Because of the multiple interacting forces and the numerous scales of geomorphic change ranging in time from days of a storm to centuries for long-term adjustment, the physical processes of inlets are poorly understood. Little quantitative information is available to predict infilling of navigation channels, long-term change in the nearshore – affecting channel and jetty stability, short- and long-term migration trends and cycles of inlets, and the interactions among inlets, adjacent beaches, and estuary.
The Coastal Inlets Research Program, or CIRP, advances the state of knowledge and develops engineering technology for predicting the waves, current, sediment transport, and morphology change at and around inlets. Products of the CIRP improve management and design of coastal inlets through increased reliability of actions and reduction in operation and maintenance costs. The CIRP takes a variety of approaches, including developing concepts and theory for all relevant time scales, numerical simulation, field data collection, and laboratory experimentation. Reports and peer-reviewed articles as found on this web site provide the information gained from the CIRP to the Corps, scientific community, and public
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