1. USGS Science in Support of Coastal Issues
June 17, 2015
Suzette Kimball
Acting Director
U.S. Geological Survey

2. Coastal Marine Geology Program
Past Regional Cooperative Studies
Louisiana Barrier Islands
South Carolina Coastal Erosion
Southern Lake Michigan Coastal Erosion
Lake Erie Coastal Erosion
Florida Gulf of Mexico Wetlands
West Central Florida Coastal Erosion
Southwest Washington Coastal Erosion
Hawaii Coastal Erosion
North Carolina Coastal Erosion

3. Regional Cooperative Studies Today
Fire Island Coastal Erosion
DelMarVa Coastal Erosion
Gulf of Mexico Barrier Island Evolution
California Coastal Change
Marine Transgression
Erosion of Headland
Source of Holocene Sediment
~160M cubic meters
10 km
~200M cubic meters eroded
SW Sediment Flux
Shoreline Position at 8000 years B.P.
Outwash Headland
Integration of Geologic and Shoreline Structure and Change
Oceanographic
Deployments
Seafloor Mapping
Comparison of modeled and observed sediment thickness change
Modeling
Long-term and hurricane-driven shoreline change
Field Surveys

4. Building National Capacity to Anticipate and Respond to Coastal Change Hazards
Geologic and Geomorphic Observations
Models, Forecasts, and Assessments
Observational Programs
Delivery Mechanisms

5. Forecasting Storm Vulnerability
Update generalized scenario for cat 1-4 hurricanes using post-Sandy beach conditions.
Reduced beach elevations led to Increased vulnerability to coastal erosion during future storms.
Pre-Sandy (2010) vulnerability
20% of Fire Island was likely to overwash
Post-Sandy (2012) vulnerability
70% of Fire Island is likely to overwash
EROSION
EROSION
OVERWASH
OVERWASH
INUNDATION
INUNDATION

6. Ensuring Maximum Impact
Coastal National Elevation (CoNED) Datasets
Mapping California State Waters
Predicted Mobility of Oil/Sand “Tarballs”

7. Multi-Faceted Research Capability
Characterizing the Extended Continental Shelf (ECS)– beyond the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
Joint effort, led by US Dept of State with NOAA and USGS conducting research cruises in Arctic, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans
Objectives include mapping thickness of sediments , identifying geologic features and processes, assessing offshore hazards
April 2015 track lines in North Atlantic

8. Coastal Change Hazards Portal