2007年VOA标准英语-US Coast Runs Short on Sand Even as Beaches Ero

By Steve Mort
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
13 September 2007
 

Parts of the United States are facing a shortage of sand, and officials are working on innovative¹ ways to fix the problem. In Florida, experts say beach erosion caused by a rising sea level and severe weather is threatening the state's heavily populated coastline and valuable tourism industry.

Traditional supplies of sand used since the 1970s are running low, so local agencies are investing millions of dollars to explore alternative methods of repairing beaches and preventing erosion.  Steve Mort reports from Fort Lauderdale.

John U Lloyd State Park on Florida's Atlantic coast is typical of many beaches in the state - it is a magnet for tourists and people wanting to buy properties with a sea-view.

Beaches protect coastal² cities from hurricane damage and are a haven³ for wildlife, including sea turtles. That is why local officials have spent nearly $24 millon to restore this beach, along with another 9 kilometers of coastline -- a process called "beach re-nourishment".

Steve Higgins

Steve Higgins, who is responsible for re-nourishing 40 kilometers of coastline, says development crowds the beachfront and flattens⁴ beneficial sand dunes⁵.  "So there is not a lot of sand in the system. So when we do have storms and sea-level changes and so forth⁶ and we lose beach, there is no reservoir of material to restore it naturally," explains Higgins.

Rock barriers have been built to slow down erosion caused by waves, but a major port just north of the state park blocks sand from naturally replenishing the beach.

Higgins says more than 1 million cubic meters of sand was dredged from north of the port, adding between 10 and 80 meters of beach. He says he is now having to go further offshore⁷ to find sand, which costs more and could harm turtles and coral reefs.

Higgins is experimenting with alternatives to sand, such as crushed glass. "Glass is made from sand actually," notes Higgins. "So we have already run quite a few tests on the material and so far we cannot find any significant differences".

Tests are continuing to find out how animals react to the man-made material, and how it stands up to crashing waves.

Marine⁸ geologist⁹, Charlie Finkl, says there is only enough crushed glass to re-nourish "erosional hotspots."  He explains, "These are just localized areas where there is a higher rate of erosion than the background, or the average."

Coastal engineers also use a method called "by-passing," which involves channeling or moving sand around obstacles such as ports.  As sand runs low on Higgins' section of the coast, he is not ruling out the possibility of using sand from other countries, such as the neighboring Bahamas.

A re-nourished beach can be expected to last up to 15 years.  More projects are planned for this part of Florida next year.

1 innovative   

adj.革新的，新颖的，富有革新精神的

参考例句：

• Discover an innovative way of marketing.发现一个创新的营销方式。
• He was one of the most creative and innovative engineers of his generation.他是他那代人当中最富创造性与革新精神的工程师之一。

2 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

3 haven   

n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所

参考例句：

• It's a real haven at the end of a busy working day.忙碌了一整天后，这真是一个安乐窝。
• The school library is a little haven of peace and quiet.学校的图书馆是一个和平且安静的小避风港。

4 flattens   

变平，使（某物）变平( flatten的第三人称单数 )； 彻底打败某人，使丢脸； 停止增长（或上升）； （把身体或身体部位）紧贴…

参考例句：

• After Oxford the countryside flattens out. 过了牛津以远乡村逐渐平坦。
• The graph flattens out gradually after a steep fall. 图表上的曲线突降之后逐渐趋于平稳。

5 dunes   

沙丘( dune的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The boy galloped over the dunes barefoot. 那男孩光着脚在沙丘间飞跑。
• Dragging the fully laden boat across the sand dunes was no mean feat. 将满载货物的船拖过沙丘是一件了不起的事。

6 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

7 offshore   

adj.海面的，吹向海面的；adv.向海面

参考例句：

• A big program of oil exploration has begun offshore.一个大规模的石油勘探计划正在近海展开。
• A gentle current carried them slowly offshore.和缓的潮流慢慢地把他们带离了海岸。

8 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

9 geologist   

n.地质学家

参考例句：

• The geologist found many uncovered fossils in the valley.在那山谷里，地质学家发现了许多裸露的化石。
• He was a geologist,rated by his cronies as the best in the business.他是一位地质学家，被他的老朋友们看做是这门行当中最好的一位。