PART III: SHORELINE CHANGE MODELING AS A TOOL IN THE PLANNING PROCESS 

 Elements of the Planning Process 



35. This chapter discusses the role of shoreline change modeling in the 

 overall process of planning, designing, constructing, and evaluating the 

 performance of a shore-protection project. The material addresses the 

 question of how a shoreline change model may be used in the decision-making 

 process of coastal management and shore protection (Kraus 1989). The purpose 

 of such planning is to determine the most effective socioeconomic engineering 

 solution to a shore-protection problem. 



36. The planning process broadly consists of the following steps: 



a. Formulate problem statement, identify constraints, and develop 

 criteria for judging the performance or intent of the project. 



b. Assemble and analyze relevant data. 



c. Determine project alternatives. 



d. Evaluate alternatives. (Return to Step a, as necessary.) 



e. Select and optimize project design. 



f. Construct the project. 



g. Monitor the project. 



h. Evaluate project according to Step a and report the results. 

 These steps and their interrelation are shown diagrammatically in Figure 4. 

 Stages in the planning process where modeling can take an active role are 

 designated by the word "model." 



"Plan regional, engineer local" 



37. The problem statement and judgment criteria will usually encompass 

 diverse factors, requiring comprehensive planning as opposed to single -pro iect 

 planning . It is essential to imbed the functioning of a project within the 

 regional coastal processes. Question 1: Will regional processes (for 

 example, a wide -area tendency to erode) affect the long-term success of a 

 project; i.e., will the project contradict nature? Question 2: Will the 

 project have a detrimental impact beyond the immediate area, or will it have a 

 beneficial effect, such as the downdrift benefit of a beach fill? These types 

 of considerations lead to the approach "plan regional, engineer local." 



25 



