USGS responses to and studies of the hazards and impact of major hurricanes, tsunamis, and El Nino storms. Includes links to oblique aerial photography and LIDAR surveys recording coastal changes and other effects of storms and waves.
Homepage for programs of the Center for Coastal Geology on hurricanes and extreme storms with links to technology, related aerial photography, hurricanes, El Nino, northeasters, and specific storms.
Information on video and still photography used to supplement laser altimetry measurements of the coast. The photography is used for recognizing geomorphic and cultural features impacted by storms. Links to photo collections of hurricanes and El Nino.
Airborne scanning laser surveys (LIDAR) are used to obtaining data to investigate the magnitude and causes of coastal changes that occur during severe storms. Links to examples of coastal mapping during specific hurricanes.
Description of three types of severe coastal storm impacts: hurricane impacts on the southeast U.S., extra-tropical storm impacts on the U.S. west coast during El-Nino winters, and 'northeaster' impacts on the U.S. east coast.
Comprehensive background information on coastal land loss, discussing the influence of waves and storms, the intrinsic characteristics of the shoreline materials, and the role of human activities.
Areas susceptible to inundation during landfall of Hurricane Rita are assessed by comparing lidar-derived dune elevations to simulated storm surge values. Results shown on pictorial maps.
Summary of study to document the impact of Hurricane Isabel in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, near Cape Hatteras. Methods included pre- and post-storm photography, videography, and lidar.
Storms bring rains strong enough to cause rock-falls and landslides that are hazardous to people. Includes examples in the eastern US with information about the weather events that precipitated the debris flows.
Direct measurement of an important indicator of interannual variability is extended, using geological proxy measures, farther back in time to well before modern measurements were made. This tells us about the history of climate variability.
Fact sheet on the historic and current conditions of mangroves of Dry Tortugas National Park, a cluster of islands and coral reefs west of Key West, Florida. Mangroves and nesting frigate bird colonies are at risk to destruction by hurricanes.
Results from historical (1855-2005) shoreline change analysis demonstrate that tropical cyclone frequency dominates the long-term evolution of this barrier-island arc.
Photographic survey of the impacts of Hurricane Katrina on the barrier islands, barrier shoreline, and the Mississippi River Delta along the Louisiana coastline. Primary focus is on the ecosystems such as fish, rookeries, and seagrass beds.
Shows how observations and modeling can help anticipate practical problems in coastal areas when hurricanes arrive. Focuses primarily on areas where people have built houses and roads that may be destroyed during storms.
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.
Brief report on map showing the relative vulnerability of the Atlantic coast to changes due to future rise in sea level. Includes links to similar maps in Open-file report 2000-178 on the Pacific Coast and 2000-179 on the Gulf of Mexico Coast.
Research and monitoring to provide the Nation with a clear understanding of natural hazards and their potential threats to society, and assists with developing smart, cost-effective strategies for achieving preparedness and resilience.
Describes the role USGS plays in reducing losses from natural disasters, itemizing specific information we develop and maintain to help mitigate or avoid these problems.
News and related information about the importance of seven major types of natural hazards in the United States: earthquakes, floods, wildfires, hurricanes, landslides, volcanoes, and tsunamis.
Shows where current natural hazard events are occurring within the US or worldwide, with information about the geographic extent of the hazard, the US agency engaged to work on it, and how long the hazard is expected be active.
A network of tide gages and weather stations is deployed in coastal areas across the state to help forecast floods and support timely evacuation of people from affected areas.
Map interfaces and data in the area offshore Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama which was affected most by hurricane Katrina and, more recently, the oil spill.
The so-called "100-year" flood is really more like the 4 ½ year flood. This can help emergency managers enhance public awareness of how often flooding truly occurs in a region. It also could help convince those people in harm's way that preparedness is m
Links to remote video monitoring field stations with video and water level data, plus links to image processing software tools, processed video examples, and other uses of video descriptions.
Review of a study monitoring changes in salinity in Alligator Bay, NC during a 1996 hurricane due to the influx of fresh and saltwater and the effect it would have on oyster aquaculture.
Topics in Coastal and Marine Sciences provides background science materials, definitions, and links to give a common context for users from a variety of backgrounds. Coastal erosion was chosen as the first topic.
Overview of research in the Hawaiian Islands and Guam to gain insight into the structure of coral reefs, to provide the basis for future monitoring, and to understand the influences of natural processes and human activities on coral reef health.
Information is provided about coastal impacts of Katrina, Rita, and Wilma and Satellite Imagery and other Geospatial Data, News Releases, Streamflow Conditions, publications and other resources.
Extreme storms, sea-level rise, and the health of marine communities are some of the major societal and environmental issues studied by this part of USGS.