Geologist Ann Gibbs studies the vulnerability of the rapidly-warming Alaska coast to climate change effects like sea level rise and permafrost thawing.
Coasts, Storms, and Sea Level Rise
Coasts, Storms, and Sea Level Rise Geonarratives
Check out some of our favorite tools and visually stunning interactive narratives describing our coastal work.
Sea Level Rise Modeling
Want to see how sea level rise may impact your favorite U.S. coast? Check out the USGS Coastal Change Hazards Portal.
Coral Reef Project
Learn how the USGS maps, monitors, and models coral reefs to help protect our Nation's reefs.
Featured Photos
Explore some of the beautiful photos taken by USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center scientists.
Soundwaves Newsletter
Stay up to date with coastal and marine research news from across the USGS
Climate change poses significant risks to coasts, from sea level rise and high-tide flooding to accelerated erosion and intensifying storms. USGS scientists help coastal communities better understand climate change impacts, inform emergency responses, and provide insights to improve resilience and preserve coastal resources in the future.
How does Climate Change Affect U.S. Coasts?
Millions of Americans live and play along the coast. Coastal counties are home to 127 million people (and growing!), accounting for $8.6 trillion in goods and services each year. Coastal communities are well acquainted with the realities of living by the ocean – the storms, the waves, the salt, the sand. Yet climate change is altering the Nation’s coastal landscapes, creating new challenges for these communities that they are seldom equipped to face.
USGS Helps Communities Understand New Coastal Hazards
By helping people understand and respond to coastal change, the USGS helps communities become resilient to coastal hazards now and in the future.
USGS researchers use on-the-ground field work, high-resolution data, and modeling to help communities understand and respond to changes in coastal landscapes. Federal, Tribal, state, and local offices around the country use USGS data to inform coastal management and strategic planning. Some use our science to plan evacuation notices, inform city planning, and construct storm-resistant infrastructure. Others use USGS habitat assessments and decision support tools to restore coastal ecosystems, developing “green infrastructure” that can buffer against future storm damage and coastal erosion.
Our science helps to:
-
Forecast future storms, floods, and coastal erosion, and predict the resulting impacts on coasts
-
Build a better understanding of coastal ecosystems
-
Understand climate change impacts to coastal ecosystems and communities
-
Develop decision support tools to help coastal communities prepare for and recover from storms, floods, and erosion
-
Restore and protect coastal ecosystems that absorb greenhouse gasses, reducing the effects of climate change (blue carbon)
Publications
Drivers, dynamics and impacts of changing Arctic coasts
Multiple climate change-driven tipping points for coastal systems
Climate, sea level, and people - Changing South Florida's mangrove coast
Identification of storm events and contiguous coastal sections for deterministic modeling of extreme coastal flood events in response to climate change
Science
Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS)
Coastal Climate Impacts
Dynamic coastlines along the western U.S.
The Impact of Sea-Level Rise and Climate Change on Pacific Ocean Atolls
Climate impacts to Arctic coasts
Connect
Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center
384 Woods Hole Rd.
Woods Hole, MA 02543
United States
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
600 4th Street South
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
United States
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
2885 Mission Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
United States
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program
12201 Sunrise Valley Dr
Reston, VA 20192
United States
National Climate Adaptation Science Center
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive
MS 516
Reston, VA 20192
United States
Multimedia
Geologist Ann Gibbs studies the vulnerability of the rapidly-warming Alaska coast to climate change effects like sea level rise and permafrost thawing.
Along reef-lined shores of the Pacific Islands, USGS Research Geologist and Oceanographer Ferdinand Oberle studies how warming surface waters, nutrient runoff, and increasingly powerful storms impact coral reefs.
Along reef-lined shores of the Pacific Islands, USGS Research Geologist and Oceanographer Ferdinand Oberle studies how warming surface waters, nutrient runoff, and increasingly powerful storms impact coral reefs.
The sturdy root systems of mangrove forests act as buffer zones along the coastlines of some of the planet’s most vulnerable communities, protecting lives, ecosystems and property from the rigors of hurricanes and tsunamis.
The sturdy root systems of mangrove forests act as buffer zones along the coastlines of some of the planet’s most vulnerable communities, protecting lives, ecosystems and property from the rigors of hurricanes and tsunamis.
The marshes of Plum Island Estuary are among those predicted by scientists to submerge during the next century under conservative projections of sea-level rise.
The marshes of Plum Island Estuary are among those predicted by scientists to submerge during the next century under conservative projections of sea-level rise.
Steep watersheds with dramatic environmental gradients are common features of both the Pacific Islands and Southeast Alaska.
Steep watersheds with dramatic environmental gradients are common features of both the Pacific Islands and Southeast Alaska.
This video was prepared for Douglas Beard's presentation at COP26, Communities on the Frontline. Jerilyn Kelly, from Quinhagak, AK shares video and photographs from her community and some of the climate related challenges her community faces. She describes how erosion and permafrost degradation impact her community and their housing.
This video was prepared for Douglas Beard's presentation at COP26, Communities on the Frontline. Jerilyn Kelly, from Quinhagak, AK shares video and photographs from her community and some of the climate related challenges her community faces. She describes how erosion and permafrost degradation impact her community and their housing.
Join the USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center as they uncover the secrets of the sediment on barrier islands in Pinellas County, Florida. This video was originally created for use at the 2021 virtual St. Petersburg Science Festival.
Join the USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center as they uncover the secrets of the sediment on barrier islands in Pinellas County, Florida. This video was originally created for use at the 2021 virtual St. Petersburg Science Festival.
News
Coastal Changes May Lead to a Greater Release, not Storage, of Carbon
New interagency report highlights alarming sea level rise predictions for all U.S. coastlines
Hurricane or Bust: How DUNEX Found Consolation in the Middle
The USGS has hundreds of publications on climate change, coasts, and sea level rise. Here are a few of our favorites.
Explore some of the many USGS science projects on coastal change, storms, and sea level rise.
Estuarine Processes, Hazards, and Ecosystems
Coastal Landscape Response to Sea-Level Rise Assessment for the Northeastern United States
Coastal and Estuarine Dynamics Project
Geological Investigations of the Neogene
Sea Level Rise and Climate: Impacts on the Greater Everglades Ecosystem and Restoration
Coral Reef Seafloor Erosion and Coastal Hazards
Operational Total Water Level and Coastal Change Forecasts
Storm-Induced Coastal Processes
Forecasting Coastal Change
Science Needs Assessment to Support Management of Loko Iʻa (Hawaiian Fishpond) Resources and Practices Critical to the Native Hawaiian Community
Video Remote Sensing of Coastal Processes
Geologic Records of High Sea Levels
Check out some of our favorite tools and visually stunning interactive narratives describing our coastal work.
Check out some of the amazing USGS photos, videos, podcasts, and webinars on coastal change, sea level rise, and storms.
Coasts, Storms, and Sea Level Rise Geonarratives
Explore our Nation's coasts and the risks they face from sea level rise, high-tide flooding, accelerated erosion and intensifying storms. Learn how USGS science is used to forecast coastal change forecasts in real-time, and how we can apply our knowledge to improving coastal resilience into the future.
Explore the many USGS programs who specialize in coastal change research and start a conversation with their social media accounts.
Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center
384 Woods Hole Rd.
Woods Hole, MA 02543
United States
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
600 4th Street South
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
United States
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
2885 Mission Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
United States
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program
12201 Sunrise Valley Dr
Reston, VA 20192
United States
National Climate Adaptation Science Center
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive
MS 516
Reston, VA 20192
United States
Climate change poses significant risks to coasts, from sea level rise and high-tide flooding to accelerated erosion and intensifying storms. USGS scientists help coastal communities better understand climate change impacts, inform emergency responses, and provide insights to improve resilience and preserve coastal resources in the future.
How does Climate Change Affect U.S. Coasts?
Millions of Americans live and play along the coast. Coastal counties are home to 127 million people (and growing!), accounting for $8.6 trillion in goods and services each year. Coastal communities are well acquainted with the realities of living by the ocean – the storms, the waves, the salt, the sand. Yet climate change is altering the Nation’s coastal landscapes, creating new challenges for these communities that they are seldom equipped to face.
USGS Helps Communities Understand New Coastal Hazards
By helping people understand and respond to coastal change, the USGS helps communities become resilient to coastal hazards now and in the future.
USGS researchers use on-the-ground field work, high-resolution data, and modeling to help communities understand and respond to changes in coastal landscapes. Federal, Tribal, state, and local offices around the country use USGS data to inform coastal management and strategic planning. Some use our science to plan evacuation notices, inform city planning, and construct storm-resistant infrastructure. Others use USGS habitat assessments and decision support tools to restore coastal ecosystems, developing “green infrastructure” that can buffer against future storm damage and coastal erosion.
Our science helps to:
-
Forecast future storms, floods, and coastal erosion, and predict the resulting impacts on coasts
-
Build a better understanding of coastal ecosystems
-
Understand climate change impacts to coastal ecosystems and communities
-
Develop decision support tools to help coastal communities prepare for and recover from storms, floods, and erosion
-
Restore and protect coastal ecosystems that absorb greenhouse gasses, reducing the effects of climate change (blue carbon)
Publications
Drivers, dynamics and impacts of changing Arctic coasts
Multiple climate change-driven tipping points for coastal systems
Climate, sea level, and people - Changing South Florida's mangrove coast
Identification of storm events and contiguous coastal sections for deterministic modeling of extreme coastal flood events in response to climate change
Science
Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS)
Coastal Climate Impacts
Dynamic coastlines along the western U.S.
The Impact of Sea-Level Rise and Climate Change on Pacific Ocean Atolls
Climate impacts to Arctic coasts
Connect
Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center
384 Woods Hole Rd.
Woods Hole, MA 02543
United States
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
600 4th Street South
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
United States
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
2885 Mission Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
United States
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program
12201 Sunrise Valley Dr
Reston, VA 20192
United States
National Climate Adaptation Science Center
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive
MS 516
Reston, VA 20192
United States
Multimedia
Geologist Ann Gibbs studies the vulnerability of the rapidly-warming Alaska coast to climate change effects like sea level rise and permafrost thawing.
Geologist Ann Gibbs studies the vulnerability of the rapidly-warming Alaska coast to climate change effects like sea level rise and permafrost thawing.
Along reef-lined shores of the Pacific Islands, USGS Research Geologist and Oceanographer Ferdinand Oberle studies how warming surface waters, nutrient runoff, and increasingly powerful storms impact coral reefs.
Along reef-lined shores of the Pacific Islands, USGS Research Geologist and Oceanographer Ferdinand Oberle studies how warming surface waters, nutrient runoff, and increasingly powerful storms impact coral reefs.
The sturdy root systems of mangrove forests act as buffer zones along the coastlines of some of the planet’s most vulnerable communities, protecting lives, ecosystems and property from the rigors of hurricanes and tsunamis.
The sturdy root systems of mangrove forests act as buffer zones along the coastlines of some of the planet’s most vulnerable communities, protecting lives, ecosystems and property from the rigors of hurricanes and tsunamis.
The marshes of Plum Island Estuary are among those predicted by scientists to submerge during the next century under conservative projections of sea-level rise.
The marshes of Plum Island Estuary are among those predicted by scientists to submerge during the next century under conservative projections of sea-level rise.
Steep watersheds with dramatic environmental gradients are common features of both the Pacific Islands and Southeast Alaska.
Steep watersheds with dramatic environmental gradients are common features of both the Pacific Islands and Southeast Alaska.
This video was prepared for Douglas Beard's presentation at COP26, Communities on the Frontline. Jerilyn Kelly, from Quinhagak, AK shares video and photographs from her community and some of the climate related challenges her community faces. She describes how erosion and permafrost degradation impact her community and their housing.
This video was prepared for Douglas Beard's presentation at COP26, Communities on the Frontline. Jerilyn Kelly, from Quinhagak, AK shares video and photographs from her community and some of the climate related challenges her community faces. She describes how erosion and permafrost degradation impact her community and their housing.
Join the USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center as they uncover the secrets of the sediment on barrier islands in Pinellas County, Florida. This video was originally created for use at the 2021 virtual St. Petersburg Science Festival.
Join the USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center as they uncover the secrets of the sediment on barrier islands in Pinellas County, Florida. This video was originally created for use at the 2021 virtual St. Petersburg Science Festival.
News
Coastal Changes May Lead to a Greater Release, not Storage, of Carbon
New interagency report highlights alarming sea level rise predictions for all U.S. coastlines
Hurricane or Bust: How DUNEX Found Consolation in the Middle
The USGS has hundreds of publications on climate change, coasts, and sea level rise. Here are a few of our favorites.
Explore some of the many USGS science projects on coastal change, storms, and sea level rise.
Estuarine Processes, Hazards, and Ecosystems
Coastal Landscape Response to Sea-Level Rise Assessment for the Northeastern United States
Coastal and Estuarine Dynamics Project
Geological Investigations of the Neogene
Sea Level Rise and Climate: Impacts on the Greater Everglades Ecosystem and Restoration
Coral Reef Seafloor Erosion and Coastal Hazards
Operational Total Water Level and Coastal Change Forecasts
Storm-Induced Coastal Processes
Forecasting Coastal Change
Science Needs Assessment to Support Management of Loko Iʻa (Hawaiian Fishpond) Resources and Practices Critical to the Native Hawaiian Community
Video Remote Sensing of Coastal Processes
Geologic Records of High Sea Levels
Check out some of our favorite tools and visually stunning interactive narratives describing our coastal work.
Check out some of the amazing USGS photos, videos, podcasts, and webinars on coastal change, sea level rise, and storms.
Coasts, Storms, and Sea Level Rise Geonarratives
Explore our Nation's coasts and the risks they face from sea level rise, high-tide flooding, accelerated erosion and intensifying storms. Learn how USGS science is used to forecast coastal change forecasts in real-time, and how we can apply our knowledge to improving coastal resilience into the future.
Explore the many USGS programs who specialize in coastal change research and start a conversation with their social media accounts.
Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center
384 Woods Hole Rd.
Woods Hole, MA 02543
United States
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
600 4th Street South
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
United States
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
2885 Mission Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
United States
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program
12201 Sunrise Valley Dr
Reston, VA 20192
United States
National Climate Adaptation Science Center
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive
MS 516
Reston, VA 20192
United States