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Why is Dauphin Island disappearing? Hurricane Katrina impact on Alabama island explained in report

Dauphin Island is vanishing due to Hurricane Katrina's destruction, repeated storms, erosion, and rising sea levels.
posted by Shreya Ghosh
Thursday 8/28/2025 at 7:06AM EDT
  • National Guard 711 Brigade Support Batallion install barriers on the inside shore of the Dauphin Islands. The barriers will be filled with polymers that turn any oil spill into a rubberlike solid. (Photo by Orjan F. Ellingvag/Dagens Naringsliv/Corbis via Getty Images)
    National Guard 711 Brigade Support Batallion install barriers on the inside shore of the Dauphin Islands. The barriers will be filled with polymers that turn any oil spill into a rubberlike solid. (Photo by Orjan F. Ellingvag/Dagens Naringsliv/Corbis via Getty Images)

    Dauphin Island, an offbeat barrier island off Alabama's coast, is gradually vanishing. And the slow progression of disappearance is certainly an alarming concern.

    Hurricane Katrina left a devastating mark on the Gulf Coast in 2005, claiming nearly 1,400 lives, according to a report by CBS News. Most of the deceased were from New Orleans. 

    For Dauphin Island, Katrina, along with earlier storms like Hurricane Ivan, caused widespread structural damage, stripping away large portions of land, carving breaches through its center, and widening fragile inlets, as per a USGS report.

    Rising seas have only intensified the island's vulnerability. Presently, it is increasingly exposed to erosion and destructive overwash. Unfortunately, the conditions are threatening the survival of this barrier island.

    Everything we know about Hurricane Katrina's impact on Dauphin Island's structure

    Till today, Hurricane Katrina remains the most expensive storm that the U.S. has suffered from. The National Hurricane Center stated that damages exceeded $201 billion as per the 2024 Consumer Price Index, further confirmed by CBS News. Its destruction stretched across Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Devastations and flooding left entire communities in ruins.

    The west end beach of Alabama's Dauphin Island was torn apart due to the catastrophic consequences of the hurricane. It led to a frightening 1.5-mile breach, along with wiping out more than 300 homes. Many properties vanished entirely as the ground beneath them was swallowed by the destruction.

    It has been two decades since Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc on Dauphin Island. However, its effects continue to traumatize and destroy even today. After its first hit on August 29, 2005, the island has been losing land to the sea slowly. The reduction has been further affected by recurring hurricanes and rising sea levels, as the outlet further explained.

    Along with CBS News, Mayor Jeff Collier explored the island and delved into sharing more information about different areas. Pointing at a particular region, he stated,

    "This area here is where most of those underwater lots are. There are probably 50 lots in this stretch of the island."

    Jillian Fairbanks is one of the witnesses to notice the drastic change in the island's structure. She explained to the outlet,

    "Just about a year later, I can already tell that the sand has eroded, I'd say 30 meters or so at least. It was still a shock to see that happen already in one year."

    While saving Dauphin Island is the need of the hour, it won't be cheap. Mayor Jeff Collier called it the community's steepest hurdle and noted millions will be needed in rescuing. A new west end beach restoration project alone will charge $60 million.

    Right now, the plan is to utilize oil spill settlement funds to cover part of this necessary expenditure. On the other hand, Collier is looking for additional funding streams to close the gap.

    At the same time, the island is also leaning on an Environmental Protection Agency grant to revamp stormwater runoff systems. It is a whopping $1.2 million effort designed to ease frequent street flooding.

    TOPICS: Dauphin Island