Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Three figures showing beach slope, dune crest and potential storm water levels on eastern US coasts

By St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center 2023 (approx.)
A series of 3 figures showing beach slope, dune crest and potential storm water levels on a beach and on the eastern US coast
Original Thumbnail Medium

Detailed Description

Figure 1a: Schematic drawing indicating beach slope, dune crest, dune toe, storm water levels. Figure 1b: Approximation of average dune toe/base elevation for parts of Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts. Figure 1c: Approximation of beach slope for parts of Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts. (Figure from Stockdon et al., 2023, Operational forecasts of wave-driven water levels and coastal hazards for US Gulf and Atlantic coasts: Communications Earth & Environment, https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-023-00817-2)

 

Sources/Usage

Public Domain.

Related

Operational forecasts of wave-driven water levels and coastal hazards for US Gulf and Atlantic coasts Operational forecasts of wave-driven water levels and coastal hazards for US Gulf and Atlantic coasts

Predictions of total water levels, the elevation of combined tides, surge, and wave runup at the shoreline, are necessary to provide guidance on potential coastal erosion and flooding. Despite the importance of early warning systems for these hazards, existing real-time meteorological and oceanographic forecast systems at regional and national scales, until now, have lacked estimates of...
Authors
Hilary F Stockdon, Joseph W. Long, Margaret L. Palmsten, Andre Van der Westhuysen, Kara S. Doran, Richard J. Snell
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Gulf of America
Eroded dunes topped with palmetto shrubs on a beach at dusk

Let’s Get Technical: Dunes & Beach Metrics

This webpage provides technical details regarding how the USGS calculates beach metrics related to morphology features; specifically, the dune crest position and elevation, the dune base/toe position and elevation and beach slope. This is a brief overview of that process with links and references to the full source material.
By
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
Let’s Get Technical: Dunes & Beach Metrics

Let’s Get Technical: Dunes & Beach Metrics

This webpage provides technical details regarding how the USGS calculates beach metrics related to morphology features; specifically, the dune crest position and elevation, the dune base/toe position and elevation and beach slope. This is a brief overview of that process with links and references to the full source material.
Learn More

Related

Operational forecasts of wave-driven water levels and coastal hazards for US Gulf and Atlantic coasts Operational forecasts of wave-driven water levels and coastal hazards for US Gulf and Atlantic coasts

Predictions of total water levels, the elevation of combined tides, surge, and wave runup at the shoreline, are necessary to provide guidance on potential coastal erosion and flooding. Despite the importance of early warning systems for these hazards, existing real-time meteorological and oceanographic forecast systems at regional and national scales, until now, have lacked estimates of...
Authors
Hilary F Stockdon, Joseph W. Long, Margaret L. Palmsten, Andre Van der Westhuysen, Kara S. Doran, Richard J. Snell
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Gulf of America
Eroded dunes topped with palmetto shrubs on a beach at dusk

Let’s Get Technical: Dunes & Beach Metrics

This webpage provides technical details regarding how the USGS calculates beach metrics related to morphology features; specifically, the dune crest position and elevation, the dune base/toe position and elevation and beach slope. This is a brief overview of that process with links and references to the full source material.
By
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
Let’s Get Technical: Dunes & Beach Metrics

Let’s Get Technical: Dunes & Beach Metrics

This webpage provides technical details regarding how the USGS calculates beach metrics related to morphology features; specifically, the dune crest position and elevation, the dune base/toe position and elevation and beach slope. This is a brief overview of that process with links and references to the full source material.
Learn More
Was this page helpful?