastal tourism on the island, with
implications for property values, insurance costs, destination competitiveness, marketing, and wider issues
of local employment and the economic well-being of thousands of employees.
In addition to the national assessment, the CARIBSAVE Partnership coordinated a field research team with
members from the University of Waterloo (Canada) and the staff from the Department of Environment and
Coastal Resources of the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands to complete detailed coastal profile
surveying (Figure 4.6.3). Using survey grade GPS equipment, CARIBSAVE field teams conducted survey
transects (perpendicular to the shoreline) at three locations in Turks and Caicos (Grand Turk Cruise Centre,
Grand Turk West Shore and Historic Cockburn Town) where tourism infrastructure was present.
Study sites closer to the equator do not support Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) and are better
suited for Real Time Kinematic (RTK) GPS. This common method often used in land based and hydrographic
surveys requires the setting up of a base station over a known location at each study site. Due to the
unavailability of a local reference station, a TOPCON RTK GPS system including base station (15 km radius),
antenna, survey stick and data logger was used for data collection in TCI.
The Base Station receiver was set up in wide open areas to maximize both study site and satellite coverage.
A survey stick rover unit was then sent out to survey beach elevations along transects within the 15 km
base station coverage area. Finally, distances between points along transects were measured using a Lecia
Disto laser distancing meter.