Hurricane Sandy made a variety of impacts along the highly populated northeastern Atlantic seaboard in October 2012. Improved understanding of these impacts will better prepare us for the next one. As a result the USGS science provides a strong foundation for decision makers, planners and resource managers.
Hurricane Sandy
Hurricane Sandy made a variety of impacts along the highly populated northeastern Atlantic seaboard in October 2012. USGS supported projects improve understanding of these impacts to better prepare us for the next one.
Research Themes
USGS scientists are working to assess forecast effectiveness, improve how we share information, and identify gaps to improve the information and tools we provide.
Over 160 of our scientists, technicians, and specialists responded to Hurricane Sandy by deploying field equipment and capturing information both before and after the storm. The USGS Sandy Science Plan identifies major research themes that support recovery activities as well as develop tools that prepare us for the future.
- Coastal Elevation Data and Mapping - Assess and evaluate coastal vulnerability and hazards.
- Understanding Coastal Change - Understanding changes to our coastlines over both short and long periods of time.
- Coastal Hydrology and Storm Surge - Developing a storm tide monitoring network and data analysis capability.
- Environmental Quality and Contaminants - Floodwaters and inundation in urban environments have the potential to coastal and aquatic environments to contaminants.
- Coastal Ecosystem Impacts - Documenting and evaluating impacts on coastal ecosystems.
Storm Readiness
USGS provides data and tools to support the Nation’s preparedness and ability to respond to and recover from natural hazard events. Funds provided through the Congressional Sandy Supplemental Appropriation support USGS in enhancing many data display tools and data delivery mechanisms. These datasets and products are being produced across the Science Themes to meet the needs of emergency managers, planners, engineers, and scientists.
Surge, Wave, and Tide Hydrodynamics (SWaTH) Network
SWaTH consists of 71 existing and new flood-hardened, real-time telemetered tide gages, 61 RDGs (Rapidly deployable real-time gages), and up to 555 temporary STSs (mobile Storm Tide Sensors). The STSs will be deployed in three distinct but integrated network configurations consisting of (1) a distributed array of stations representing the range of landscape types and infrastructure subject to surge and wave forces, (2) along transects from the coastline through the inland resource of concern (e.g. a wetland or coastal community), and (3) at existing tide and river monitoring stations where new data can be integrated with long-term records.
Sediment-bound Contaminant Resiliancy and Response (SCoRR)
As part of the US Geological Survey (USGS) response to Hurricane Sandy, a Sediment-bound Contaminant Resiliency and Response (SCoRR) strategy has been developed to define baseline and post-event sediment-bound environmental health stressors. This strategy will be demonstrated as a pilot study in the Northeastern US. The SCoRR strategy utilizes a tiered, multi-metric approach to:
- Identify and map contaminant sources and potential exposure pathways for human and ecological receptors,
- Define the baseline mixtures of EH stressors present in sediments (Resilience Mode),
- Document post-event changes in EH stressors present in sediments (Response Mode), and
- Establish and apply metrics to quantify changes in coastal resilience associated with sediment-bound contaminants.
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Barnegat Bay Restoration Science
New Jersey Coastal Surge, Wave, and Tide Hydrodynamics Network (SWaTH)
Coastal Storm Response Surge, Wave, and Tide Hydrodynamics Network (SWaTH)
Sediment-bound Contaminant Resiliency and Response (SCoRR) Strategy
- Overview
Hurricane Sandy made a variety of impacts along the highly populated northeastern Atlantic seaboard in October 2012. Improved understanding of these impacts will better prepare us for the next one. As a result the USGS science provides a strong foundation for decision makers, planners and resource managers.
Hurricane Sandy
Hurricane Sandy made a variety of impacts along the highly populated northeastern Atlantic seaboard in October 2012. USGS supported projects improve understanding of these impacts to better prepare us for the next one.
Research ThemesUSGS scientists are working to assess forecast effectiveness, improve how we share information, and identify gaps to improve the information and tools we provide.
Over 160 of our scientists, technicians, and specialists responded to Hurricane Sandy by deploying field equipment and capturing information both before and after the storm. The USGS Sandy Science Plan identifies major research themes that support recovery activities as well as develop tools that prepare us for the future.
- Coastal Elevation Data and Mapping - Assess and evaluate coastal vulnerability and hazards.
- Understanding Coastal Change - Understanding changes to our coastlines over both short and long periods of time.
- Coastal Hydrology and Storm Surge - Developing a storm tide monitoring network and data analysis capability.
- Environmental Quality and Contaminants - Floodwaters and inundation in urban environments have the potential to coastal and aquatic environments to contaminants.
- Coastal Ecosystem Impacts - Documenting and evaluating impacts on coastal ecosystems.
Storm Readiness
USGS provides data and tools to support the Nation’s preparedness and ability to respond to and recover from natural hazard events. Funds provided through the Congressional Sandy Supplemental Appropriation support USGS in enhancing many data display tools and data delivery mechanisms. These datasets and products are being produced across the Science Themes to meet the needs of emergency managers, planners, engineers, and scientists.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.Temporary storm surge sensor condition being recorded before retrieval following Hurricane Sandy Surge, Wave, and Tide Hydrodynamics (SWaTH) Network
SWaTH consists of 71 existing and new flood-hardened, real-time telemetered tide gages, 61 RDGs (Rapidly deployable real-time gages), and up to 555 temporary STSs (mobile Storm Tide Sensors). The STSs will be deployed in three distinct but integrated network configurations consisting of (1) a distributed array of stations representing the range of landscape types and infrastructure subject to surge and wave forces, (2) along transects from the coastline through the inland resource of concern (e.g. a wetland or coastal community), and (3) at existing tide and river monitoring stations where new data can be integrated with long-term records.
Sediment-bound Contaminant Resiliancy and Response (SCoRR)
As part of the US Geological Survey (USGS) response to Hurricane Sandy, a Sediment-bound Contaminant Resiliency and Response (SCoRR) strategy has been developed to define baseline and post-event sediment-bound environmental health stressors. This strategy will be demonstrated as a pilot study in the Northeastern US. The SCoRR strategy utilizes a tiered, multi-metric approach to:
- Identify and map contaminant sources and potential exposure pathways for human and ecological receptors,
- Define the baseline mixtures of EH stressors present in sediments (Resilience Mode),
- Document post-event changes in EH stressors present in sediments (Response Mode), and
- Establish and apply metrics to quantify changes in coastal resilience associated with sediment-bound contaminants.
- Science
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Barnegat Bay Restoration Science
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) and other partners, is conducting an extensive, coordinated study of physical, chemical, and biological processes in the Barnegat Bay-Little Egg Harbor estuary. The study integrates findings of teams from the USGS New Jersey Water Science Center and USGS Coastal and Marine Science...New Jersey Coastal Surge, Wave, and Tide Hydrodynamics Network (SWaTH)
Following Hurricane Sandy, the USGS began construction of an overland Surge, Wave, and Tide Hydrodynamics (SWaTH) Network along the Northeastern Atlantic Coast from North Carolina to Maine. This network, developed collaboratively with numerous partners, features the integration of long-term tide gage networks, with real-time rapid-deployment gages (RDG) and mobile storm-tide sensors (STS). An...Coastal Storm Response Surge, Wave, and Tide Hydrodynamics Network (SWaTH)
Following Hurricane Sandy, the USGS began construction of an overland Surge, Wave, and Tide Hydrodynamics (SWaTH) Network along the Northeastern Atlantic Coast from North Carolina to Maine. This network, developed collaboratively with numerous partners, features the integration of long-term tide gage networks, with real-time rapid-deployment gages (RDG) and mobile storm-tide sensors (STS). An elemSediment-bound Contaminant Resiliency and Response (SCoRR) Strategy
The U.S. Geological Survey's Strategy to Evaluate Persistent Contaminant Hazards Resulting from Sea Level Rise and Storm-derived Disturbances SCoRR: Sediment-bound Contaminant Resiliency and Response Strategy Project Page Natural and anthropogenic contaminants, pathogens, and viruses are found in soils and sediments throughout the United States. Enhanced dispersion and concentration of these - Multimedia
- Publications