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Using Video Imagery to Study Coastal Change: Madeira Beach, Florida

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By St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center January 21, 2017

Video observations of Madeira Beach, Florida, are used to monitor a range of coastal processes, for example changes in the shoreline position, both seasonally and due to long-term effects such as sea-level rise, and instances of beach and dune erosion during extreme storm events. 

Recent webcam images from Madeira Beach, Florida

These cameras are part of the Video Remote Sensing of Coastal Processes  project.

Video camera atop a hotel in Madeira Beach, Florida.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Video-camera station installed by Jenna Brown and Joe Long atop a hotel in Madeira Beach, Florida.

A high resolution digital video camera is installed atop a waterfront hotel at Madeira Beach, Florida, overlooking the Gulf of Mexico coast. Today’s most recent snapshot and time-averaged images are shown above. These images are used to examine a range of coastal processes including shoreline position, the presence of an offshore sandbar, and the extent of wave runup on the beach. Camera hosted by Shoreline Island Resort.

This information is preliminary or provisional and is subject to revision. It is being provided to meet the need for timely best science. The information has not received final approval by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and is provided on the condition that neither the USGS nor the U.S. Government shall be held liable for any damages resulting from the authorized or unauthorized use of the information.

 

Most recent snapshot from Camera 1 at Madeira Beach, Florida. Camera hosted by Shoreline Island Resort.
Time-averaged images, which represent the time-mean of all the images collected during a video, are used to identify areas where waves are breaking, which show up as bright white bands in the image. From this image product, coastal features and hazards such as the shoreline position as it moves up and down the beach with the tide, the presence and shape of offshore sandbars, and the occurrence of rip currents can be extracted. Changes in all of these features through time provide valuable insight into the dynamic nature of coastal environments.  This is a time-averaged image from Camera 1 at Madeira Beach, Florida. Camera hosted by Shoreline Island Resort.
Most recent snapshot from Camera 2 at Madeira Beach, Florida. Camera hosted by Shoreline Island Resort.
Time-averaged images, which represent the time-mean of all the images collected during a video, are used to identify areas where waves are breaking, which show up as bright white bands in the image. From this image product, coastal features and hazards such as the shoreline position as it moves up and down the beach with the tide, the presence and shape of offshore sandbars, and the occurrence of rip currents can be extracted. Changes in all of these features through time provide valuable insight into the dynamic nature of coastal environments.  This is a time-averaged image from Camera 2 at Madeira Beach, Florida. Camera hosted by Shoreline Island Resort.
link
View of beach from roof top, edge of roof in foreground, pier extending from beach out over water in center, park in background.

Remote Sensing Coastal Change

We use remote-sensing technologies—such as aerial photography, satellite imagery, structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry, and lidar (laser-based surveying)—to measure coastal change along U.S. shorelines.
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Big Sur Landslides
link

Remote Sensing Coastal Change

We use remote-sensing technologies—such as aerial photography, satellite imagery, structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry, and lidar (laser-based surveying)—to measure coastal change along U.S. shorelines.
Learn More
link
Photo of Sunset Beach, Florida, during tropical storm Colin in June 2016

National Assessment of Coastal Change Hazards

The National Assessment of Coastal Change Hazards (NACCH) project develops hindcast, real-time, and forecast assessments of the magnitude or probability of coastal landscape change in response to persistent processes (e.g., shoreline change), extreme storms (e.g., Hurricane Sandy), and sea level rise. This effort depends on parallel collection of long- and short-term observations of coastal change...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program
link

National Assessment of Coastal Change Hazards

The National Assessment of Coastal Change Hazards (NACCH) project develops hindcast, real-time, and forecast assessments of the magnitude or probability of coastal landscape change in response to persistent processes (e.g., shoreline change), extreme storms (e.g., Hurricane Sandy), and sea level rise. This effort depends on parallel collection of long- and short-term observations of coastal change...
Learn More
link
Left: Map of Tampa Bay area and Gulf of Mexico. Colored balloons along shore. Right: total-water-level graph (top) and diagram.

Operational Total Water Level and Coastal Change Forecasts

The viewer shows predictions of the timing and magnitude of water levels at the shoreline and potential impacts to coastal dunes.
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Recovery Activities
link

Operational Total Water Level and Coastal Change Forecasts

The viewer shows predictions of the timing and magnitude of water levels at the shoreline and potential impacts to coastal dunes.
Learn More
link
Cape Cod coast

Long-Term Coastal Change

Goals of this task include developing and improving coastal-change assessments and supporting long-term planning and decision making to ensure sustainable coastal economies, infrastructure, and ecosystems.
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center
link

Long-Term Coastal Change

Goals of this task include developing and improving coastal-change assessments and supporting long-term planning and decision making to ensure sustainable coastal economies, infrastructure, and ecosystems.
Learn More

Video observations of Madeira Beach, Florida, are used to monitor a range of coastal processes, for example changes in the shoreline position, both seasonally and due to long-term effects such as sea-level rise, and instances of beach and dune erosion during extreme storm events. 

Recent webcam images from Madeira Beach, Florida

These cameras are part of the Video Remote Sensing of Coastal Processes  project.

Video camera atop a hotel in Madeira Beach, Florida.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Video-camera station installed by Jenna Brown and Joe Long atop a hotel in Madeira Beach, Florida.

A high resolution digital video camera is installed atop a waterfront hotel at Madeira Beach, Florida, overlooking the Gulf of Mexico coast. Today’s most recent snapshot and time-averaged images are shown above. These images are used to examine a range of coastal processes including shoreline position, the presence of an offshore sandbar, and the extent of wave runup on the beach. Camera hosted by Shoreline Island Resort.

This information is preliminary or provisional and is subject to revision. It is being provided to meet the need for timely best science. The information has not received final approval by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and is provided on the condition that neither the USGS nor the U.S. Government shall be held liable for any damages resulting from the authorized or unauthorized use of the information.

 

Most recent snapshot from Camera 1 at Madeira Beach, Florida. Camera hosted by Shoreline Island Resort.
Time-averaged images, which represent the time-mean of all the images collected during a video, are used to identify areas where waves are breaking, which show up as bright white bands in the image. From this image product, coastal features and hazards such as the shoreline position as it moves up and down the beach with the tide, the presence and shape of offshore sandbars, and the occurrence of rip currents can be extracted. Changes in all of these features through time provide valuable insight into the dynamic nature of coastal environments.  This is a time-averaged image from Camera 1 at Madeira Beach, Florida. Camera hosted by Shoreline Island Resort.
Most recent snapshot from Camera 2 at Madeira Beach, Florida. Camera hosted by Shoreline Island Resort.
Time-averaged images, which represent the time-mean of all the images collected during a video, are used to identify areas where waves are breaking, which show up as bright white bands in the image. From this image product, coastal features and hazards such as the shoreline position as it moves up and down the beach with the tide, the presence and shape of offshore sandbars, and the occurrence of rip currents can be extracted. Changes in all of these features through time provide valuable insight into the dynamic nature of coastal environments.  This is a time-averaged image from Camera 2 at Madeira Beach, Florida. Camera hosted by Shoreline Island Resort.
link
View of beach from roof top, edge of roof in foreground, pier extending from beach out over water in center, park in background.

Remote Sensing Coastal Change

We use remote-sensing technologies—such as aerial photography, satellite imagery, structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry, and lidar (laser-based surveying)—to measure coastal change along U.S. shorelines.
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Big Sur Landslides
link

Remote Sensing Coastal Change

We use remote-sensing technologies—such as aerial photography, satellite imagery, structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry, and lidar (laser-based surveying)—to measure coastal change along U.S. shorelines.
Learn More
link
Photo of Sunset Beach, Florida, during tropical storm Colin in June 2016

National Assessment of Coastal Change Hazards

The National Assessment of Coastal Change Hazards (NACCH) project develops hindcast, real-time, and forecast assessments of the magnitude or probability of coastal landscape change in response to persistent processes (e.g., shoreline change), extreme storms (e.g., Hurricane Sandy), and sea level rise. This effort depends on parallel collection of long- and short-term observations of coastal change...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program
link

National Assessment of Coastal Change Hazards

The National Assessment of Coastal Change Hazards (NACCH) project develops hindcast, real-time, and forecast assessments of the magnitude or probability of coastal landscape change in response to persistent processes (e.g., shoreline change), extreme storms (e.g., Hurricane Sandy), and sea level rise. This effort depends on parallel collection of long- and short-term observations of coastal change...
Learn More
link
Left: Map of Tampa Bay area and Gulf of Mexico. Colored balloons along shore. Right: total-water-level graph (top) and diagram.

Operational Total Water Level and Coastal Change Forecasts

The viewer shows predictions of the timing and magnitude of water levels at the shoreline and potential impacts to coastal dunes.
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Recovery Activities
link

Operational Total Water Level and Coastal Change Forecasts

The viewer shows predictions of the timing and magnitude of water levels at the shoreline and potential impacts to coastal dunes.
Learn More
link
Cape Cod coast

Long-Term Coastal Change

Goals of this task include developing and improving coastal-change assessments and supporting long-term planning and decision making to ensure sustainable coastal economies, infrastructure, and ecosystems.
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center
link

Long-Term Coastal Change

Goals of this task include developing and improving coastal-change assessments and supporting long-term planning and decision making to ensure sustainable coastal economies, infrastructure, and ecosystems.
Learn More
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