Hilary Stockdon, Ph.D.
My work at USGS is aimed at improving our understanding of coastal change processes, developing innovative methods for forecasting coastal change, applying these methods to identify potential hazards along our Nation’s coastlines, and then sharing the information with coastal stakeholders.
Hilary Stockdon is the Program Coordinator for the Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program with the U.S. Geological Survey. For almost 20 years, she has been part of a multifaceted project that quantifies how sea level rise, storms and long-term erosion are shaping our shorelines. Her research contributions include advances in:
- Real-time forecasts and scenario-based predictions of coastal total water level and geomorphic change during storms
- Use of wave runup parameterization in coastal hazard assessments
- Barrier island response to extreme storms and hurricanes
- Modeling wave swash, setup, and runup
- Lidar-derived measures of coastal change
Her work is both fundamental and applied: rigorous science on coastal processes is used to create tools for decision makers who are responsible for preparedness, response, and resilience along our coastlines. Her work on the effects of storms on the coastal communities of our Nation has raised public awareness about the value of scientific information on coastal vulnerability, helping residents prepare for future events. Most recently, she served as a Science Advisor for the Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, helping to develop a National initiative for coastal change hazards research and applications.
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Oceanography Oregon State University
M.S. Oceanography Oregon State University
B.S. Geology Duke University
Science and Products
National assessment of hurricane-induced coastal erosion hazards: Mid-Atlantic Coast
Coastal topography–Northeast Atlantic coast, post-hurricane Sandy, 2012
Improving understanding of near-term barrier island evolution through multi-decadal assessment of morphologic change
Hurricane Isaac: observations and analysis of coastal change
Probabilistic prediction of barrier-island response to hurricanes
National assessment of hurricane-induced coastal erosion hazards--Gulf of Mexico
On the use of wave parameterizations and a storm impact scaling model in National Weather Service Coastal Flood and decision support operations
Observations of wave runup, setup, and swash on natural beaches
Impacts and predictions of coastal change during hurricanes
Coastal Change on Gulf Islands National Seashore during Hurricane Gustav: West Ship, East Ship, Horn, and Petit Bois Islands
Forecasting hurricane impact on coastal topography: Hurricane Ike
National assessment of hurricane-induced coastal change vulnerability
Science and Products
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 54
National assessment of hurricane-induced coastal erosion hazards: Mid-Atlantic Coast
Beaches serve as a natural buffer between the ocean and inland communities, ecosystems, and natural resources. However, these dynamic environments move and change in response to winds, waves, and currents. During extreme storms, changes to beaches can be large, and the results are sometimes catastrophic. Lives may be lost, communities destroyed, and millions of dollars spent on rebuilding. DuringAuthorsKara S. Doran, Hilary F. Stockdon, Kristin L. Sopkin, David M. Thompson, Nathaniel G. PlantCoastal topography–Northeast Atlantic coast, post-hurricane Sandy, 2012
This Data Series contains lidar-derived bare-earth (BE) topography, dune elevations, and mean-high-water shoreline position datasets for most sandy beaches for Fire Island, New York, and from Cape Henlopen, Delaware to Cape Lookout, North Carolina. The data were acquired post-Hurricane Sandy, which made landfall as an extratropical cyclone on October 29, 2012.AuthorsHilary F. Stockdon, Kara S. Doran, Kristin L. Sopkin, Kathryn E. L. Smith, Xan FredericksImproving understanding of near-term barrier island evolution through multi-decadal assessment of morphologic change
Observed morphodynamic changes over multiple decades were coupled with storm-driven run-up characteristics at Fire Island, New York, to explore the influence of wave processes relative to the impacts of other coastal change drivers on the near-term evolution of the barrier island. Historical topography was generated from digital stereo-photogrammetry and compared with more recent lidar surveys toAuthorsErika E. Lentz, Cheryl J. Hapke, Hilary F. Stockdon, Rachel E. HehreHurricane Isaac: observations and analysis of coastal change
Understanding storm-induced coastal change and forecasting these changes require knowledge of the physical processes associated with a storm and the geomorphology of the impacted coastline. The primary physical process of interest is sediment transport that is driven by waves, currents, and storm surge associated with storms. Storm surge, which is the rise in water level due to the wind, barometriAuthorsKristy K. Guy, Hilary F. Stockdon, Nathaniel G. Plant, Kara S. Doran, Karen L.M. MorganProbabilistic prediction of barrier-island response to hurricanes
Prediction of barrier-island response to hurricane attack is important for assessing the vulnerability of communities, infrastructure, habitat, and recreational assets to the impacts of storm surge, waves, and erosion. We have demonstrated that a conceptual model intended to make qualitative predictions of the type of beach response to storms (e.g., beach erosion, dune erosion, dune overwash, inunAuthorsNathaniel G. Plant, Hilary F. StockdonNational assessment of hurricane-induced coastal erosion hazards--Gulf of Mexico
Sandy beaches provide a natural barrier between the ocean and inland communities, ecosystems, and resources. However, these dynamic environments move and change in response to winds, waves, and currents. During a hurricane, these changes can be large and sometimes catastrophic. High waves and storm surge act together to erode beaches and inundate low-lying lands, putting inland communities at riskAuthorsHilary F. Stockdon, Kara S. Doran, David M. Thompson, Kristin L. Sopkin, Nathaniel G. Plant, Asbury H. SallengerOn the use of wave parameterizations and a storm impact scaling model in National Weather Service Coastal Flood and decision support operations
National Weather Service (NWS) Weather Forecast Offices (WFO) are responsible for issuing coastal flood watches, warnings, advisories, and local statements to alert decision makers and the general public when rising water levels may lead to coastal impacts such as inundation, erosion, and wave battery. Both extratropical and tropical cyclones can generate the prerequisite rise in water level to seAuthorsAnthony Mignone, H. Stockdon, M. Willis, J.W. Cannon, R. ThompsonObservations of wave runup, setup, and swash on natural beaches
Video-based observations of wave runup, setup, and swash from 10 dynamically diverse field experiments are presented. These data were used to develop widely applicable empirical parameterizations for wave setup, incident band swash height, infragravity band swash height, and the 2-percent exceedance level for wave runup. Details regarding the experiments, data analysis, and empirical parameterizatAuthorsHilary F. Stockdon, Rob A. HolmanImpacts and predictions of coastal change during hurricanes
Beaches serve as a natural barrier between the ocean and inland communities, ecosystems, and resources. These dynamic environments move and change in response to winds, waves, and currents. During a powerful hurricane, changes to beaches can be large, and the results are sometimes catastrophic. Lives are lost, communities are destroyed, and millions of dollars are spent on rebuilding. There is a cAuthorsHilary Stockdon, Abby SallengerCoastal Change on Gulf Islands National Seashore during Hurricane Gustav: West Ship, East Ship, Horn, and Petit Bois Islands
INTRODUCTION Hurricane Gustav made landfall on September 1, 2008, near Cocodrie, Louisiana, as a category 2 storm, with maximum sustained winds near 170 km/hr. Hurricane-force winds, with speeds in excess of 119 km/hr, extended along 270 km of the Louisiana coastline, from Marsh Island to the central barrier islands. Tropical-storm-force winds (speeds > 63 km/hr) were felt across the coasts of MiAuthorsHilary F. Stockdon, Kara S. Doran, Katherine A. SerafinForecasting hurricane impact on coastal topography: Hurricane Ike
Extreme storms can have a profound impact on coastal topography and thus on ecosystems and human-built structures within coastal regions. For instance, landfalls of several recent major hurricanes have caused significant changes to the U.S. coastline, particularly along the Gulf of Mexico. Some of these hurricanes (e.g., Ivan in 2004, Katrina and Rita in 2005, and Gustav and Ike in 2008) led to shAuthorsNathaniel G. Plant, Hilary F. Stockdon, Asbury H. Sallenger,, Michael J. Turco, Jeffery W. East, Arthur A. Taylor, Wilson A. ShafferNational assessment of hurricane-induced coastal change vulnerability
National assessment of hurricane-induced coastal change vulnerabilityAuthorsHilary F Stockdon, Nathaniel G. Plant, Abby Sallenger - Science
- Data
- Multimedia
- Web Tools
- News