These Open-File Reports are part of a joint effort by the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service to map the coastal vulnerability of coastal park units.
One of the most important and practical issues in coastal geology is determining the physical response of coastal environments to water-level changes. In 2001, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in partnership with the NPS Geologic Resources Division, began conducting vulnerability assessments and creating map products to assist NPS in managing coastal resources. In this project USGS implemented a vulnerability classification ranking system based on the contributions and interactions of six variables: geomorphology, historic shoreline change rates, regional coastal slope, rate of relative sea-level or lake-level change, mean significant wave height, and mean tidal range. A primary goal of this project was to select park units that represented the geologic diversity of our national parks and test the applicability of the Coastal Vulnerability Index. This cooperative project applied the CVI methodology to coastlines that from a resource preservation perspective may experience undesirable coastal change, such as loss of land, infrastructure, or natural and cultural resources as a result of sea-level or lake-level change in the future.
- Overview
These Open-File Reports are part of a joint effort by the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service to map the coastal vulnerability of coastal park units.
One of the most important and practical issues in coastal geology is determining the physical response of coastal environments to water-level changes. In 2001, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in partnership with the NPS Geologic Resources Division, began conducting vulnerability assessments and creating map products to assist NPS in managing coastal resources. In this project USGS implemented a vulnerability classification ranking system based on the contributions and interactions of six variables: geomorphology, historic shoreline change rates, regional coastal slope, rate of relative sea-level or lake-level change, mean significant wave height, and mean tidal range. A primary goal of this project was to select park units that represented the geologic diversity of our national parks and test the applicability of the Coastal Vulnerability Index. This cooperative project applied the CVI methodology to coastlines that from a resource preservation perspective may experience undesirable coastal change, such as loss of land, infrastructure, or natural and cultural resources as a result of sea-level or lake-level change in the future.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.Relative Coastal Vulnerability for Channel Islands National Park. The colored shoreline represents the relative coastal vulnerability index (CVI) determined from the six variables. The very high vulnerability shoreline is located along sandy stretches of coast where regional coastal slope vulnerability is high and significant wave heights are highest. The low vulnerability shoreline is located along rock cliffs where coastal slope is steep and wave heights are low.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.The Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) provides insight into the relative potential of coastal change due to future sea-level rise. The maps and data presented here can be viewed in at least two ways: 1) as an example of where physical changes are most likely to occur as sea-level rises; and 2) as a planning tool for Fire Island National Seashore. - Publications