Coastal hazards such as hurricanes, sea-level rise, flooding, erosion, and extreme storms can threaten lives and health, property, and valuable habitats along our nation’s coasts. USGS science, products, and tools provide the Nation with robust and accessible scientific research to help partners anticipate, prepare for, adapt to, and mitigate coastal hazards.
While coastal change is natural, hazards arise when these changes threaten lives or put communities and habitats at risk. Some of these hazards can occur abruptly such as earthquakes, landslides, and tsunamis; or within short periods of time such as hurricanes and extreme storms. Others happen gradually over time like sea-level rise, erosion, or saltwater intrusion into groundwater. The USGS is a leader in natural hazards research and addresses coastal hazards by conducting basic and applied research, developing tools to assess risk, and providing data and information to stakeholders and partners to enhance preparedness.
Tools and Technology for Coastal Resilience
The USGS collection of coastal tools provides information on coastal hazards at scales useful for local communities, regional managers, and decision makers. For example, the USGS Coastal Change Hazards Portal allows users to explore the potential for storm-induced coastal erosion, forecasts of extreme water levels, historical shoreline change, and vulnerability to sea-level rise. These data and products are immensely valuable for assisting communities with efforts to bolster coastal resilience and reduce vulnerability to coastal hazards.
Hurricane Response
Hurricanes are an example of one type of hazard that can cause significant changes to the coast. When a storm is approaching, USGS activates the Coastal Storm Response team, which is comprised of scientists and technicians with multidisciplinary expertise to share information, forecast impacts, and help communities in the storm’s track prepare for and recover from powerful storms. Take a quiz to learn about the breadth of USGS science that goes into helping storm forecasters, emergency responders, communities, resource managers and other decision-makers prepare for, cope with, and recover from storms.
Water and Flooding
The USGS maintains a nationwide network of permanent water gages to measure and monitor surface water flow, groundwater levels and more. USGS also deploys rapid response water level gages and hurricane storm tide sensors when extreme storms or other hazardous conditions threaten our coast. Data from these sensors are displayed on the USGS Flood Event Viewer. In collaboration with stakeholders, USGS has constructed a national Surge, Wave, and Tide Hydrodynamics (SWaTH) Network that monitors and documents the height, extent, and timing of storm surge. These data are provided to scientists, stakeholders, and the public in real time through the National Water Dashboard.
Coastal Geologic Hazards
The nation's coastlines are also vulnerable to more abrupt, interrelated hazards posed by earthquakes, tsunamis, and land-based failures like landslides. USGS studies the processes and effects of earthquakes, landslides, and modern-day and prehistoric tsunamis using a variety of methods. These data are used to generate models, simulations, and probabilities of the likelihood of these hazards with the goal of providing relevant scientific information that can be used to help prevent loss of life, injuries, and property damage.
Other long-term hazardous processes studied by USGS include the seasonal freezing, thawing, and erosion of permafrost coasts that threaten coastal communities and infrastructure in Arctic Alaska.
Natural Barriers
While many hazards threaten our coasts, Earth has provided numerous natural structures to protect them such as barrier islands, wetlands, and reefs. For instance, coral reefs act as very effective buffers that break waves and limit flooding in tropical states and U.S. territories. USGS research has quantified the economic benefits of these natural ecosystems, as well as the predicted effects of restoration, which will help inform partners working to protect and conserve coral reefs around the world.
Invisible Hazards
Less visible hazards such as toxins, pathogens, saltwater intrusion, and wastewater discharge threaten coastal ecosystems and wildlife as well as the people who live, work, and play along our coasts. These contaminants can enter our coastal waterways through seepage, spills, runoff, or through groundwater discharge. These substances can also become entrained in sediments that can impact ecological health. The USGS monitors water quality, sediments, and living organisms in our coastal regions to track whether contamination has occurred in our waterways to help inform water managers when to treat, close, or otherwise mitigate these hazardous scenarios.
Science
Coastal Climate Impacts
Dynamic coastlines along the western U.S.
Role of Reefs in Coastal Protection
Low-lying areas of tropical Pacific islands
Landscape Response to Disturbance
Coastal Climate Impacts
Dynamic coastlines along the western U.S.
Role of Reefs in Coastal Protection
Low-lying areas of tropical Pacific islands
Landscape Response to Disturbance
Climate impacts to Arctic coasts
Climate impacts on Monterey Bay area beaches
State of Our Nation's Coast
Probabilistic Forecasting of Earthquakes, Tsunamis, and Earthquake Effects in the Coastal Zone
U.S. West Coast and Alaska Marine Geohazards
Estuaries and large river deltas in the Pacific Northwest
Coastal Change Hazards
- Overview
While coastal change is natural, hazards arise when these changes threaten lives or put communities and habitats at risk. Some of these hazards can occur abruptly such as earthquakes, landslides, and tsunamis; or within short periods of time such as hurricanes and extreme storms. Others happen gradually over time like sea-level rise, erosion, or saltwater intrusion into groundwater. The USGS is a leader in natural hazards research and addresses coastal hazards by conducting basic and applied research, developing tools to assess risk, and providing data and information to stakeholders and partners to enhance preparedness.
Tools and Technology for Coastal Resilience
The USGS collection of coastal tools provides information on coastal hazards at scales useful for local communities, regional managers, and decision makers. For example, the USGS Coastal Change Hazards Portal allows users to explore the potential for storm-induced coastal erosion, forecasts of extreme water levels, historical shoreline change, and vulnerability to sea-level rise. These data and products are immensely valuable for assisting communities with efforts to bolster coastal resilience and reduce vulnerability to coastal hazards.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.USGS uses a variety of coastal tools and technology to study coastal hazards. These data and tools are useful for coastal managers and planners who need to make well-informed, science-based decisions to enhance coastal resilience. View Media.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.This photograph of Hurricane Joaquin was taken by NOAA's GOES West satellite on 10/1/2015. Hurricane Response
Hurricanes are an example of one type of hazard that can cause significant changes to the coast. When a storm is approaching, USGS activates the Coastal Storm Response team, which is comprised of scientists and technicians with multidisciplinary expertise to share information, forecast impacts, and help communities in the storm’s track prepare for and recover from powerful storms. Take a quiz to learn about the breadth of USGS science that goes into helping storm forecasters, emergency responders, communities, resource managers and other decision-makers prepare for, cope with, and recover from storms.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.The USGS National Water Dashboard shows the flooding effects associated with Hurricane Ian, on September 29, 2022, with black dots and pink circles showing river flood stage conditions, some of which correspond to all-time-high records for this day of the year. Visit the National Water Dashboard to learn more. Water and Flooding
The USGS maintains a nationwide network of permanent water gages to measure and monitor surface water flow, groundwater levels and more. USGS also deploys rapid response water level gages and hurricane storm tide sensors when extreme storms or other hazardous conditions threaten our coast. Data from these sensors are displayed on the USGS Flood Event Viewer. In collaboration with stakeholders, USGS has constructed a national Surge, Wave, and Tide Hydrodynamics (SWaTH) Network that monitors and documents the height, extent, and timing of storm surge. These data are provided to scientists, stakeholders, and the public in real time through the National Water Dashboard.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.A home with severe damage caused by a massive, highly destructive tsunami. Coastal Geologic Hazards
The nation's coastlines are also vulnerable to more abrupt, interrelated hazards posed by earthquakes, tsunamis, and land-based failures like landslides. USGS studies the processes and effects of earthquakes, landslides, and modern-day and prehistoric tsunamis using a variety of methods. These data are used to generate models, simulations, and probabilities of the likelihood of these hazards with the goal of providing relevant scientific information that can be used to help prevent loss of life, injuries, and property damage.
Other long-term hazardous processes studied by USGS include the seasonal freezing, thawing, and erosion of permafrost coasts that threaten coastal communities and infrastructure in Arctic Alaska.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. Visit Media to see details.Waves crash against a beach in Isla de Mona, Puerto Rico. Natural Barriers
While many hazards threaten our coasts, Earth has provided numerous natural structures to protect them such as barrier islands, wetlands, and reefs. For instance, coral reefs act as very effective buffers that break waves and limit flooding in tropical states and U.S. territories. USGS research has quantified the economic benefits of these natural ecosystems, as well as the predicted effects of restoration, which will help inform partners working to protect and conserve coral reefs around the world.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.USGS deployed this buoy platform with connected water quality equipment in Saugatuck Harbor, CT in May 2022. Invisible Hazards
Less visible hazards such as toxins, pathogens, saltwater intrusion, and wastewater discharge threaten coastal ecosystems and wildlife as well as the people who live, work, and play along our coasts. These contaminants can enter our coastal waterways through seepage, spills, runoff, or through groundwater discharge. These substances can also become entrained in sediments that can impact ecological health. The USGS monitors water quality, sediments, and living organisms in our coastal regions to track whether contamination has occurred in our waterways to help inform water managers when to treat, close, or otherwise mitigate these hazardous scenarios.
Science
Coastal Climate Impacts
The impacts of climate change and sea-level rise around the Pacific and Arctic Oceans can vary tremendously. Thus far the vast majority of national and international impact assessments and models of coastal climate change have focused on low-relief coastlines that are not near seismically active zones. Furthermore, the degree to which extreme waves and wind will add further stress to coastal...Dynamic coastlines along the western U.S.
The west coast of the United States is extremely complex and changeable because of tectonic activity, mountain building, and land subsidence. These active environments pose a major challenge for accurately assessing climate change impacts, since models were historically developed for more passive sandy coasts.Role of Reefs in Coastal Protection
We are combining ocean, engineering, ecologic, social, and economic modeling to provide a high-resolution, rigorous, spatially-explicit valuation of the coastal flood protection benefits provided by coral reefs and the cost effectiveness of reef restoration for enhancing those benefits.Low-lying areas of tropical Pacific islands
Sea level is rising faster than projected in the western Pacific, so understanding how wave-driven coastal flooding will affect inhabited, low-lying islands—most notably, the familiar ring-shaped atolls—as well as the low-elevation areas of high islands in the Pacific Ocean, is critical for decision-makers in protecting infrastructure or relocating resources and people.Landscape Response to Disturbance
This project characterizes and measures sediment-related effects of landscape disturbances (such as major storms, drought, or wildfire) and river management. We focus primarily on the U.S. west coast, and our work relates to natural hazards and resource management. - Publications
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Coastal Climate Impacts
The impacts of climate change and sea-level rise around the Pacific and Arctic Oceans can vary tremendously. Thus far the vast majority of national and international impact assessments and models of coastal climate change have focused on low-relief coastlines that are not near seismically active zones. Furthermore, the degree to which extreme waves and wind will add further stress to coastal...Dynamic coastlines along the western U.S.
The west coast of the United States is extremely complex and changeable because of tectonic activity, mountain building, and land subsidence. These active environments pose a major challenge for accurately assessing climate change impacts, since models were historically developed for more passive sandy coasts.Role of Reefs in Coastal Protection
We are combining ocean, engineering, ecologic, social, and economic modeling to provide a high-resolution, rigorous, spatially-explicit valuation of the coastal flood protection benefits provided by coral reefs and the cost effectiveness of reef restoration for enhancing those benefits.Low-lying areas of tropical Pacific islands
Sea level is rising faster than projected in the western Pacific, so understanding how wave-driven coastal flooding will affect inhabited, low-lying islands—most notably, the familiar ring-shaped atolls—as well as the low-elevation areas of high islands in the Pacific Ocean, is critical for decision-makers in protecting infrastructure or relocating resources and people.Landscape Response to Disturbance
This project characterizes and measures sediment-related effects of landscape disturbances (such as major storms, drought, or wildfire) and river management. We focus primarily on the U.S. west coast, and our work relates to natural hazards and resource management.Climate impacts to Arctic coasts
The Arctic region is warming faster than anywhere else in the nation. Understanding the rates and causes of coastal change in Alaska is needed to identify and mitigate hazards that might affect people and animals that call Alaska home.Climate impacts on Monterey Bay area beaches
For beach towns around Monterey Bay, preserving the beaches by mitigating coastal erosion is vital. Surveys conducted now and regularly in the future will help scientists understand the short- and long-term impacts of climate change, El Niño years, and sea-level rise on a populated and vulnerable coastline.State of Our Nation's Coast
The USGS Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program (CMHRP) established a Coastal Change Hazards (CCH) programmatic focus to support the optimization of resources, improve the visibility of USGS coastal hazards science, and prioritize science, products, and tools that meet stakeholder needs. Important work by CMHRP scientists and staff within CCH supports hazard mitigation along our nation’s...Probabilistic Forecasting of Earthquakes, Tsunamis, and Earthquake Effects in the Coastal Zone
The nation's coastlines are vulnerable to the interrelated hazards posed by earthquakes, landslides, and tsunamis. In the marine environment these events often occur in concert, and distant triggers can cause severe local effects, making the issue global in scope. As the population continues to migrate toward the coastlines, the social impacts of these hazards are expected to grow.U.S. West Coast and Alaska Marine Geohazards
Marine geohazards are sudden and extreme events beneath the ocean that threaten coastal populations. Such underwater hazards include earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, and tsunamis.Estuaries and large river deltas in the Pacific Northwest
Essential habitat for wild salmon and other wildlife borders river deltas and estuaries in the Pacific Northwest. These estuaries also support industry, agriculture, and a large human population that’s expected to double by the year 2060, but each could suffer from more severe river floods, higher sea level, and storm surges caused by climate change.Coastal Change Hazards
Natural processes such as waves, tides, and weather, continually change coastal landscapes. The integrity of coastal homes, businesses, and infrastructure can be threatened by hazards associated with event-driven changes, such as extreme storms and their impacts on beach and dune erosion, or longer-term, cumulative changes associated with coastal and marine processes, such as sea-level rise... - Data and More
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