How will sea level rise impact coastal ecosystems like salt marshes? Will plant species change and shift available habitat for local wildlife? Or will the marsh be completely inundated? USGS scientists are conducting extensive elevation and habitat surveys along the U.S. Pacific Coast, and using the data to model sea level rise impact for the next 100 years.
Coon Island marsh is located along the Napa River and covers 99 hectares. We surveyed 799 elevation points and 364 vegetation plots to determine baseline conditions of the marsh. Water level loggers deployed in 2010 were used to characterize the tidal inundation patterns throughout the year. Sediment accretion rates from soil cores were used as input for the WARMER sea-level rise response model. WARMER projects that by 2070 Coon Island marsh will be dominated by low marsh vegetation and will transition into mudflat habitat by 2090.
COON ISLAND MARSH
To download the Coon Island PDF Summary Report (Coon Island appendix from USGS Open-File Report: Final report for sea-level rise response modeling for San Francisco Bay estuary tidal marshes):
Projected sea-level rise at Coon Island Marsh. Dark blue represents mean high water level, light blue is mean sea level. The marsh platform is accreting a constant 1.9 mm/yr, sea level rises 0.4 m by 2050 and 1.0 meter by 2100.
How will sea level rise impact coastal ecosystems like salt marshes? Will plant species change and shift available habitat for local wildlife? Or will the marsh be completely inundated? USGS scientists are conducting extensive elevation and habitat surveys along the U.S. Pacific Coast, and using the data to model sea level rise impact for the next 100 years.
Coon Island marsh is located along the Napa River and covers 99 hectares. We surveyed 799 elevation points and 364 vegetation plots to determine baseline conditions of the marsh. Water level loggers deployed in 2010 were used to characterize the tidal inundation patterns throughout the year. Sediment accretion rates from soil cores were used as input for the WARMER sea-level rise response model. WARMER projects that by 2070 Coon Island marsh will be dominated by low marsh vegetation and will transition into mudflat habitat by 2090.
COON ISLAND MARSH
To download the Coon Island PDF Summary Report (Coon Island appendix from USGS Open-File Report: Final report for sea-level rise response modeling for San Francisco Bay estuary tidal marshes):
Projected sea-level rise at Coon Island Marsh. Dark blue represents mean high water level, light blue is mean sea level. The marsh platform is accreting a constant 1.9 mm/yr, sea level rises 0.4 m by 2050 and 1.0 meter by 2100.
How will sea level rise impact coastal ecosystems like salt marshes? Will plant species change and shift available habitat for local wildlife? Or will the marsh be completely inundated? USGS scientists are conducting extensive elevation and habitat surveys along the U.S. Pacific Coast, and using the data to model sea level rise impact for the next 100 years.
How will sea level rise impact coastal ecosystems like salt marshes? Will plant species change and shift available habitat for local wildlife? Or will the marsh be completely inundated? USGS scientists are conducting extensive elevation and habitat surveys along the U.S. Pacific Coast, and using the data to model sea level rise impact for the next 100 years.