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National Assessment of Shoreline Change Project

Introduction Shifting Sands: Sandy ocean beaches are naturally unstable as waves, currents, and winds constantly shift the landscape. These ephemeral interfaces between land and water are often sites of intense development even though they are frequently subjected to natural hazards including flooding, storms, and coastal erosion. 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. Products Internet Map Server USGS U.S. Gulf of Mexico Shoreline Change Internet Map Server Data generated by the project, including vector shorelines and transects, associated short- and long-term rates of change, statistical uncertainties, and areas of beach nourishment, have been compiled in an Internet Map Server (IMS). The IMS brings the usefulness of GIS to a web browser, allowing the user to interactively view and manipulate data layers. Open File Reports National Assessment of Shoreline Change: Part 1, Historical Shoreline Changes and Associated Coastal Land Loss Along the U.S. Gulf of Mexico - USGS Open File Report 2004-1043 This report discusses historical shoreline change and coastal land loss along the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. The National Assessment of Shoreline Change: A GIS Compilation of Vector Shorelines and Associated Shoreline Change Data for the U.S. Gulf of Mexico - USGS Open File Report 2004-1089 This data catalog complements Open File Report 2004-1043 and the Internet Map Server by offering downloadable data layers complete with FGDC compliant metadata. An overview of coastal land loss: with emphasis on the southeastern United States - USGS Open File Report 03-337 This report is an introduction to coastal land loss and the physical and anthropogenic factors that influence land loss.

Related Research Projects: National Assessment of Coastal Change Hazards USGS Coastal & Marine Geology Program Coastal Classification Mapping Project USGS Coastal & Marine Geology Program National Assessment of Coastal Vulnerability to Sea-Level Rise USGS Coastal & Marine Geology Program Related Links: National Assessment of Shoreline Change: Part 1, Historical Shoreline Changes and Associated Coastal Land Loss Along the U.S. Gulf of Mexico - USGS Open File Report 2004-1043 USGS Coastal & Marine Geology Program The National Assessment of Shoreline Change: A GIS Compilation of Vector Shorelines and Associated Shoreline Change Data for the U.S. Gulf of Mexico - USGS Open File Report 2004-1089 USGS Coastal & Marine Geology Program USGS U.S. Gulf of Mexico Shoreline Change Internet Map Server USGS Coastal & Marine Geology Program

Coastal & Marine Geology Program > National Assessment of Shoreline Change Project

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Updated June 10, 2004 @ 10:24 AM (JSS)