Beaches provide a valued source of recreation and are essential habitats to many species. The redistribution of sediment or the associated transport of contaminants and waste products may threaten fragile and economically important coastal areas such as beaches. To effectively manage and maintain our Nation's beaches we must understand the processes at work that shape and change our beaches over time.
Impacts and Predictions of Coastal Change during Hurricanes Beaches serve as a natural barrier between the ocean and inland communities, ecosystems, and resources. These dynamic environments move and change in response to winds, waves, and currents. During a powerful hurricane, changes to beaches can be large, and the results are sometimes catastrophic. Lives are lost, communities are destroyed, and millions of dollars are spent on rebuilding. There is a clear need to identify areas of our coastline that are likely to experience extreme and devastating erosion during a hurricane. It is also important to determine risk levels associated with development in areas where the land shifts and moves with each landfalling storm. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) provides scientific support for hurricane planning and response. Using observations of beach changes and models of waves and storm surge, we are predicting how the coast will respond to hurricanes and identifying areas vulnerable to extreme coastal changes. Posted: 2010-07-14
Coastal Change on Gulf Islands National Seashore during Hurricane Gustav: West Ship, East Ship, Horn, and Petit Bois Islands Hurricane Gustav made landfall on September 1, 2008, near Cocodrie, Louisiana, as a category 2 storm, with maximum sustained winds near 170 km/hr. Hurricane-force winds, with speeds in excess of 119 km/hr, extended along 270 km of the Louisiana coastline, from Marsh Island to the central barrier islands. Tropical-storm-force winds (speeds > 63 km/hr) were felt across the coasts of Mississippi and Alabama. Within this area of high wind and associated storm surge and waves lie the Mississippi barrier islands of West Ship, East Ship, Horn, and Petit Bois, part of the National Park Service (NPS) Gulf Islands National Seashore (GUIS). Posted: 2010-06-09
Geological Impacts and Sedimentary Record of the February 27, 2010, Chile Tsunami—La Trinchera to Concepcion The February 27, 2010, Chilean tsunami substantially altered the coastal landscape and left a permanent depositional record that may be preserved at many locales along the central coast of Chile. From April 24 to May 2, 2010, a team of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Chilean scientists examined the geological impacts of the tsunami at five sites along a 200-km segment of coast centered on the earthquake epicenter. Posted: 2010-06-08
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Response In order to assess and prepare for impacts from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center is providing lidar, bathymetry, sediment core, and other data, as well as modeled scenarios of barrier-island inundation as the situation evolves. Posted: 2010-05-12
ATM Coastal Topography–Florida 2001: Eastern Panhandle This DVD contains Lidar-derived first surface (FS) topography GIS datasets of the eastern Florida panhandle coastline, from Shell Island to Mashes Island. These datasets were acquired October 2, 2001. Posted: 2010-04-21
ATM Coastal Topography–Florida 2001: Western Panhandle This DVD contains Lidar-derived first surface (FS) topography GIS datasets of the western Florida panhandle coastline, from Perdido Key to Lower Grand Lagoon. These datasets were acquired October 2-4 and 7-10, 2001. Posted: 2010-04-21
ATM Coastal Topography–Texas, 2001: UTM Zone 15 This DVD contains lidar-derived first-surface (FS) topography GIS datasets of a portion of the Texas coastline within Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) zone 15, from Matagorda Peninsula to Galveston Island. These datasets were acquired October 12-13, 2001. Posted: 2010-03-05
ATM Coastal Topography–Mississippi, 2001 This DVD contains lidar-derived first-surface (FS) topography GIS datasets of the Mississippi coastline, from Lakeshore to Petit Bois Island. These datasets were acquired September 9-10, 2001. Posted: 2010-03-05
ATM Coastal Topography–Louisiana, 2001: UTM Zone 16 (Part 2 of 2) This DVD contains lidar-derived first-surface (FS) topography GIS datasets of a portion of the Louisiana coastline beach face within Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) Zone 16, from Grand Isle to the Chandeleur Islands. These datasets were acquired September 7 and 9, 2001. Posted: 2010-03-05
California Seafloor Mapping Program The California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP) is a cooperative program to create a comprehensive coastal/marine geologic and habitat base map series for all of California’s State waters. The Ocean Protection Council authorized funds to establish the CSMP in 2007 (OPC, 2007) and assembled a team of experts from state and federal agencies, academia, and private industry to develop the best approach to mapping and classifying estuarine and marine geologic habitats, while at the same time updating all nautical charts. Initiated in 2008, the CSMP is collecting bathymetry (underwater topography) and backscatter data (providing insight into the geologic makeup of the seafloor) that will be turned into habitat and geologic base maps for all of California’s state waters (mean high water line out to three nautical miles). Although the CSMP was originally developed to support the design and monitoring of marine reserves through the Marine Life Protection Act (CDFG, 2007), accurate statewide mapping of the seafloor will: - improve climate change and ocean circulation models; - help evaluate the potential for ocean energy; - improve our understanding of ecosystem dynamics; - identify submerged faults and improve our understanding of tsunami potential - enable more effective regulation of offshore development; - improve maritime safety; and - improve our understanding of sediment transport and sand delivery. Posted: 2010-02-23
Santa Barbara-Ventura Coastal Processes Study - USGS WCMG Santa Barbara/Ventura Coastal Processes Study of the USGS Western Coastal and Marine Geology Team. Whereas coastal urban development and infrastructure are largely fixed with respect to location, shoreline and bluff positions can change substantially over time in response to natural processes. These natural coastal changes can damage or undermine urban structures, resulting in substantial property loss for federal, state, local and individual land owners. Urban development can also indirectly influence coastal change by interrupting natural supplies or transport of sediment in littoral cells. Thus, it is important to evaluate the rates, patterns and causes of coastal change to better manage sediment resources and predict change hazards in coastal urban settings. The Santa Barbara and Ventura County coast represents a littoral cell along the California coast extending from (at least) Point Conception to the Mugu submarine canyon. The beaches along this littoral cell are an important economic resource to the region, and there is evidence that shoreline and bluff erosion are impacting these beaches. Coastal change in the Santa Barbara/Ventura region is complicated, however, by the irregular coastline (there are numerous rocky headlands, river deltas and offshore reefs), variability in wave forcing, structures such as harbors, groins, piers, dams and landscape urbanization, variability in tectonic uplift, and limited information on littoral sediment sources. In response to the potential for coastal change, BEACON (Beach Erosion Authority for Clean Oceans and Nourishment) and the City of Carpinteria have provided a combined $700K in funding for USGS WCMG to evaluate the coastal change patterns and processes along the Santa Barbara/Ventura County coast until the end of 2008. Posted: 2009-11-24
USGS Scientists in Samoa and American Samoa Studying Impacts of Recent Tsunami, October-November 2009 On September 29, 2009, a magnitude-8.0 submarine earthquake occurred at 6:48a.m. Samoa Standard Time approximately 190 km (120 mi) south of Samoa and triggered a tsunami that caused more than 100 deaths and widespread damage in Samoa, American Samoa, and Tonga. Observers reported four tsunami waves that ranged from approximately 1.5 to 6 m high and reached as far as 1.5 km inland. A rapid-response team of USGS scientists is traveling to American Samoa to collect data that will be quickly degraded or destroyed by recovery activity and natural processes. USGS Western Coastal and Marine Geology (WCMG) oceanographer Bruce Jaffe arrived in Pago Pago, on the island of Tutuila, American Samoa, on October 4 and was joined later in the week by fellow WCMG scientists Bruce Richmond, Mark Buckley, Guy Gelfenbaum, Steve Watt, and Alex Apotsos. Oceanographer Walter Dudley of the University of Hawai‘i, Hilo, will work with the USGS team. The team will collect time-sensitive data to help them determine the height of tsunami waves at various sites and the distances the waves traveled inland. They will study the transport of sediment and other debris, look for and measure evidence of subsidence and uplift caused by the earthquake, document erosion caused by the tsunami waves, and make other observations critical to the better understanding of tsunami impacts and processes. Posted: 2009-11-24
USGS Coral Reef Studies Coral Reef Studies conducted in Hawaii, Florida and California. Posted: 2009-06-24
USGS Northern Gulf of Mexico (NGOM) The goal of the USGS Northern Gulf of Mexico project is to understand the evolution of coastal ecosystems on the Northern Gulf Coast, the impact of human activities on these ecosystems, and the vulnerability of ecosystems and human communities to more frequent and more intense hurricanes in the future. Posted: 2009-05-28
Open-File Report 2009-1073: The Framework of a Coastal Hazards Model—A Tool for Predicting the Impact of Severe Storms The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Multi-Hazards Demonstration Project in Southern California (Jones and others, 2007) is a five-year project (FY2007-FY2011) integrating multiple USGS research activities with the needs of external partners, such as emergency managers and land-use planners, to produce products and information that can be used to create more disaster-resilient communities. The hazards being evaluated include earthquakes, landslides, floods, tsunamis, wildfires, and coastal hazards. For the Coastal Hazards Task of the Multi-Hazards Demonstration Project in Southern California, the USGS is leading the development of a modeling system for forecasting the impact of winter storms threatening the entire Southern California shoreline from Pt. Conception to the Mexican border. The modeling system, run in real-time or with prescribed scenarios, will incorporate atmospheric information (that is, wind and pressure fields) with a suite of state-of-the-art physical process models (that is, tide, surge, and wave) to enable detailed prediction of currents, wave height, wave runup, and total water levels. Additional research-grade predictions of coastal flooding, inundation, erosion, and cliff failure will also be performed. Initial model testing, performance evaluation, and product development will be focused on a severe winter-storm scenario developed in collaboration with the Winter Storm Working Group of the USGS Multi-Hazards Demonstration Project in Southern California. Additional offline model runs and products will include coastal-hazard hindcasts of selected historical winter storms, as well as additional severe winter-storm simulations based on statistical analyses of historical wave and water-level data. The coastal-hazards model design will also be appropriate for simulating the impact of storms under various sea level rise and climate-change scenarios. The operational capabilities of this modeling system are designed to provide emergency planners with the critical information they need to respond quickly and efficiently and to increase public safety and mitigate damage associated with powerful coastal storms. For instance, high resolution local models will predict detailed wave heights, breaking patterns, and current strengths for use in warning systems for harbor-mouth navigation and densely populated coastal regions where beach safety is threatened. The offline applications are intended to equip coastal managers with the information needed to manage and allocate their resources effectively to protect sections of coast that may be most vulnerable to future severe storms. Posted: 2009-05-26
Data Series 436: Oblique Aerial Photography of the Arctic Coast of Alaska, Nulavik to Demarcation Point, August 7–10, 2006 The Arctic Coastal Plain of northern Alaska, an area of strategic economic importance to the United States, is home to remote Native American communities and encompasses unique habitats of global significance. Coastal erosion along the Arctic coast is chronic and widespread; recent evidence suggests that erosion rates are among the highest in the world (up to ~16 m/yr) and may be accelerating. Coastal erosion adversely impacts energy-related infrastructure, natural shoreline habitats, and Native American communities. Climate change is thought to be a key component of recent environmental changes in the Arctic. Reduced sea-ice cover in the Arctic Ocean is one of the probable mechanisms responsible for increasing coastal exposure to wave attack and the resulting increase in erosion. Extended periods of permafrost melting and associated decrease in bluff cohesion and stability are another possible source of the increase in erosion. Several studies of selected areas on the Alaska coast document past shoreline positions and coastal change, but none have examined the entire North coast systematically. Results from these studies indicate high rates of coastal retreat that vary spatially along the coast. To address the need for a comprehensive and regionally consistent evaluation of shoreline change along the North coast of Alaska, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), as part of their Coastal and Marine Geology Program’s (CMGP) National Assessment of Shoreline Change Study, is evaluating shoreline change from Peard Bay to the United States/Canadian border, using historical maps and photography and a standardized methodology that is consistent with other shoreline-change studies along the Nation’s coastlines (for example, URL http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/shoreline-change/ (last accessed March 2, 2009). This report contains photographs collected during an aerial-reconnaissance survey conducted in support of this study. An accompanying ESRI ArcGIS shape file (and plain-text copy) indicates the position of the aircraft and time when each photograph was taken. Posted: 2009-05-05
Coastal Change Hazards: Hurricanes and Extreme Storms This project investigates the coastal impacts of hurricanes and extreme storms, such as Hurricanes Isabel (2003), Dennis (1999), Bonnie & Georges (1998), and winter storms, such as those associated with the 1997-98 El Niño. Posted: 2009-04-28
Hurricane Ike: Observations and Analysis of Coastal Change Understanding storm-induced coastal change and forecasting these changes require knowledge of the physical processes associated with the storm and the geomorphology of the impacted coastline. The primary physical processes of interest are the wind field, storm surge, and wave climate. Not only does wind cause direct damage to structures along the coast, but it is ultimately responsible for much of the energy that is transferred to the ocean and expressed as storm surge, mean currents, and large waves. Waves and currents are the processes most responsible for moving sediments in the coastal zone during extreme storm events. Storm surge, the rise in water level due to the wind, barometric pressure, and other factors, allows both waves and currents to attack parts of the coast not normally exposed to those processes. Posted: 2009-04-07
Coastal Change During Hurricane Dennis 2005 Hurricane Dennis made landfall as a Category 3 storm on Santa Rosa Island in the Florida Panhandle on July 10, 2005. Exposed to some of the strongest winds, Santa Rosa Island suffered erosion, as well as severe overwash. A storm surge of 2 m was recorded near Navarre Beach. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) are collaborating in a research project investigating coastal change that occurred as a result of Hurricane Dennis. The USGS acquired still oblique aerial photography both before and after hurricane landfall to better understand the impacts of extreme storms on coastal environments. On Tuesday, July 12, 2005, scientists conducted an aerial photographic survey of Santa Rosa Island, Florida, that was impacted by Hurricane Dennis. The photographs were compared to pre-Dennis photographs taken in July 2001 and after the landfall of Hurricane Ivan in September 2004 to illustrate extreme coastal change. On Santa Rosa Island, the storm eroded dunes and beaches, and overwashed roads. In Navarre Beach, parking lots and roads were covered with sand and dune walkovers damaged or destroyed. Posted: 2009-04-07
Coastal Change During Hurricane Isabel 2003 Hurricane Isabel caused extensive erosion and overwash along the Outer Banks near Cape Hatteras, including the destruction of houses, the erosion of protective sand dunes, and the creation of island breaches. The storm eroded beaches and dunes in Frisco and Hatteras Village, southwest of the Cape. Overwash deposits covered roads and filled homes with sand. The most extensive beach changes were associated with the opening of a new breach about 500 m wide that divided into three separate channels that completely severed the island southwest of Cape Hatteras. The main breach, and a smaller one several kilometers to the south (not shown), occurred at minima in both island elevation and island width. Posted: 2009-04-07
Coastal Change During Hurricane Ivan 2004 Category 3 Hurricane Ivan came ashore near Gulf Shores, Alabama, on September 16, 2004. The barrier islands of the northern Gulf of Mexico near the Florida/Alabama border were exposed to the strongest winds. The communities of Gulf Shores, Pine Island and Orange Beach, AL, are, in places, very low lying with their dunes rising up only several meters. These dunes were unable to contain the 3-4 meter storm surge. Posted: 2009-04-07
Open-File Report 2009-1029: Coastal processes study of Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties, California By Patrick L. Barnard, David L. Revell, Dan Hoover, Jon Warrick, John Brocatus, Amy E. Draut, Pete Dartnell, Edwin Elias, Neomi Mustain, Pat E. Hart, and Holly F. Ryan. The Santa Barbara littoral cell (SBLC) is a complex coastal system with significant management challenges. The coastline ranges broadly in exposure to wave energy, fluvial inputs, hard structures, and urbanization. Geologic influence (structural control) on coastline orientation exerts an important control on local beach behavior, with anthropogenic alterations and the episodic nature of sediment supply and transport also playing important roles. Posted: 2009-03-27
Open-File Report 2008-1191: Geologic Resource Evaluation of Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park, Hawai‘i; Geology and Coastal Landforms Geologic resource inventories of lands managed by the National Park Service (NPS) are important products for the parks and are designed to provide scientific information to better manage park resources. Park-specific geologic reports are used to identify geologic features and processes that are relevant to park ecosystems, evaluate the impact of human activities on geologic features and processes, identify geologic research and monitoring needs, and enhance opportunities for education and interpretation. These geologic reports are planned to provide a brief geologic history of the park and address specific geologic issues that link the park geology and the resource manager... Posted: 2009-02-19
Open-File Report 2008-1192: Geologic Resource Evaluation of Pu‘uhonua O Hōnaunau National Historical Park, Hawai‘i; Part I, Geology and Coastal Landforms Geologic resource inventories of lands managed by the National Park Service (NPS) are important products for the parks and are designed to provide scientific information to better manage park resources. Park-specific geologic reports are used to identify geologic features and processes that are relevant to park ecosystems, evaluate the impact of human activities on geologic features and processes, identify geologic research and monitoring needs, and enhance opportunities for education and interpretation. These geologic reports are planned to provide a brief geologic history of the park and address specific geologic issues forming a link between the park geology and the resource manager... Posted: 2009-02-17
EAARL Topography-Colonial National Historical Park These Lidar-derived topography maps were produced as a collaborative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Florida Integrated Science Center (FISC) St. Petersburg, the National Park Service (NPS) Inventory and Monitoring Program, Northeast Coastal and Barrier Network, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Wallops Flight Facility. One objective of this research is to create techniques to survey coral reefs, barrier islands, and various nearshore coastal environments for the purposes of geomorphic change studies, habitat mapping, ecological monitoring, change detection, and event assessment. As part of this project, data from an innovative instrument under development at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility, the NASA Experimental Airborne Advanced Research Lidar (EAARL) are being used. This sensor has the potential to make significant contributions in this realm for measuring subaerial and submarine topography wthin cross-environment surveys. High spectral resolution, water-column correction, and low costs were found to be key factors in providing accurate and affordable imagery to coastal resource managers. Posted: 2009-01-01
Scientific Investigations Report 2007-5101: The Coral Reef of South Moloka‘i, Hawai‘i—Portrait of a Sediment-Threatened Fringing Reef In this landmark volume, U.S. Geological Survey researchers and their colleagues have developed and applied a remarkably integrated approach to the reefs of Moloka‘i, combining geology, oceanography, and biology to provide an in-depth understanding of the processes that have made these reefs grow and that now limit them. They have joined old fashioned natural history of marine animals and plants with study of the geological evolution of the island, hydrology, meteorology, and land-use history, to an arsenal of new methods of remote sensing, including aerial photography, laser ranging, infrared thermal mapping, seismic reflection, in-situ instrumentation to measure chemical parameters of water quality, and direct measurements of the physical driving forces affecting them—such as wave energy, currents, sedimentation, and sediment transport. They provide a level of documentation and insight that has never been available for any reef before. Posted: 2008-11-19
WCMG Coastal Processes Studies California's beaches and nearshore regions are valuable economic and recreational resources but also provide habitats for numerous sensitive species. During winter storms, the coast represents a potentially dangerous interface between ocean and land, nature and humans. Storms produce high waves, strong currents, and elevated sea level that can rapidly erode beaches and inundate low-lying coastal regions, damaging and/or destroying public and private infrastructure as well as stressing coastal ecosystems. Over longer-time scales (e.g. decadal), persistent erosion exacerbated by the pressures of coastal development, reduction in sediment availability and climate change, can result in severely depleted beaches. The USGS performs research along the California coast to understand the physical processes that control coastal change on time scales from individual storms to decades to support the efforts of local, state and government agencies to make informed coastal management decisions to most effectively preserve and protect this valuable resource. Posted: 2008-09-23
Research Projects - USGS WCMG, Applied Sediment Transport There is an increasing need to understand, model, and predict, sediment transport and how it is impacted by dam construction, dam removal, dredging, beach nourishment, and other human and natural activities along the river/sea interface. This understanding of sediment routing from source to sink is necessary in order to remove obsolete or unsafe dams, change dam operations, or implement efforts to restore habitat in streams, rivers, and estuaries at the river/sea interface. Posted: 2008-09-23
Coastal Processes: San Francisco Bight Coastal Processes Study - USGS WCMG San Francisco Bight Coastal Processes Study of the USGS Western Coastal and Marine Geology Team. The USGS is conducting a study that documents and analyzes the processes that control the sand transport and sedimentation patterns of Ocean Beach, a National Park site within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. This area encompasses a complicated coastal setting that is impacted by the tidal influence of San Francisco Bay, as well as the southwest and northwest Pacific swell. High-energy conditions at this site have restricted comprehensive field surveys in the past, but recent innovations in field techniques now make it possible to perform detailed analysis of the physical processes operating on high energy coastlines, such as Ocean Beach. Posted: 2008-08-12
Decision Support for Coastal Science and Management The Decision Support for Coastal Science and Management project, sponsored by the USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program (CMGP) is supporting the creation of new capabilities for the synoptic remote sensing of coastal-marine and terrestrial environments based on aircraft and satellite sensors. These coastal remote-sensing, mapping, and point-monitoring tools constitute a unique integrated package of instrumentation and software that may be deployed in support of appropriately timed and scaled zoning decisions by management authorities in order to conserve and sensibly exploit nearshore coastal and marine ecosystems. Posted: 2008-07-15
Data Series 288: Beach Morphology Monitoring in the Elwha River Littoral Cell, 2004-2006 his report describes the methods used, data collected, and results of the Beach Morphology Monitoring Program in the Elwha River Littoral Cell, starting in 2004. The U.S. Geological Survey and the Washington State Department of Ecology collaborated in the data collection with the support of the local Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. Beach monitoring efforts consisted of collecting topographic and bathymetric horizontal and vertical position data by using a Real Time Kinematic Differential Global Positioning System (RTK-DGPS). The monitoring program was designed to characterize the littoral system of the Elwha River before the scheduled removal of two large dams in 2012. A primary objective of this work is to quantitatively describe the topography and bathymetry of the Elwha River littoral system so that the effects of dam removal may be quantified. Sediment inputs following dam removal are hypothesized to result in (A) larger amounts of fine sediment grain-sizes entering the littoral system and, (B) a reduction or reversal of coastal erosion. Posted: 2008-07-11
Open-File Report 2008-1215: Winds, Waves, Tides, and the Resulting Flow Patterns and Fluxes of Water, Sediment, and Coral Larvae off West Maui, Hawaii A series of recent studies has focused on the flow patterns and particle fluxes along the coast of West Maui, Hawaii, USA, from Honolua south to Puumana. From those studies a relatively good understanding has emerged of the physical processes that influence the relative amount of suspended sediment in nearshore waters and the circulation patterns that transport sediment and coral larvae along the coast and between islands. This report is a synthesis of our existing knowledge on the nature of flow and transport off West Maui. Posted: 2008-07-02
USGS-NPS-NASA EAARL Topography - Dry Tortugas National Park This lidar-derived submarine topography map was produced as a collaborative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Coastal and Marine Geology Program, National Park Service (NPS) South Florida/Caribbean Network Inventory and Monitoring Program, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Wallops Flight Facility. One objective of this research is to create techniques to survey coral reefs for the purposes of habitat mapping, ecological monitoring, change detection, and event assessment (for example: bleaching, hurricanes, disease outbreaks). Posted: 2008-03-24
Scientific Investigations Report 2007-5254: Sources, Dispersal, and Fate of Fine Sediment Supplied to Coastal California We have investigated the sources, dispersal, and fate of fine sediment supplied to California coastal waters in a partnership between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the California Sediment Management Workgroup (CSMW). The purpose of this study was to document the rates and characteristics of these processes so that the State can better manage its coastal resources, including sediment. Posted: 2008-02-29
Open-File Report 2007-1412: Carpinteria Coastal Processes Study, 2005-2007; Final Report The United States Geological Survey (USGS), in collaboration with the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), conducted a two-year study of the beach and nearshore coastal processes for the City of Carpinteria and adjacent beaches. The work was performed in response to and worked directly with the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Project Management Plan (PMP) for the City of Carpinteria: Carpinteria Shoreline, Santa Barbara County, California PMP (June 2003). Posted: 2008-02-04
USGS Monterey Bay Science USGS Monterey Bay Science - USGS research in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and coastal watersheds of central California Posted: 2008-01-01
USGS Coastal Change Hazards USGS Coastal Change Hazards - Focuses on hurricanes, tsunamis, sea-level rise, shoreline erosion, wetland destruction, and other issues relevant to coastal zone management and disaster preparedness. Posted: 2008-01-01
Science and the Storms: the USGS Response to the Hurricanes of 2005 This report is designed to give a view of the immediate response of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to four major hurricanes of 2005: Dennis, Katrina, Rita, and Wilma. Some of this response took place days after the hurricanes; other responses included fieldwork and analysis through the spring. While hurricane science continues within the USGS, this overview of work following these hurricanes reveals how a Department of the Interior bureau quickly brought together a diverse array of its scientists and technologies to assess and analyze many hurricane effects. Topics vary from flooding and water quality to landscape and ecosystem impacts, from geotechnical reconnaissance to analyzing the collapse of bridges and estimating the volume of debris. Thus, the purpose of this report is to inform the American people of the USGS science that is available and ongoing in regard to hurricanes. It is the hope that such science will help inform the decisions of those citizens and officials tasked with coastal restoration and planning for future hurricanes. Posted: 2008-01-01
Coastal and Marine Knowledge Bank An initiative to develop and present a national-scale, interdisciplinary scientific framework for marine environments, the coastal zone, and coastal watersheds Posted: 2007-11-28
Fact Sheet 2006-3111: Land-Based Lidar Mapping--a New Surveying Technique to Shed Light on Rapid Topographic Change The rate of natural change in such dynamic environments as rivers and coastlines can sometimes overwhelm the monitoring capacity of conventional surveying methods. In response to this limitation, USGS scientists are pioneering new applications of light detection and ranging (lidar), a laser-based scanning technology that promises to greatly increase our ability to track rapid topographic changes and manage their impact on affected communities. Posted: 2007-10-12
U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2005-1248, Coastal Vulnerability Assessment of Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park to Sea-Level Rise, Title Page A coastal vulnerability index (CVI) was used to map the relative vulnerability of the coast to future sea-level rise within Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park in Hawaii. The CVI ranks the following in terms of their physical contribution to sea-level rise-related coastal change: geomorphology, regional coastal slope, rate of relative sea-level rise, historical shoreline change rates, mean tidal range and mean significant wave height. The rankings for each input variable were combined, and an index value calculated for 500-meter grid cells covering the park. The CVI highlights those regions where the physical effects of sea-level rise might be the greatest. This approach combines the coastal system's susceptibility to change with its natural ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions, yielding a quantitative, although relative, measure of the park's natural vulnerability to the effects of sea-level rise. The CVI provides an objective technique for evaluation and long-term planning by scientists and park managers. Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park consists of carbonate sand beaches, coral rubble, rocky shoreline, and mangrove wetland areas. The areas within Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park that are likely to be most vulnerable to sea-level rise based on this analysis are areas of unconsolidated sediment and highest wave energy. Posted: 2007-10-11
Open-File Report 2007-1217 - Coastal Processes Study at Ocean Beach, San Francisco, CA: Summary of Data Collection 2004-2006 Ocean Beach in San Francisco, California, contains a persistent erosional section in the shadow of the San Francisco ebb tidal delta and south of Sloat Boulevard that threatens valuable public infrastructure as well as the safe recreational use of the beach. Coastal managers have been discussing potential mediation measures for over a decade, with little scientific research available to aid in decision making. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) initiated the Ocean Beach Coastal Processes Study in April 2004 to provide the scientific knowledge necessary for coastal managers to make informed management decisions. This study integrates a wide range of field data collection and numerical modeling techniques to document nearshore sediment transport processes at the mouth of San Francisco Bay, with emphasis on how these processes relate to erosion at Ocean Beach. The Ocean Beach Coastal Processes Study is the first comprehensive study of coastal processes at the mouth of San Francisco Bay. Posted: 2007-10-04
El Niño Home Page El Niño information with links to a broad range of topics such as Floods, Landslides, Coastal Hazards, Climate, News Releases. Posted: 2007-09-30
National Assessment of Shoreline Change Project Beach erosion is a chronic problem along most open-ocean shores of the United States. As coastal populations continue to grow, and community infrastructures are threatened by erosion, there is increased demand for accurate information regarding past and present shoreline changes. There is also need for a comprehensive analysis of shoreline movement that is regionally consistent. To meet these national needs, the Coastal and Marine Geology Program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is conducting an analysis of historical shoreline changes along open-ocean sandy shores of the conterminous United States and parts of Alaska and Hawaii. A primary goal of this work is to develop standardized methods for mapping and analyzing shoreline movement so that internally consistent updates can periodically be made to record shoreline erosion and accretion. Posted: 2007-09-29
National Assessment of Coastal Change Hazards The National Assessment of Coastal Change Hazards is a multi-year undertaking to identify and quantify the vulnerability of U.S. shorelines to coastal change hazards such as the effects of severe storms, sea-level rise, and shoreline erosion and retreat. It will continue to improve our understanding of processes that control these hazards, and will allow researchers to determine the probability of coastal change locally, regionally, and nationally. The Assessment will deliver these data and assessment findings about coastal vulnerability to coastal managers, other researchers, and the general public. Posted: 2007-09-28
Data Series 260: Beach Morphology Monitoring in the Columbia River Littoral Cell: 1997-2005 This report describes methods used, data collected, and results of the Beach Morphology Monitoring Program in the Columbia River Littoral Cell (CRLC) from 1997 to 2005. A collaborative group primarily consisting of the US Geological Survey and the Washington State Department of Ecology performed this work. Beach Monitoring efforts consisted of collecting topographic and bathymetric horizontal and vertical position data using a Real Time Kinematic Differential Global Positioning System (RTK-DGPS). Sediment size distribution data was also collected as part of this effort. The monitoring program was designed to: 1) quantify the short- to medium-term (seasonal to interannual) beach change rates and morphological variability along the CRLC and assess the processes responsible for these changes; 2) collect beach state data (i.e., grain size, beach slope, and dune/sandbar height/position) to enhance the conceptual understanding of CRLC functioning and refine predictions of future coastal change and hazards; 3) compare and contrast the scales of environmental forcing and beach morphodynamics in the CRLC to other coastlines of the world; and 4) provide beach change data in a useful format to land use managers. Posted: 2007-05-24
Maps Showing the Stratigraphic Framework of South Carolina's Long Bay from Little River to Winyah Bay South Carolina's Grand Strand is a heavily populated coastal region that supports a large tourism industry. Like most heavily developed coastal communities, the potential for property damage and lost revenues associated with coastal erosion and vulnerability to severe storms is of great concern. In response to these concerns, the US Geological Survey (USGS) and the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium have chosen to focus upon the Grand Strand and immediately adjacent Long Bay as a portion of Phase II of the South Carolina/Georgia Coastal Erosion Study (SC/GCES). Posted: 2006-10-20
USGS Open-File Report 2005-1027, An Operational Mean High Water Datum for Determination of Shoreline Position from Topographic Lidar Data, Title Page .The National Assessment of Coastal Change Hazards Project of the U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, is using lidar mapping technology to determine shoreline position for the Nation's open ocean coasts with sandy beaches. The lidar mapping provides elevations relative to the NAVD88 fixed vertical datum. The shorelines determined from lidar-derived beach profiles are defined as an operational Mean High Water (MHW) contour, and therefore the elevation of the MHW tidal datum must be known relative to NAVD 88. The elevation of the MHW tidal datum varies relative to NAVD 88 along the coast as a function of the local tide range and mean tide level. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) tide station data were studied and compiled to tabulate MHW, Mean Higher High Water, and Mean Tide Level elevations along the East, West, and Gulf Coasts. In all, 136 tide stations were chosen: 93 along the East Coast, 19 along the West Coast, and 24 along the Gulf Coast. Although open coast tide stations were preferable for determining MHW, some stations that were not fully on the open coast were used to fill gaps where few or no open coast stations were available. The East, Gulf, and West coastlines were divided into "MHW Zones". These zones are sections of coast to which one MHW elevation is assigned. This operational MHW elevation, which is the average of MHW from all tide stations in the zone, is the elevation used for all lidar shorelines derived within that zone. Twenty-seven zones were created in all: twenty on the East Coast, three on the Gulf Coast, and four on the West Coast. Posted: 2006-10-20
Research Projects - Pleasure Point - USGS WCMG The Santa Cruz County Department of Public Works, the Santa Cruz County Redevelopment Agency and the California Department of Boating and Waterways requested a proposal from the USGS Western Coastal and Marine Geology Team (WCMGT) to provide baseline geologic and oceanographic information on the coast and inner shelf off Pleasure Point, Santa Cruz County, California. To meet these information needs, the USGS has proposed a study to collect baseline scientific information on the morphology and waves at Pleasure Point. This study will provide high-resolution topography of the coastal bluffs and bathymetry of the inner shelf off East Cliff Drive between 32nd Avenue and 41st Avenue (see map below). Further, we will document the spatial and temporal variation in waves at the study site. Although this project will not actively investigate the impacts of the proposed bluff stabilization project, these data will provide the baseline data needed for future studies directed toward predicting the impacts of stabilization on the seacliffs, beach and nearshore sediment profiles, natural rock reef structures, and offshore habitats and resources. It will also provide a basis for calculating potential changes to wave transformations into the shore at Pleasure Point. Posted: 2006-10-17
Coasts of Colombia Due to the complex geologic history of the northwestern part of South America, the Colombian coasts include a variety of coastline types, ranging from high-relief, steep-plunging cliffs typical of igneous and metamorphic massifs, to low, sandy barrier islands and extensive mangrove swamps characteristic of deltaic areas of both coasts. Posted: 2006-06-14
Coastal Classification Mapping Project A Coastal Classification Map describing local geomorphic features is the first step toward determining the hazard vulnerability of an area. The Coastal Classification Map series of the National Assessment of Coastal Change Project presents ground conditions such as beach width, dune elevations, overwash potential, and density of development. In order to complete a hazard vulnerability assessment, that information must be integrated with other information, such as prior storm impacts and beach stability. Posted: 2006-05-02
Coastal Classification Atlas - South Texas Coastal Classification Maps - Mansfield Channel to the Rio Grande A Coastal Classification Map describing local geomorphic features is the first step toward determining the hazard vulnerability of an area. The Coastal Classification Maps of the National Assessment of Coastal Change Project present ground conditions such as beach width, dune elevations, overwash potential, and density of development. In order to complete a hazard vulnerability assessment, that information must be integrated with other information, such as prior storm impacts and beach stability. The Coastal Classification Maps provide much of the basic information for such an assessment and represent a critical component of a storm-impact forecasting capability. This CD covers the south Texas from Mansfield Channel to the Rio Grande. Posted: 2006-05-02
Coastal Classification Atlas - Central Texas Coastal Classification Maps - Aransas Pass to Mansfield Channel A Coastal Classification Map describing local geomorphic features is the first step toward determining the hazard vulnerability of an area. The Coastal Classification Maps of the National Assessment of Coastal Change Project present ground conditions such as beach width, dune elevations, overwash potential, and density of development. In order to complete a hazard vulnerability assessment, that information must be integrated with other information, such as prior storm impacts and beach stability. The Coastal Classification Maps provide much of the basic information for such an assessment and represent a critical component of a storm-impact forecasting capability. This CD covers the central Texas from Aransas Pass to Mansfield Channel. Posted: 2006-04-10
Open-File Report 2005-1069: Coastal Change Rates and Patterns: Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, Hawai’i A collaborative project between the U.S. Geological Survey's Coastal and Marine Geology Program and the National Park Service (NPS) has been developed to create an inventory of geologic resources for National Park Service lands on the Big Island of Hawai’i. The NPS Geologic Resources Inventories are recognized as essential for the effective management, interpretation, and understanding of vital park resources. In general, there are three principal components of the inventories: geologic bibliographies, digital geologic maps, and geologic reports. The geologic reports are specific to each individual park and include information on the geologic features and processes that are important to the management of park resources, including ecological, cultural and recreational resources. This report summarizes a component of the geologic inventory concerned specifically with characterizing the coastal geomorphology of the beach system within Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park (NHP) and describes an analysis that utilizes georeferenced and orthorectified aerial photography to understand the spatial and temporal trends in shoreline change from 1950 to 2002. In addition, spatial patterns of beach change were examined and a beach stability map was developed. Both the shoreline change rates and the beach stability map are designed to help Park personnel effectively manage the valuable park resources within the context of understanding natural changes to the KAHO beach system. Posted: 2006-02-23
Open-File Report 2006-1036: Quantitative X-ray Diffraction Mineralogy of Los Angeles Basin Core Samples This report contains X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of mineralogy for 81 sediment samples from cores taken from three drill holes in the Los Angeles Basin in 2000-2001. We analyzed 26 samples from Pier F core, 29 from Pier C core, and 26 from the Webster core. These three sites provide an offshore-onshore record across the Southern California coastal zone. This report is designed to be a data repository; these data will be used in further studies, including geochemical modeling as part of the CABRILLO project. Summary tables quantify the major mineral groups, whereas detailed mineralogy is presented in three appendices. The rationale, methodology, and techniques are described in the following paper. Posted: 2006-02-23
Automated Extraction of Coastal Dune High and Dune Low from High Resolution Lidar Digital Elevation Models An automated method of extracting dune high (Dhi) and dune low (Dlo) from lidar DEMs has been developed for use on the sandy Southeast and Gulf coasts of the United States. The method has been written into an Arc AML script that runs from a command line in ArcInfo Workstation, a popular GIS software product. The output are GIS ready Dhi and Dlo point shapefiles that include several attributes that can assist in post-processing editing as well as elevation. Posted: 2005-12-06
Submarine Groundwater Discharge Submarine Groundwater Discharge: Instances, Causes, and Methods and Tools for the Analysis Thereof Posted: 2005-11-10
Coastal Classification Atlas - Southeast Texas Coastal Classification Maps - Sabine Pass to the Colorado River A Coastal Classification Map describing local geomorphic features is the first step toward determining the hazard vulnerability of an area. The Coastal Classification Maps of the National Assessment of Coastal Change Project present ground conditions such as beach width, dune elevations, overwash potential, and density of development. In order to complete a hazard vulnerability assessment, that information must be integrated with other information, such as prior storm impacts and beach stability. The Coastal Classification Maps provide much of the basic information for such an assessment and represent a critical component of a storm-impact forecasting capability. This CD covers the eastern Texas from Sabine Pass to the Colorado River. Posted: 2005-10-10
Coastal Classification Atlas - Western Louisiana Coastal Classification Maps - Lower Mud Lake Entrance Channel to Sabine Pass A Coastal Classification Map describing local geomorphic features is the first step toward determining the hazard vulnerability of an area. The Coastal Classification Maps of the National Assessment of Coastal Change Project present ground conditions such as beach width, dune elevations, overwash potential, and density of development. In order to complete a hazard vulnerability assessment, that information must be integrated with other information, such as prior storm impacts and beach stability. The Coastal Classification Maps provide much of the basic information for such an assessment and represent a critical component of a storm-impact forecasting capability. This CD covers the western Louisiana coast from the Lower Mud Lake Entrance Channel to Sabine Pass. Posted: 2005-07-12
Tsunamis and Earthquakes - 2005 Sumatra Tsunami Study - USGS WCMG USGS Western Coastal and Marine Geology was part of an international team that studied sediment deposits in Sri Lanka from the tsunami generated by the magnitude 9.0 Sumatra earthquake on December 26, 2004. Posted: 2005-05-31
Coastal Classification Atlas - Alabama-Mississippi Coastal Classification Maps - Perdido Pass to Cat Island A Coastal Classification Map describing local geomorphic features is the first step toward determining the hazard vulnerability of an area. The Coastal Classification Maps of the National Assessment of Coastal Change Project present ground conditions such as beach width, dune elevations, overwash potential, and density of development. In order to complete a hazard vulnerability assessment, that information must be integrated with other information, such as prior storm impacts and beach stability. The Coastal Classification Maps provide much of the basic information for such an assessment and represent a critical component of a storm-impact forecasting capability. This CD covers the Alabama-Mississippi Coast from Perdido Pass to Cat Island. Posted: 2005-05-11
Coastal Classification Atlas - Southeastern Louisiana Coastal Classification Maps - Pass Abel to East Timbalier Island A Coastal Classification Map describing local geomorphic features is the first step toward determining the hazard vulnerability of an area. The Coastal Classification Maps of the National Assessment of Coastal Change Project present ground conditions such as beach width, dune elevations, overwash potential, and density of development. In order to complete a hazard vulnerability assessment, that information must be integrated with other information, such as prior storm impacts and beach stability. The Coastal Classification Maps provide much of the basic information for such an assessment and represent a critical component of a storm-impact forecasting capability. This CD covers Southeastern Louisiana Coastal Classification from Pass Abel to East Timbalier Island. Posted: 2005-05-04
USGS WCMG - Notes from the field... Sumatra 2005 News and Information about the USGS West Sumatra International Tsunami Survey Team's Field Study, March 30 - April 26, 2005. These "Notes from the field" pages were created on a daily basis as a way to report findings during the ITST's field study. The effort began just as the 28 March 2005 earthquake and tsunami occurred off Sumatra. Posted: 2005-05-02
Tsunamis and Earthquakes - 2005 Sri Lanka Tsunami Study - USGS WCMG USGS Western Coastal and Marine Geology was part of an international team that studied sediment deposits in Sri Lanka from the tsunami generated by the magnitude 9.0 Sumatra earthquake on December 26, 2004 Posted: 2005-02-14
Coastal Classification Atlas - Northwestern Panhandle of Florida Coastal Classification Maps - St. Andrew Bay Entrance Channel to Perdido Pass A Coastal Classification Map describing local geomorphic features is the first step toward determining the hazard vulnerability of an area. The Coastal Classification Maps of the National Assessment of Coastal Change Project present ground conditions such as beach width, dune elevations, overwash potential, and density of development. In order to complete a hazard vulnerability assessment, that information must be integrated with other information, such as prior storm impacts and beach stability. The Coastal Classification Maps provide much of the basic information for such an assessment and represent a critical component of a storm-impact forecasting capability. This CD covers Northwest Panhandle of Florida Coastal Classification Maps from St. Andrew Bay Entrance Channel to Perdido Pass. Posted: 2004-06-22
Coastal Erosion of Southern Lake Michigan - USGS Fact Sheet Geological Survey studies the geologic processes at work in the Great Lakes region because they have direct bearing on the use, management, development, and preservation of the shoreline. It is important to understand how these processes shape our daily lives. About 15 percent of the United States' and 50 percent of Canada's population live along or near the 9,000-kilometer-long coastline of the Great Lakes. About 83 percent of the shoreline is privately-owned with property values as high as $10,000 per linear foot of lakefront. Posted: 2004-03-02
Effects of Major Storms on Pacific Islands - USGS Fact Sheet Tropical storms of various kinds are as much a depositional event as an erosional event. Much attention is given to the destructive aspects of major storms because of the loss of life and property, but little is known about their beneficial effects to coastal accretion. While we can usually measure and map the instantaneous effects of a tropical storm, we can only speculate about the long-term effects. Geologic mapping by the U.S. Geological Survey in areas prone to storm effects can give us opportunities to minimize losses by identifying locations most likely to suffer. Posted: 2004-03-02
Evolution and History of Incised Valleys: The Mobile Bay Model - USGS Fact Sheet Incised valleys along the Gulf coast commonly result from rivers eroding rapidly in response to a fall in sea level. As sea level rises, sediments fill incised valleys and form nearshore elongated sandbodies such as barrier islands. These sandbodies can be potential sites for hard-mineral accumulations and are modern analogues to buried sands in the ancient rock record with high potential of being oil and gas reservoirs. Processes that formed residual sediment accumulations may also help to predict the outcome of man's erosion mitigation and wetland nourishment efforts. Today, the geologic imprint of incised valleys across the continental shelf provides evidence of sea-level change over the past 18,000 years. Posted: 2004-03-02
High-Energy Storms Shape Puerto Rico - USGS Fact Sheet Geologists have known for many years that damage inflicted by hurricanes on coastal areas may be less important for the long-term evolution of a coast than the effects of less intense, but more frequent, storm events. Indeed, high-energy storms may be needed to maintain the health of delicate marine ecologies in the coastal environment. Marine geologists of the U.S. Geological Survey working in Puerto Rico are confident that the long-term effects of Hurricane Hugo on the coastal environment are minimal, though the economic damage was significant. Detailed oceanographic studies are needed to define the sediment budget of the nearshore areas of Puerto Rico and to provide baseline information for studying storm effects. Posted: 2004-03-02
Hurricane Impacts on the Coastal Environment - USGS Fact Sheet In terms of insured losses, Hurricane Andrew is the most severe catastrophe in the Nation history. Prior to the arrival of Andrew, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Louisiana Geological Survey (LGS), acquired an extensive body of information and data on the behavior and long-term erosion of Louisiana barrier islands. As a result, we have a clear understanding of pre-storm conditions in this area; Andrew provided an opportunity to learn in detail the impact of a very large storm on Louisiana coastal environment. Posted: 2004-03-02
Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary Geological Processes and Framework - USGS Fact Sheet The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) will move its Pacific Marine Geology program to a new location at the University of California at Santa Cruz (UCSC) and we are excited about our role in the marine sciences community around Monterey Bay. There is much to learn in the region, not only as a result of new opportunities in the Marine Sanctuary, but also that knowledge gained here may be transferred to our studies of similar environments in other parts of the world. Posted: 2004-03-02
Sand and Gravel Resources of Puerto Rico - USGS Fact Sheet The sand and gravel resources of Puerto Rico contribute significantly to the economy of the island as they are crucial ingredients in construction and recreation. Despite newly-imposed regulations prohibiting mining of beach sands, the strength of the associated underground economy is sufficiently strong to limit enforcement of the regulations. Consequently, beaches are eroding quickly causing significant damage to the environment and delicate ecosystems. New resources of sand and gravel would allow beaches to be nourished and construction activities to be supplied. Posted: 2004-03-02
Coastal Classification Atlas - West-Central Florida Coastal Classification Maps - Anclote Key to Venice Inlet A Coastal Classification Map describing local geomorphic features is the first step toward determining the hazard vulnerability of an area. The Coastal Classification Maps of the National Assessment of Coastal Change Project present ground conditions such as beach width, dune elevations, overwash potential, and density of development. In order to complete a hazard vulnerability assessment, that information must be integrated with other information, such as prior storm impacts and beach stability. The Coastal Classification Maps provide much of the basic information for such an assessment and represent a critical component of a storm-impact forecasting capability. This web site covers West-Central Florida from Anclote Key to Venice Inlet. Posted: 2004-03-01
Coastal Classification Atlas - Southwestern Florida Coastal Classification Maps - Venice Inlet to Cape Romano A Coastal Classification Map describing local geomorphic features is the first step toward determining the hazard vulnerability of an area. The Coastal Classification Maps of the National Assessment of Coastal Change Project present ground conditions such as beach width, dune elevations, overwash potential, and density of development. In order to complete a hazard vulnerability assessment, that information must be integrated with other information, such as prior storm impacts and beach stability. The Coastal Classification Maps provide much of the basic information for such an assessment and represent a critical component of a storm-impact forecasting capability. This web site covers Southwestern Florida from Venice Inlet to Cape Romano. Posted: 2004-03-01
Coastal Classification Atlas - Eastern Panhandle of Florida Coastal Classification Maps - Lighthouse Point to St. Andrew Bay Entrance Channel A Coastal Classification Map describing local geomorphic features is the first step toward determining the hazard vulnerability of an area. The Coastal Classification Maps of the National Assessment of Coastal Change Project present ground conditions such as beach width, dune elevations, overwash potential, and density of development. In order to complete a hazard vulnerability assessment, that information must be integrated with other information, such as prior storm impacts and beach stability. The Coastal Classification Maps provide much of the basic information for such an assessment and represent a critical component of a storm-impact forecasting capability. This CD covers Eastern Panhandle of Florida Coastal Classification Maps from Lighthouse Point to the St. Andrew Bay Entrance Channel. Posted: 2004-03-01
USGS Open File Report 03-398 Shoreline change posters for the Louisiana Barrier Islands, 1885 - 1996 Posted: 2003-12-02
Fact Sheet 024-03: Bacterial Contamination at Huntington Beach, California—Is It From a Local Offshore Wastewater Outfall? During the summers of 1999 and 2000, beaches at Huntington Beach, California, were repeatedly closed to swimming because of high bacteria levels in the surf zone. The city’s beaches are a major recreational and commercial resource, normally attracting millions of visitors each summer. One possible source of the bacterial contamination was the Orange County Sanitation District’s sewage outfall, which discharges treated wastewater 4.5 miles offshore at a depth of 200 feet. Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating organizations have been investigating whether ocean currents and waves transport the wastewater to the beaches. These studies indicate that bacteria from the outfall are not a significant source of the beach contamination. Posted: 2003-10-29
USGS Fact Sheet 155-02 - Tracking Contaminants in Santa Monica Bay, Offshore of Greater Los Angeles Santa Monica Bay is a major recreational and commercial resource for the Greater Los Angeles region. Industrialization and the dramatic increase of population in the region over the past 100 years have strained the bay’s resources and polluted its sediments. To help evaluate any possible hazards posed by contamination, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and local cooperating organizations are studying the processes that modify, transport, and redeposit sediments within Santa Monica Bay. Posted: 2003-10-29
Continental Shelf Research 22:6-7 - Sedimentation Processes, DDT, and the Palos Verdes margin The 14 papers of this volume can be divided into three categories: (1) mapping the extent and character of the deposit, (2) measuring the factors that cause the deposit to change with time and modeling that change, and (3) determining the effect of the deposit on the chemical and biological environment. Posted: 2003-10-29
An Overview of Coastal Land Loss: With Emphasis on the Southeastern United States In states bordering the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, vast areas of coastal land have been destroyed since the mid 1800s as a result of natural processes and human activities. The physical factors that have the greatest influence on coastal land loss are reductions in sediment supply, relative sea level rise, and frequent storms, whereas the most important human activities are sediment excavation, river modification, and coastal construction. As a result of these agents and activities, coastal land loss is manifested most commonly as beach/bluff erosion and coastal submergence. Posted: 2003-08-20
A Summary of Findings of the West-Central Florida Coastal Studies Project This report summarizes the major findings of the West-Central Florida Coastal Studies Project which was funded by the United States Geological Survey. This project was a co-operative five-year venture designed to conduct a geologic framework study of a barrier-island coastline and its adjacent inner continental shelf off west-central Florida. Posted: 2003-07-24
West-Central Florida Coastal Transect #3: Sand Key - USGS Open File Report 99-507 This is the third of nine transect areas extending from the mainland of west-central Florida out to a depth of 26m. Data collected and presented includes sediment core data and side-scan sonar mapping of portions of the seafloor. Posted: 2002-12-17
West-Central Florida Coastal Transect #8: Siesta Key - USGS Open File Report 99-512 This is the eighth of nine transect areas extending from the mainland of west-central Florida out to a depth of 26m. Data collected and presented includes sediment core data and side-scan sonar mapping of portions of the seafloor. Posted: 2002-12-17
West-Central Florida Coastal Transect #9: Casey Key - USGS Open File Report 99-513 This is the ninth of nine transect areas extending from the mainland of west-central Florida out to a depth of 26m. Data collected and presented includes sediment core data and side-scan sonar mapping of portions of the seafloor. Posted: 2002-12-17
Subsidence and Sea-Level Rise in Southeastern Louisiana: Implications for Coastal Management and Restoration The Mississippi River delta plain is subject to the highest rate of relative sea-level rise (3 ft per century) of any region in the Nation largely due to rapid geologic subsidence. This collaborative study is responsible for developing an objective and reliable scientific database on subsidence and sea-level rise by conducting detailed studies within the Mississippi River delta plain. Posted: 2002-12-12
USGS Open-File Report 99-559, Stratigraphic Framework Maps of the Nearshore Area of Southern Long Island from Fire Island to Montauk Point, New York The Nearshore Area of Southern Long Island from Fire Island to Montauk Point, New York was mapped using high-resolution profiling techniques along with surface and vibracore sampling to verify the geophysical interpretations. The goal of the investigation is to determine regional-scale availability of sand as a resource for beach nourishment programs and to investigate the role that inner-shelf morphology and geologic framework have in the erosion and morphology of southern Long Island. Maps derived from interpretation of the subbottom profiles show information on the geometry and distribution of the Quaternary sediments and the underlying Coastal Plain unconformity. This stratigraphy yields a regional framework on which explanations of present (and past) sediment movement, dispersal, and erosion processes are based. Posted: 2002-04-24
Sidescan-Sonar Imagery of the Shoreface and Inner Continental Shelf, Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina The geologic framework and surficial morphology of the shoreface and inner shelf off Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, were mapped using high-resolution sidescan-sonar, bathymetric, and seismic-reflection surveying techniques, a suite of over 200 diver-vibracores, and extensive sea-floor observations by divers. The inner shelf is a sediment-starved, active surface of marine erosion; modern sediments, where present, form a thin, patchy veneer blanketing Tertiary and Quaternary units. Posted: 2002-04-24
Seafloor Characterization Offshore New York-New Jersey Metropolitan Area using sidescan sonar A preliminary synthesis of systematic high-resolution mapping of the sea floor in the New York Bight Apex, using sidescan-sonar and seismic-reflection profiles. The survey provides a new and detailed view of the sea floor, and a new framework for understanding the regional sediment transport system of the New York Bight. Posted: 2002-04-23
Long Island Sound Environmental Studies Reports and maps on acoustic and textural features of Long Island Sound bottom sediments; Sidescan-sonar imagery of areas off Hammonasset Beach state park, Norwalk, Niantic Bay, Milford, Fishers Island Sound, Falkner Island, New Haven, New London, CT, and Roanoke Pt., NY. Also, articles on a surficial sediment data, benthic communities and contaminants, and currents, and a bibliography. Posted: 2002-04-23
Geologic History of Cape Cod Massachusetts Cape Cod is a sandy peninsula built mostly during the ice age and juts into the Atlantic Ocean like a crooked arm. Geologists are interested in Cape Cod because it was formed, by glaciers, very recently in terms of geologic time and because of the ever changing shore as the Cape adjusts to the rising sea. This is an online version of USGS geologist Robert Oldale's popular circular. Posted: 2002-04-23
Assessment of Coastal Vulnerability to Sea-Level Rise: Preliminary Results for the U.S. Gulf of Mexico Coast This report estimates relative vulnerability to sea-level rise of different coastal environments in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. This initial classification is based on coastal geomorphology, regional coastal slope, rate of sea-level rise, wave and tide characteristics, and historical shoreline change rates. Posted: 2002-04-23
Seafloor Sediment Distribution Off Southern Long Island, New York The late Holocene evolution of the Fire Island barrier-island is linked directly to the geologic framework of the inner-continental shelf. Mapping results show that the modern physiography of the inner-continental shelf off southern Long Island is an expression of antecedent geology and glacial history, as well as oceanographic processes acting on the sea floor during Holocene marine transgression. The upper surface of the Cretaceous strata provided the foundation for deposition of Quaternary sediment and formed the core of a subaerial headland off Watch Hill during times of lower sea level. The modern sediment deposit was formed from erosion of both the headland areas east of Southampton and off Watch Hill and the inner-continental shelf during Holocene marine transgression. Posted: 2002-04-23
U.S. Geological Survey Studies in the New York Bight Since 1992, the U.S. Geological Survey`s Coastal and Marine Geology Program has been conducting studies offshore of New York designed to map and characterize the sea floor, to understand the transport and fate of sediments and associated pollutants, to map the inner shelf and sand deposits along the southern shore of Long Island, and to understand the recent geologic history. A long-term goal of these geological studies is to develop predictive models and geologic information to guide research and sustainable use of the coastal ocean. Posted: 2001-12-14
West-Central Florida Coastal Studies This project is a study of the west central Florida coast, conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey, University of South Florida, and Eckerd College. The study investigates the formation and maintanance of the barrier island system, as well as the geologic framework of the region. Posted: 2001-10-31
Mapping Coastal Change Hazards An illustrated discussion of coastal change hazards and the work that the U.S. Geological Survey is doing to map and understand these hazards. Posted: 2001-05-03
Remote Video Monitoring Remote Video Monitoring (RVM) systems provide a means of automatically acquiring video data from remote locations and returning them to a central laboratory computer for processing. This project makes use of RVM technology to monitor coastal change at locations in Florida, Massachusetts, Ohio, and Washington. Posted: 2000-10-02
Limited Sand Resources for Eroding Beaches - Fact Sheet Beach erosion is a major concern on the highly developed west-central Florida coast. The region between Anclote Key in southern Pasco County and Venice Inlet in central Sarasota County contains 18 barrier islands and inlets spanning 130 km of coastline, much of which has undergone significant change within the past century. Posted: 2000-10-02
Hurricane Dennis Impact Studies Includes pre/post-storm topographic change data derived from lidar mapping of the coast, as well as a set of oblique aerial photography of affected barrier islands on the North Carolina coast. Posted: 2000-03-02
El Niño/La Niña Coastal Comparison Photography - Oregon La-Niña Mapping, May, 1999 - A Follow-on Experiment to the El-Niño Coastal Mapping, October 1997 / April 1998. These pages include pre/post-El-Niño rainfall data from the Laurel Mountain Monitoring Station, as well as a set of oblique aerial photography of portions of the Oregon coast. Posted: 1999-12-08
Duck '97 Fundamental Nearshore Processes Research Predictive models of nearshore hydrodynamics, sediment transport, and beach evolution perform poorly. This effort will provide data sufficiently complete to support model development and verification. Posted: 1999-08-23
South Carolina Coastal Erosion Study In South Carolina, the physical processes responsible for coastal erosion are complex, difficult to measure and complicated by the influence of many tidal inlets. Understanding the relative contributions of processes causing coastal erosion is important to mitigation of beach erosion. Posted: 1999-06-03
National Coastal Assessment The coastal margin of the US is among the most densely populated, developed, property valued, tax generating, income generating, and recreational valued region of the US. The dynamic natural processes and human-induced changes within this margin are poorly understood yet result in a highly mobile coastal zone that is subject to rapid (decadal or less) change. The goal of this project is to develop a GIS based inventory of scientific data including those variables known to contribute to coastal change. Posted: 1999-05-14
Short and Long-Term Variability of Ebb-Tidal Deltas: Management Implications With the increasing demand for suitable beach fill material, coastal planners often covet ebb-tidal shoal sands due to their (typically) coarse grain size and proximity to the beach. However, these sand bodies are rarely mined because of potential adverse effects on adjacent shorelines. The quantification of sediment volumes in an ebb-tidal delta over short and long time spans can be used to identify the system's natural variability. Posted: 1999-03-18
Sea-floor Morphology between Año Nuevo and Santa Cruz, California Seafloor map displaying submarine rock exposures found along the northern part of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, with interpretations of side-scan sonar records, seismic-reflection records, and underwater video. Posted: 1999-02-22
Coastal Erosion from El-Nino Winter Storms - Oblique Aerial Photography USGS acquired baseline precision-located oblique still and video photography coverage of over 1000 km of coastline from the west coast of the U.S. in October, 1997, in anticipation of storms generated by the El-Niño warming of the Pacific Ocean. A follow-up mission was completed in April, 1998 after the storm season. Posted: 1998-12-16
South Carolina Quaternary Geologic Framework South Carolina's central coast and inner shelf from North Edisto River to Bull's Inlet has a complex Quaternary history of transgressive and regressive sedimentary sequences. These sequences were identified from 612 line-km of high-solution single-channel seismic profiles, side-scan sonar mosaics, 81 vibracores, ground penetrating radar, Amino acid racemization, and compilation of previous investigations. Posted: 1998-11-20
Hurricane Bonnie Impact Studies Hurricane Bonnie, a Category 3 storm, made landfall on August 26, 1998 in southern North Carolina near Cape Fear very close to landfall of both Hurricanes Bertha and Fran in 1996. These pages include pre/post-storm topographic change data derived from lidar mapping of the coast, as well as a set of oblique aerial photography of affected barrier islands on the North Carolina coast. Posted: 1998-11-13
Hurricane Fran Impact Studies On September 5, 1996, Hurricane Fran, a category 3 hurricane, made landfall on the North Carolina coast at Cape Fear. These pages include overwash data as well as a set of pre/post-storm oblique aerial photography of affected barrier islands on the North Carolina coast. Posted: 1997-12-08
Grand Canyon Colorado River Studies Studies of sediment transport in the Grand Canyon, Arizona - using ocean research techniques to study a river system. Posted: 1997-06-09
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