The primary objective of the research is to better understand the relationships between the major processes and variables important in shaping the surface morphology and vegetation of low profile barrier islands; specifically, the relationships between storm overwash (sediment and water transfer) and hydrology (subsurface water levels and salinity) and their impact upon vegetation and island topography. Specific objectives fall into several categories: 1) overwash disturbance, 2) hydrology, 3) vegetation, and 4) recovery processes. Objectives related to overwash disturbance include the determination of: 1) relationships between climate and marine variables and volumetric rates of sediment transfer; 2) the impact of overwash upon island topography; 3) impact of overwash upon island hydrology; and 4) the impact of overwash upon island vegetation. Objectives related to hydrology include determination of: 1) cross-island groundwater profile - range and variations to climatic-driven and overwash-driven perturbations; 2) distribution of fresh vs. saline water with respect to island topography and vegetation. Objectives related to vegetation include determining: 1) the distribution of vegetation with respect to island topography and hydrology; 2) the response of vegetation to overwash processes; and 3) the development of vegetation, or recovery, on newly-established dunes and overwash surfaces. Efforts will be made not only to monitor responses of these systems to storm events over the course of the study, but will likely be supplemented with selected minor experiments where small extensions will be made onto advancing washover fans to document their impacts on the system.