Research to identify areas that are most vulnerable to coastal change hazards including beach and dune erosion, long-term shoreline change, and sea-level rise.
Coastlines are constantly changing landscapes that pose fascinating science questions as well as unique management challenges. The National Assessment of Coastal Change Hazards (NACCH) provides robust scientific findings that help to identify areas that are most vulnerable to diverse coastal change hazards including beach and dune erosion, long-term shoreline change, and sea-level rise. Through extensive observation, modeling and prediction of these processes, scientists gauge how U.S. shores have historically shifted, and how past changes will affect their vulnerability to future hazards.
Storm-Induced Coastal Change Hazards - Research to understand the magnitude and variability of extreme storm impacts on sandy beaches in order to improve real-time and scenario-based predictions of coastal change to support management of coastal infrastructure, resources, and safety.
Long-Term Coastal Change - Nationally-consistent compilation of historic shoreline positions and maps of changes along open-ocean sandy shores of the conterminous U.S. and parts of Alaska and Hawaii.
Coastal Vulnerability to Sea-Level Rise - Historical and recent observations of coastal change are combined with model simulations of beaches, barrier islands, wetlands, and coastal aquifers to determine the probability of coastal change due to sea-level rise.
Coastal Change Hazards Portal - Online access to data and tools enables users to apply coastal change hazards assessments to their specific needs.
Integration of Processes over Different Spatial and Temporal Scales - Integration of the different scales of coastal processes to better understand future vulnerability to storms, long-term erosion, and sea-level rise.
Below are research tasks and science projects associated with this project.
Integration of Processes over Different Spatial and Temporal Scales
Forecasting Coastal Change
National Assessment of Coastal Vulnerability to Sea Level Rise
Long-Term Coastal Change
- Overview
Research to identify areas that are most vulnerable to coastal change hazards including beach and dune erosion, long-term shoreline change, and sea-level rise.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.Cliff erosion is a common storm-induced hazard along the West Coast. (Public domain.) Coastlines are constantly changing landscapes that pose fascinating science questions as well as unique management challenges. The National Assessment of Coastal Change Hazards (NACCH) provides robust scientific findings that help to identify areas that are most vulnerable to diverse coastal change hazards including beach and dune erosion, long-term shoreline change, and sea-level rise. Through extensive observation, modeling and prediction of these processes, scientists gauge how U.S. shores have historically shifted, and how past changes will affect their vulnerability to future hazards.
Storm-Induced Coastal Change Hazards - Research to understand the magnitude and variability of extreme storm impacts on sandy beaches in order to improve real-time and scenario-based predictions of coastal change to support management of coastal infrastructure, resources, and safety.
Long-Term Coastal Change - Nationally-consistent compilation of historic shoreline positions and maps of changes along open-ocean sandy shores of the conterminous U.S. and parts of Alaska and Hawaii.
Coastal Vulnerability to Sea-Level Rise - Historical and recent observations of coastal change are combined with model simulations of beaches, barrier islands, wetlands, and coastal aquifers to determine the probability of coastal change due to sea-level rise.
Coastal Change Hazards Portal - Online access to data and tools enables users to apply coastal change hazards assessments to their specific needs.
Integration of Processes over Different Spatial and Temporal Scales - Integration of the different scales of coastal processes to better understand future vulnerability to storms, long-term erosion, and sea-level rise.
- Science
Below are research tasks and science projects associated with this project.
Integration of Processes over Different Spatial and Temporal Scales
This research uses state-of-the-art observations, numerical models, and model-data assimilation techniques to better understand their cumulative effect on coastal change.Forecasting Coastal Change
This project focuses on understanding the magnitude and variability of extreme storm impacts on sandy beaches. The overall objective is to improve real-time and scenario-based predictions of coastal change to support management of coastal infrastructure, resources, and safety.National Assessment of Coastal Vulnerability to Sea Level Rise
The original national coastal vulnerability index (CVI) assessment was motivated by expected accelerated sea-level rise (SLR) and the uncertainty in the response of the coastline to SLR. This research was conducted between 1999 and 2001, and is currently being updated using new data sources and methodology. This original study was part of the National Assessment of Coastal Change Hazards project.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. - Publications
- Web Tools
- News