Dean Gesch, Ph.D.
Dean Gesch is a Research Physical Scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey at the Earth Resources Observation and Science Center (EROS) in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Biography
Since 1992, Dean Gesch has worked at USGS/EROS on a variety of geographic science topics, with most related to research and development of topographic data, derivative products, and applications. Most of Gesch’s work has focused on large-area datasets and applications (global, national, regional, and local), and much of the work has been collaborative in nature, working with scientists from other USGS centers and other Federal agencies. He led the design and development of USGS baseline elevation datasets at the national scale (the National Elevation Dataset) and the global scale (GTOPO30 and GMTED2010). His research topics include large-area topographic change analysis and monitoring, hurricane storm surge mapping, elevation data accuracy assessment, and sea-level rise vulnerability assessment. He served as a guest editor for Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing for a special issue on: The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission – Data Validation and Applications, and was also a guest editor for Journal of Coastal Research for a special issue on: Advances in Topobathymetric Mapping, Models, and Applications. Gesch has served in leadership positions in several national and international forums, including the National Digital Elevation Program, the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing Working Group on Global Digital Elevation Model (DEM) Interoperability, and the Group on Earth Observations Global DEM Task. Currently at EROS he is the Principal Investigator leading the Coastal Changes and Impacts focus area in the Integrated Science and Applications Branch.
EDUCATION
- Ph.D., 2006, Geospatial Science and Engineering, South Dakota State University, Dissertation: An inventory and assessment of significant topographic changes in the United States
- M.A., 1984, Geosciences, Murray State University, Thesis: An analysis of the utility of Landsat Thematic Mapper data and digital elevation model data for predicting soil erosion: East Fork Massac Creek watershed, Kentucky
- B.S. (magna cum laude), 1982, Geography, Carroll College
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
- 2004 to present: Research Physical Scientist, U.S. Geological Survey, Earth Resources Observation and Science Center
- 1992 - 2004: Senior Scientist, Hughes STX / Raytheon / SAIC at USGS/Earth Resources Observation and Science Center
- 1989 - 1992: Programmer/Analyst, Hughes STX Corp., Lanham, MD
- 1986 - 1989: Member Technical Staff, Science Applications Research Corp. at NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
- 1984 - 1986: Physical Scientist, Defense Mapping Agency, Bethesda, MD
Science and Products
Webinar: A Coastal Hazard Assessment with High-Resolution Data: A Pacific Island Case Study
View this webinar to learn how Pacific Islands CASC supported researchers are using high resolution data to assess the Pacific Islands vulnerability to coastal hazards.
Ranking Features Based on Magnitude of Change
Each of the polygons in the topographic change inventory has numerous attributes associated with it. These attributes allow a ranking of features based on the magnitude of change, as measured by polygon descriptors (area and volume) and changes in terrain parameters (elevation, relief, slope, aspect). The ability to do such a ranking points out one of the advantages of producing spatially...
1x1-Degree Tiles
Summary statistics were also accumulated on the basis of the 1x1-degree tiles used for data management and processing. A total of 500 tiles contain topographic change polygons (see figure below), which represents over 53 percent of the conterminous United States tiles.
Quadrangle Base Maps
Many resource managers and geospatial data users are familiar with the USGS 7.5-minute quadrangle map series. Also, much of the geospatial data managed by the USGS was originally produced in tiles corresponding to the 7.5-minute maps. The topographic map quadrangles are still commonly used as base maps for outlining data collection strategies and defining project boundaries. Thus, it is useful...
Regional Geography of Topographic Surface Changes
The spatial distribution of the topographic change polygons across the conterminous United States reveals some notable regional differences and patterns of change. Overall, there is a decided concentration of change polygons in the eastern United States, which can be partially explained by the greater population density as compared to the west.
Proximity of Topographic Change Areas to Other Features
The near-national extent of the topographic change dataset also allows for spatial comparisons, such as proximity of change polygons to roads and urban areas. Such comparisons have been done for the proximity of mines to roads and major cities for the five focus ecoregions. This figure shows the locations of the centroids of mining polygons within the five ecoregions and the locations of...
Regional Differences in the Effects of Surface Mining
Because the topographic change inventory has near-national coverage, comparisons can be made among broad regions. This figure shows a set of five Level III ecoregions that were used as a basis for regional comparisons of topographic change.
Visual Impacts
When contrasting the general nature of anthropogenic processes versus other geomorphic agents, the visual impact of human activity generally is greater than that of natural processes.
Hydrologic Effects
Because the shape of the land exerts strong control over the collection and flow of surface water, changes to the topography can have a significant effect on local drainage conditions. The figure below demonstrates how the local surface drainage features have been altered as a result of surface mining operations.
Comparison with Land Cover Status and Trends Data
The topographic changes detected in this study usually have a corresponding land cover change. To examine this relationship more closely, features in the topographic change inventory were compared with data from an ongoing study of the status and trends of land cover in the United States. The status and trends project uses a sampling-based approach in which land cover maps and change products...
Error Sources, Uncertainty, Limitations, and Uses
In a study such as this one, with diverse input datasets that cover a broad area, data characteristics and quality can have spatially varying effects on derived information. In the context of data processing methods, unique characteristics of both the NED and SRTM data had to be accounted for in the processing approach to reduce errors of commission. While it is desirable to have a final...
Managed Areas
A delineation of managed areas (Federal, State, tribal, and military lands) from the USGS National Atlas was overlaid on the topographic change inventory. Note that this representation of managed lands is from a small-scale map source and does not include all Federal lands, while others are generalized. About 11 percent of the change polygons fall within the general boundaries of the managed...
Topobathymetric model of Mobile Bay, Alabama
Topobathymetric Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) are a merged rendering of both topography (land elevation) and bathymetry (water depth) that provides a seamless elevation product useful for inundation mapping, as well as for other earth science applications, such as the development of sediment-transport, sea-level rise, and storm-surge models.
Topographic Change Viewer
The USGS has developed a national inventory of significant topographic changes based on seamless multi-temporal elevation data and land cover data. The NED and the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) data form a unique pair of seamless elevation datasets that can be used to detect and analyze 20th century topographic surface changes in the United States.
Topobathymetric Model for the Central Coast of California, 1929 to 2017
To support the modeling of storm-induced flooding, the USGS Coastal National Elevation Database (CoNED) Applications Project has created an integrated 1-meter topobathymetric digital elevation model (TBDEM) for the Central California Coast. High-resolution coastal elevation data is required to identify flood, hurricane, and sea-level rise inundation hazard zones and other earth scie
One Meter Topobathymetric Digital Elevation Model for Majuro Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands, 1944-2016.
Located in the western Pacific Ocean, Majuro is a large coral atoll consisting of a large, central narrow land mass and remote islands that are part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The waters surrounding the Majuro Atoll land areas are relatively shallow with poorly mapped bathymetry. However, the Pacific Ocean on the exterior of the coral atoll and the lagoon within its interior c...
Vertical Land Change, Chippewa, Eau Claire, Jackson, Monroe, Trempealeau, and Wood Counties, Wisconsin
The vertical land change activity focuses on the detection, analysis, and explanation of topographic change. These detection techniques include both quantitative methods, for example, using difference metrics derived from multi-temporal topographic digital elevation models (DEMs), such as, light detection and ranging (lidar), National Elevation Dataset (NED), Shuttle R
Vertical Land Change, Itasca and St. Louis Counties, Minnesota
The vertical land change activity focuses on the detection, analysis, and explanation of topographic change. These detection techniques include both quantitative methods, for example, using difference metrics derived from multi-temporal topographic digital elevation models (DEMs), such as, light detection and ranging (lidar), National Elevation Dataset (NED), Shuttle R
Vertical Land Change, Perry County, Kentucky
The vertical land change activity focuses on the detection, analysis, and explanation of topographic change. These detection techniques include both quantitative methods, for example, using difference metrics derived from multi-temporal topographic digital elevation models (DEMs), such as, light detection and ranging (lidar), National Elevation Dataset (NED), Shuttle R
Delineation of Water Bodies in Emergent Wetlands in Coastal New Jersey
Hurricane Sandy, which made landfall on October 29, 2012, near Brigantine, New Jersey, had a significant impact on coastal New Jersey, including the large areas of emergent wetlands at Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and the Barnegat Bay region. In response to Hurricane Sandy, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has undertaken several projects to assess the impacts of the storm and...
A spatial analysis of climate gentrification in Orleans Parish, Louisiana post-Hurricane Katrina
BackgroundHurricane Katrina made landfall in New Orleans, Louisiana as a Category 3 storm in August 2005. Storm surges, levee failures, and the low-lying nature of New Orleans led to widespread flooding, damage to over 70% of occupied housing, and evacuation of 80–90% of city residents. Only 57% of the city's black population has returned. Many...
Aune, Kyle T.; Gesch, Dean B.; Smith, Genee S.Inundation exposure assessment for Majuro Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands using a high-accuracy digital elevation model
Majuro Atoll in the central Pacific has high coastal vulnerability due to low-lying islands, rising sea level, high wave events, eroding shorelines, a dense population center, and limited freshwater resources. Land elevation is the primary geophysical variable that determines exposure to inundation in coastal settings. Accordingly, coastal...
Gesch, Dean B.; Palaseanu-Lovejoy, Monica; Danielson, Jeffrey J.; Fletcher, Charles; Kottermair, Maria; Barbee, Matthew; Jalandoni, AndreaBest practices for elevation-based assessments of sea-level rise and coastal flooding exposure
Elevation data are critical for assessments of sea-level rise (SLR) and coastal flooding exposure. Previous research has demonstrated that the quality of data used in elevation-based assessments must be well understood and applied to properly model potential impacts. The cumulative vertical uncertainty of the input elevation data substantially...
Gesch, Dean B.The National Elevation Dataset
The National Elevation Dataset (NED) is a primary elevation data product that has been produced and distributed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Since its inception, the USGS has compiled and published topographic information in many forms, and the NED is a significant development in this long line of products that describe the land surface....
Gesch, Dean B.; Evans, Gayla A.; Oimoen, Michael J.; Arundel, SamanthaCoastal National Elevation Database
The Coastal National Elevation Database (CoNED) Applications Project develops enhanced topographic (land elevation) and bathymetric (water depth) datasets that serve as valuable resources for coastal hazards research (Danielson and others, 2016; Thatcher and others, 2016). These datasets are used widely for mapping inundation zones from riverine...
Danielson, Jeffrey J.; Poppenga, Sandra K.; Tyler, Dean J.; Palaseanu-Lovejoy, Monica; Gesch, Dean B.Evaluating the potential for near-shore bathymetry on the Majuro Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands, using Landsat 8 and WorldView-3 imagery
Satellite-derived near-shore bathymetry (SDB) is becoming an increasingly important method for assessing vulnerability to climate change and natural hazards in low-lying atolls of the northern tropical Pacific Ocean. Satellite imagery has become a cost-effective means for mapping near-shore bathymetry because ships cannot collect soundings safely...
Poppenga, Sandra K.; Palaseanu-Lovejoy, Monica; Gesch, Dean B.; Danielson, Jeffrey J.; Tyler, Dean J.One-meter topobathymetric digital elevation model for Majuro Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands, 1944 to 2016
Atoll and island coastal communities are highly exposed to sea-level rise, tsunamis, storm surges, rogue waves, king tides, and the occasional combination of multiple factors, such as high regional sea levels, extreme high local tides, and unusually strong wave set-up. The elevation of most of these atolls averages just under 3 meters (m), with...
Palaseanu-Lovejoy, Monica; Poppenga, Sandra K.; Danielson, Jeffrey J.; Tyler, Dean J.; Gesch, Dean B.; Kottermair, Maria; Jalandoni, Andrea; Carlson, Edward; Thatcher, Cindy A.; Barbee, Matthew M.Introduction: Special issue on advances in topobathymetric mapping, models, and applications
Detailed knowledge of near-shore topography and bathymetry is required for many geospatial data applications in the coastal environment. New data sources and processing methods are facilitating development of seamless, regional-scale topobathymetric digital elevation models. These elevation models integrate disparate multi-sensor, multi-temporal...
Gesch, Dean B.; Brock, John C.; Parrish, Christopher E.; Rogers, Jeffrey N.; Wright, C. WayneTopobathymetric elevation model development using a new methodology: Coastal National Elevation Database
During the coming decades, coastlines will respond to widely predicted sea-level rise, storm surge, and coastalinundation flooding from disastrous events. Because physical processes in coastal environments are controlled by the geomorphology of over-the-land topography and underwater bathymetry, many applications of geospatial data in coastal...
Danielson, Jeffrey J.; Poppenga, Sandra K.; Brock, John C.; Evans, Gayla A.; Tyler, Dean J.; Gesch, Dean B.; Thatcher, Cindy A.; Barras, JohnCreating a Coastal National Elevation Database (CoNED) for science and conservation applications
The U.S. Geological Survey is creating the Coastal National Elevation Database, an expanding set of topobathymetric elevation models that extend seamlessly across coastal regions of high societal or ecological significance in the United States that are undergoing rapid change or are threatened by inundation hazards. Topobathymetric elevation...
Thatcher, Cindy A.; Brock, John C.; Danielson, Jeffrey J.; Poppenga, Sandra K.; Gesch, Dean B.; Palaseanu-Lovejoy, Monica; Barras, John; Evans, Gayla A.; Gibbs, AnnValidation of the ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model version 3 over the conterminous United States
The ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model Version 3 (GDEM v3) was evaluated over the conterminous United States in a manner similar to the validation conducted for the original GDEM Version 1 (v1) in 2009 and GDEM Version 2 (v2) in 2011. The absolute vertical accuracy of GDEM v3 was calculated by comparison with more than 23,000 independent...
Halounova, L; Šafář, V.; Jiang, J.; Olešovská, H.; Dvořáček, P.; Holland, D.; Seredovich, V.A.; Muller, J.P.; Pattabhi Rama Rao, E.; Veenendaal, B.; Mu, L.; Zlatanova, S.; Oberst, J.; Yang, C.P.; Ban, Y.; Stylianidis, S.; Voženílek, V.; Vondráková, A.; Gartner, G.; Remondino, F.; Doytsher, Y.; Percivall, George; Schreier, G.; Dowman, I.; Streilein, A.; Ernst, J.; Gesch, Dean B.; Oimoen, Michael J.; Danielson, Jeffrey J.; Meyer, DavidEvaluation of dynamic coastal response to sea-level rise modifies inundation likelihood
Sea-level rise (SLR) poses a range of threats to natural and built environments1, 2, making assessments of SLR-induced hazards essential for informed decision making3. We develop a probabilistic model that evaluates the likelihood that an area will inundate (flood) or dynamically respond (adapt) to SLR. The broad-area applicability of the approach...
Lentz, Erika E.; Thieler, E. Robert; Plant, Nathaniel G.; Stippa, Sawyer R.; Horton, Radley M.; Gesch, Dean B.Pre-USGS Publications
Surveying the Mangrove Forests of Pohnpei
Research Physical Scientist Dean Gesch shares an overview of USGS/EROS surveying efforts in the mangrove forests of Pohnpei.
EROS in Action - CoNED with Dean Gesch and Jeff Danielson
USGS/EROS Physical Scientist Dean Gesch and USGS/EROS CoNED Applications Project Chief Jeff Danielson discuss the Coastal National Elevation Database (CoNED), its acquisition and its uses.
EROS in Action - The Majuro Atoll with Dean Gesch and Jeff Danielson
USGS/EROS Physical Scientist Dean Gesch and USGS/EROS CoNED Applications Project Chief Jeff Danielson discuss different remote sensing methods they used to create topobathemetric elevation models of the Majuro Atoll.
EROS Staff Provide Elevation Expertise to Mangrove Project on Pohnpei
In 1850, the island of Nahlapenlohd in Micronesia was sprawling enough to support a great battle among warring chiefdoms within its sizeable coconut forest. But that was then. Today, Nahlapenlohd and seven nearby islands in the western Pacific are no more, having been swallowed by the rising sea.
CoNED Measures Elevation, Helps Model Inundation Scenarios at Hawaiian Cultural Site
In the land of Kamehameha, south of Kona on the big island of Hawaii, a sacred landscape called Puʻuhonua O Hōnaunau faces the uncertainty of the rising seas.
The bones of royal chiefs rest there. Stories of how ancient Hawaiian lawbreakers flocked to this place of refuge still resonate throughout the 180-acre national historic park that surrounds Hōnaunau Bay.
Coastal Storm Modeling System Relies on Elevation Data Provided by CoNED, EROS
With sea levels rising and storms increasingly threatening their shorelines and cliffs, officials in Southern California face some difficult decisions.
CoNED Digital Elevation Model Helps Majuro Prepare for Sea Level Rise
University of Hawaii Geology and Geophysics Professor Chip Fletcher spread his maps on the table as land planners from Majuro—a large coral atoll of 64 islands in the Central Pacific’s Republic of the Marshall Islands—leaned in.
Advances in Topobathymetric Mapping
In coastal environments, elevation is perhaps the most fundamental variable determining vulnerability. Accurate high-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) that show both land and submerged topography (bathymetry) are key in coastal wetlands mapping and monitoring, storm surge and sea-level-rise modeling, benthic habitat mapping, coral reef-ecosystem mapping, and a host of related...