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Beach Change Envelope - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York

Completed
By St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center May 1, 2019

Given the unique challenges in quantifying the extensive, yet variable impacts of Hurricane Sandy at Fire Island, we used a time series of beach profile data at Fire Island, New York, to define a new contour-based morphologic change metric, the Beach Change Envelope (BCE).

The BCE represents the portion of the upper beach that is likely to undergo direct storm wave impacts and respond in the subsequent days, weeks, and months after the events. Changes in BCE width and BCE height are extracted from the pre- and post-Hurricane Sandy profile time series and found to coincide well with established states of recovery. By capturing and tracking these distinctive changes in upper beach morphology at each state, the BCE offers a new way of characterizing beach response and recovery cycles at Fire Island and similar sandy coastal settings.

 

Media
Beach profile schematic
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Beach profile schematic showing positions of BCE metrics including Zu, Zl (calculated BCE bounding values), BCE width, and BCE height which is calculated by comparing the BCE portion of the profile to a planar profile surface (solid red line). Credit: Owen Brenner , USGS

 

Media
Examples of observed beach morphology changes and beach profile data
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Examples of observed beach morphology changes (A) and beach profile data highlighting the BCE morphology at each post-storm recovery stage (B). Credit: Owen Brenner , USGS

 

Media
Conceptual beach profiles
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Conceptual beach profiles illustrating how BCE captures distinct values of BCE height and BCE width at each of the four recovery states. Credit: Owen Brenner , USGS

 

Media
Alongshore BCE recovery state progression from October 2012 to September 2015
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Alongshore BCE recovery state progression from October 2012 to September 2015 showing general trend of post-Sandy recovery along western and central Fire Island. Credit: Owen Brenner , USGS

Below are other science projects associated with this project.

link
Dunes and beach at Fire Island, New York

Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York

Fire Island is a 50-km long barrier island along the south shore of Long Island, New York. The island is comprised of seventeen year-round communities; federal, state, and county parks; and supports distinct ecosystems alongside areas of economic and cultural value. In addition to providing resources to its residents, the barrier island also protects the heavily-populated mainland from storm waves...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Hurricane Sandy
link

Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York

Fire Island is a 50-km long barrier island along the south shore of Long Island, New York. The island is comprised of seventeen year-round communities; federal, state, and county parks; and supports distinct ecosystems alongside areas of economic and cultural value. In addition to providing resources to its residents, the barrier island also protects the heavily-populated mainland from storm waves...
Learn More
link
USGS scientists install a camera in the back-barrier marsh to monitor marsh-edge erosion along the northern shoreline

Back-barrier and Estuarine - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York

Regional-scale modeling forecasts how atmospheric forcing and oceanographic circulation influence estuarine circulation and water levels, sediment transport, and wetland change.
By
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
link

Back-barrier and Estuarine - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York

Regional-scale modeling forecasts how atmospheric forcing and oceanographic circulation influence estuarine circulation and water levels, sediment transport, and wetland change.
Learn More
link
Fisheye photograph of dunes, surf, and beach on Fire Island

Oceanside Beaches and Dunes - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York

Oceanfront research at Fire Island, New York, is primarily focused on understanding the long- and short-term behavior of the ocean-facing terrestrial barrier island system, including human influences. The USGS has had ongoing research activities on Fire Island since the late 1990s, providing science to help inform management decisions. Recent efforts include monitoring the response to and recovery...
By
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
link

Oceanside Beaches and Dunes - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York

Oceanfront research at Fire Island, New York, is primarily focused on understanding the long- and short-term behavior of the ocean-facing terrestrial barrier island system, including human influences. The USGS has had ongoing research activities on Fire Island since the late 1990s, providing science to help inform management decisions. Recent efforts include monitoring the response to and recovery...
Learn More
link
Maps showing (A) acoustic backscatter and (B) bathymetry collected with the inteferomentric sonar

Open Ocean/Marine - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York

Geophysical mapping and research have demonstrated that the seabed on the inner continental shelf has a variety of shapes which are linked to long-term evolution of the barrier island. Regional-scale modeling forecasts how atmospheric forcing and oceanographic circulation case sand, gravel, and other materials to be transported by tides, winds, waves, fresh water fluxes, and density variations.
By
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Hurricane Sandy
link

Open Ocean/Marine - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York

Geophysical mapping and research have demonstrated that the seabed on the inner continental shelf has a variety of shapes which are linked to long-term evolution of the barrier island. Regional-scale modeling forecasts how atmospheric forcing and oceanographic circulation case sand, gravel, and other materials to be transported by tides, winds, waves, fresh water fluxes, and density variations.
Learn More
link
Sandy beach on Fire Island with a researcher on a PWC in the surf zone

Nearshore - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York

The nearshore is the submerged portion of the shoreface between the inner shelf and the shoreline and includes the surf zone, where waves break. Along with beaches and dunes, nearshore morphology and geology adjusts to changes in waves, sediment supply, human alterations, and sea level rise. By measuring nearshore morphologic and geologic variations, we can understand how quickly beaches and dunes...
By
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Hurricane Sandy
link

Nearshore - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York

The nearshore is the submerged portion of the shoreface between the inner shelf and the shoreline and includes the surf zone, where waves break. Along with beaches and dunes, nearshore morphology and geology adjusts to changes in waves, sediment supply, human alterations, and sea level rise. By measuring nearshore morphologic and geologic variations, we can understand how quickly beaches and dunes...
Learn More

Below are publications associated with this project.

Characterizing storm response and recovery using the beach change envelope: Fire Island, New York

Hurricane Sandy at Fire Island, New York presented unique challenges in the quantification of storm impacts using traditional metrics of coastal change, wherein measured changes (shoreline, dune crest, and volume change) did not fully reflect the substantial changes in sediment redistribution following the storm. We used a time series of beach profile data at Fire Island, New York to...
Authors
Owen T. Brenner, Erika Lentz, Cheryl Hapke, Rachel E. Henderson, Kathleen Wilson, Timothy Nelson
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Hurricane Sandy

A Bayesian approach to predict sub-annual beach change and recovery

The upper beach, between the astronomical high tide and the dune-toe, supports habitat and recreation along many beaches, making predictions of upper beach change valuable to coastal managers and the public. We developed and tested a Bayesian network (BN) to predict the cross-shore position of an upper beach elevation contour (ZlD) following 1 month to 1-year intervals at Fire Island...
Authors
Kathleen Wilson, Erika Lentz, Jennifer L. Miselis, Ilgar Safak, Owen T. Brenner
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Characterizing storm response and recovery using the beach change envelope: Fire Island, New York

Hurricane Sandy at Fire Island, New York presented unique challenges in the quantification of storm impacts using traditional metrics of coastal change, wherein measured changes (shoreline, dune crest, and volume change) did not fully reflect the substantial changes in sediment redistribution following the storm. We used a time series of beach profile data at Fire Island, New York to...
Authors
Owen T. Brenner, Erika Lentz, Cheryl Hapke, Rachel E. Henderson, Kathleen Wilson, Timothy Nelson
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Hurricane Sandy

Terrestrial-based lidar beach topography of Fire Island, New York, June 2014

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) in Florida and the USGS Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center (LMG WSC) in Montgomery, Alabama, collaborated to gather alongshore terrestrial-based lidar beach elevation data at Fire Island, New York. This high-resolution elevation dataset was collected on June 11, 2014, to characterize...
Authors
Owen T. Brenner, Cheryl Hapke, Kathryn M. Lee, Dustin R. Kimbrow
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Hurricane Sandy

Quantifying the geomorphic resiliency of barrier island beaches

Hurricane Sandy had an extensive impact on the beaches along the Atlantic coast. To quantify beach recovery, and examine alongshore variations in coastal resiliency, we develop a morphometric within the upper portion of the beach that is based on observed historical storm response at Fire Island, NY. The beach change envelope (BCE) boundaries are elevation contours which capture the...
Authors
Cheryl Hapke, Owen T. Brenner, Rachel E. Henderson
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Hurricane Sandy beach response and recovery at Fire Island, New York: Shoreline and beach profile data, October 2012 to October 2014

In response to the forecasted impact of Hurricane Sandy, which made landfall on October 29, 2012, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began a substantial data-collection effort to assess the morphological impacts to the beach and dune system at Fire Island, New York. Global positioning system (GPS) field surveys of the beach and dunes were conducted just prior to and after landfall and...
Authors
Rachel E. Hehre Henderson, Cheryl Hapke, Owen T. Brenner, Billy J. Reynolds
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Hurricane Sandy

Ground-based lidar beach topography of Fire Island, New York, April 2013

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center in Florida and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Field Research Facility in Duck, North Carolina, collaborated to gather alongshore ground-based lidar beach elevation data at Fire Island, New York. This high-resolution elevation dataset was collected on April 10, 2013, to characterize beach topography...
Authors
Owen T. Brenner, Cheryl Hapke, Nicholas J. Spore, Katherine L. Brodie, Jesse E. McNinch
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Hurricane Sandy

Given the unique challenges in quantifying the extensive, yet variable impacts of Hurricane Sandy at Fire Island, we used a time series of beach profile data at Fire Island, New York, to define a new contour-based morphologic change metric, the Beach Change Envelope (BCE).

The BCE represents the portion of the upper beach that is likely to undergo direct storm wave impacts and respond in the subsequent days, weeks, and months after the events. Changes in BCE width and BCE height are extracted from the pre- and post-Hurricane Sandy profile time series and found to coincide well with established states of recovery. By capturing and tracking these distinctive changes in upper beach morphology at each state, the BCE offers a new way of characterizing beach response and recovery cycles at Fire Island and similar sandy coastal settings.

 

Media
Beach profile schematic
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Beach profile schematic showing positions of BCE metrics including Zu, Zl (calculated BCE bounding values), BCE width, and BCE height which is calculated by comparing the BCE portion of the profile to a planar profile surface (solid red line). Credit: Owen Brenner , USGS

 

Media
Examples of observed beach morphology changes and beach profile data
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Examples of observed beach morphology changes (A) and beach profile data highlighting the BCE morphology at each post-storm recovery stage (B). Credit: Owen Brenner , USGS

 

Media
Conceptual beach profiles
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Conceptual beach profiles illustrating how BCE captures distinct values of BCE height and BCE width at each of the four recovery states. Credit: Owen Brenner , USGS

 

Media
Alongshore BCE recovery state progression from October 2012 to September 2015
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Alongshore BCE recovery state progression from October 2012 to September 2015 showing general trend of post-Sandy recovery along western and central Fire Island. Credit: Owen Brenner , USGS

Below are other science projects associated with this project.

link
Dunes and beach at Fire Island, New York

Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York

Fire Island is a 50-km long barrier island along the south shore of Long Island, New York. The island is comprised of seventeen year-round communities; federal, state, and county parks; and supports distinct ecosystems alongside areas of economic and cultural value. In addition to providing resources to its residents, the barrier island also protects the heavily-populated mainland from storm waves...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Hurricane Sandy
link

Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York

Fire Island is a 50-km long barrier island along the south shore of Long Island, New York. The island is comprised of seventeen year-round communities; federal, state, and county parks; and supports distinct ecosystems alongside areas of economic and cultural value. In addition to providing resources to its residents, the barrier island also protects the heavily-populated mainland from storm waves...
Learn More
link
USGS scientists install a camera in the back-barrier marsh to monitor marsh-edge erosion along the northern shoreline

Back-barrier and Estuarine - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York

Regional-scale modeling forecasts how atmospheric forcing and oceanographic circulation influence estuarine circulation and water levels, sediment transport, and wetland change.
By
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
link

Back-barrier and Estuarine - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York

Regional-scale modeling forecasts how atmospheric forcing and oceanographic circulation influence estuarine circulation and water levels, sediment transport, and wetland change.
Learn More
link
Fisheye photograph of dunes, surf, and beach on Fire Island

Oceanside Beaches and Dunes - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York

Oceanfront research at Fire Island, New York, is primarily focused on understanding the long- and short-term behavior of the ocean-facing terrestrial barrier island system, including human influences. The USGS has had ongoing research activities on Fire Island since the late 1990s, providing science to help inform management decisions. Recent efforts include monitoring the response to and recovery...
By
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
link

Oceanside Beaches and Dunes - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York

Oceanfront research at Fire Island, New York, is primarily focused on understanding the long- and short-term behavior of the ocean-facing terrestrial barrier island system, including human influences. The USGS has had ongoing research activities on Fire Island since the late 1990s, providing science to help inform management decisions. Recent efforts include monitoring the response to and recovery...
Learn More
link
Maps showing (A) acoustic backscatter and (B) bathymetry collected with the inteferomentric sonar

Open Ocean/Marine - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York

Geophysical mapping and research have demonstrated that the seabed on the inner continental shelf has a variety of shapes which are linked to long-term evolution of the barrier island. Regional-scale modeling forecasts how atmospheric forcing and oceanographic circulation case sand, gravel, and other materials to be transported by tides, winds, waves, fresh water fluxes, and density variations.
By
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Hurricane Sandy
link

Open Ocean/Marine - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York

Geophysical mapping and research have demonstrated that the seabed on the inner continental shelf has a variety of shapes which are linked to long-term evolution of the barrier island. Regional-scale modeling forecasts how atmospheric forcing and oceanographic circulation case sand, gravel, and other materials to be transported by tides, winds, waves, fresh water fluxes, and density variations.
Learn More
link
Sandy beach on Fire Island with a researcher on a PWC in the surf zone

Nearshore - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York

The nearshore is the submerged portion of the shoreface between the inner shelf and the shoreline and includes the surf zone, where waves break. Along with beaches and dunes, nearshore morphology and geology adjusts to changes in waves, sediment supply, human alterations, and sea level rise. By measuring nearshore morphologic and geologic variations, we can understand how quickly beaches and dunes...
By
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Hurricane Sandy
link

Nearshore - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York

The nearshore is the submerged portion of the shoreface between the inner shelf and the shoreline and includes the surf zone, where waves break. Along with beaches and dunes, nearshore morphology and geology adjusts to changes in waves, sediment supply, human alterations, and sea level rise. By measuring nearshore morphologic and geologic variations, we can understand how quickly beaches and dunes...
Learn More

Below are publications associated with this project.

Characterizing storm response and recovery using the beach change envelope: Fire Island, New York

Hurricane Sandy at Fire Island, New York presented unique challenges in the quantification of storm impacts using traditional metrics of coastal change, wherein measured changes (shoreline, dune crest, and volume change) did not fully reflect the substantial changes in sediment redistribution following the storm. We used a time series of beach profile data at Fire Island, New York to...
Authors
Owen T. Brenner, Erika Lentz, Cheryl Hapke, Rachel E. Henderson, Kathleen Wilson, Timothy Nelson
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Hurricane Sandy

A Bayesian approach to predict sub-annual beach change and recovery

The upper beach, between the astronomical high tide and the dune-toe, supports habitat and recreation along many beaches, making predictions of upper beach change valuable to coastal managers and the public. We developed and tested a Bayesian network (BN) to predict the cross-shore position of an upper beach elevation contour (ZlD) following 1 month to 1-year intervals at Fire Island...
Authors
Kathleen Wilson, Erika Lentz, Jennifer L. Miselis, Ilgar Safak, Owen T. Brenner
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Characterizing storm response and recovery using the beach change envelope: Fire Island, New York

Hurricane Sandy at Fire Island, New York presented unique challenges in the quantification of storm impacts using traditional metrics of coastal change, wherein measured changes (shoreline, dune crest, and volume change) did not fully reflect the substantial changes in sediment redistribution following the storm. We used a time series of beach profile data at Fire Island, New York to...
Authors
Owen T. Brenner, Erika Lentz, Cheryl Hapke, Rachel E. Henderson, Kathleen Wilson, Timothy Nelson
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Hurricane Sandy

Terrestrial-based lidar beach topography of Fire Island, New York, June 2014

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) in Florida and the USGS Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center (LMG WSC) in Montgomery, Alabama, collaborated to gather alongshore terrestrial-based lidar beach elevation data at Fire Island, New York. This high-resolution elevation dataset was collected on June 11, 2014, to characterize...
Authors
Owen T. Brenner, Cheryl Hapke, Kathryn M. Lee, Dustin R. Kimbrow
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Hurricane Sandy

Quantifying the geomorphic resiliency of barrier island beaches

Hurricane Sandy had an extensive impact on the beaches along the Atlantic coast. To quantify beach recovery, and examine alongshore variations in coastal resiliency, we develop a morphometric within the upper portion of the beach that is based on observed historical storm response at Fire Island, NY. The beach change envelope (BCE) boundaries are elevation contours which capture the...
Authors
Cheryl Hapke, Owen T. Brenner, Rachel E. Henderson
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Hurricane Sandy beach response and recovery at Fire Island, New York: Shoreline and beach profile data, October 2012 to October 2014

In response to the forecasted impact of Hurricane Sandy, which made landfall on October 29, 2012, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began a substantial data-collection effort to assess the morphological impacts to the beach and dune system at Fire Island, New York. Global positioning system (GPS) field surveys of the beach and dunes were conducted just prior to and after landfall and...
Authors
Rachel E. Hehre Henderson, Cheryl Hapke, Owen T. Brenner, Billy J. Reynolds
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Hurricane Sandy

Ground-based lidar beach topography of Fire Island, New York, April 2013

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center in Florida and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Field Research Facility in Duck, North Carolina, collaborated to gather alongshore ground-based lidar beach elevation data at Fire Island, New York. This high-resolution elevation dataset was collected on April 10, 2013, to characterize beach topography...
Authors
Owen T. Brenner, Cheryl Hapke, Nicholas J. Spore, Katherine L. Brodie, Jesse E. McNinch
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Hurricane Sandy
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