James Flocks is a Research Geologist at the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Science and Products
Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) Program-Louisiana Outer Coast Restoration: North Breton Island Component-Monitoring and Adaptive Management
Coastal Resource Evaluation for Management Application (CREMA)
Mississippi Coastal Improvements Program (MsCIP)
Alabama Barrier Island Restoration Assessment
Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring Program (BICM)
Integrating Mapping and Modeling to Support the Restoration of Bird Nesting Habitat at Breton Island National Wildlife Refuge
Mapping Florida's Coastal Waters
The Florida Coastal Mapping Program
Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring
Subsidence and Coastal Geomorphic Change in South-Central Louisiana
Science Support for the Mississippi Coastal Improvement Project
Enhancing Coastal Adaptation Planning at Gulf Islands National Seashore
Gulf Islands National Seashore 2020 Workshop: Attendee Survey Results
Data from: Decision science for management of coastal ecosystems
Archive of Chirp Subbottom Profile Data Collected in 2015 From Dauphin Island, Alabama
Archive of Chirp Subbottom Profile and Single-Beam Bathymetry Data Collected in 2021 From Santa Rosa Island, Florida
Archive of Digitized Analog Boomer Seismic Reflection Data Collected from the Northern Gulf of Mexico: Intersea 1980
Coastal Multibeam Bathymetry Data Collected in 2019 off of Santa Rosa Island, Florida
Multibeam Bathymetry Data Collected in 2018 offshore of Cedar Key, Florida
Archive of Digitized Analog Boomer Seismic Reflection Data Collected from the Northern Gulf of Mexico: 1982, 1985, 1989, 1991, and 1992
Archive of Chirp Subbottom Profile Data Collected in 2017 from the Louisiana Chenier Plain
Coastal Single-Beam Bathymetry Data Collected in 2017 from the Chenier Plain, Louisiana
Sediment Data for Samples Collected in 2015, 2016, and 2017 from Coastal Louisiana
Archive of Digitized Analog Boomer Seismic-Reflection Data Collected During U.S. Geological Survey Cruises Erda 92-2 and Erda 92-4 in Mississippi Sound, June and August 1992
Evaluating oil and gas industry two-dimensional multichannel seismic data for use in near-surface assessment of geologic framework and potential marine minerals resources
Analysis of high-resolution single channel seismic data for use in sediment resource evaluation, eastern Texas and western Louisiana Continental Shelf, Gulf of Mexico
Gulf Islands National Seashore regional sediment budget research and data needs—Workshop series summary
Changes in sediment transport processes at the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana in response to storm impact
Decision science as a framework for combining geomorphological and ecological modeling for the management of coastal systems
Sediment characterization and dynamics in Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana
Documenting the multiple facets of a subsiding landscape from coastal cities and wetlands to the continental shelf
Chandeleur Islands to Breton Island bathymetric and topographic datasets and operational sediment budget development: Methodology and analysis report
Chenier Plain region bathymetric and topographic datasets: Methodology report
Influence of antecedent geology on the Holocene formation and evolution of Horn Island, Mississippi, USA
Impacts of sediment removal from and placement in coastal barrier island systems
Executive SummaryOn June 24, 2019, Congressman Raul Grijalva of Arizona, Chair of the House Committee on Natural Resources, sent a letter to the directors of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Geological Survey to request their assistance in answering questions regarding coastal sediment resource management within the Coastal Barrier Resources System as defined by the Coastal Barrier
Seafloor change around the Mississippi barrier islands, 1920 to 2016—The influence of storm effects on inlet and island morphodynamics
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Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) Program-Louisiana Outer Coast Restoration: North Breton Island Component-Monitoring and Adaptive Management
In order to enhance habitat for nesting Brown Pelicans, terns, Black Skimmers, and gulls, the USFWS has contracted with USGS to conduct project monitoring on North Breton Island from FY23 to FY31. Monitoring conducted by USGS will facilitate evaluation of habitat characteristics and determine restoration success or need for adaptive management.Coastal Resource Evaluation for Management Application (CREMA)
Coastal environments are dynamic systems that provide high ecological, economical, recreational, and cultural value. Managing coastal systems requires a comprehensive understanding of the complex interactions between geological and ecological processes, as well as the ability to predict both the near-term and long-term impacts of storms and sea-level rise. The Coastal Resource Evaluation for...Mississippi Coastal Improvements Program (MsCIP)
In 2009, the Mississippi Coastal Improvements Program (MsCIP) was developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Mobile District in conjunction with other Federal and State agencies, to help reduce future storm damage along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The Comprehensive Plan for MsCIP includes restoring the Mississippi barrier islands and over 3,000 acres of wetland and coastal forest...Alabama Barrier Island Restoration Assessment
This project is a collaborative effort between the USGS, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and the State of Alabama funded by National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) to investigate viable, sustainable restoration options that protect and restore the natural resources of Dauphin Island, Alabama. The project is focused on restoration options that protect and restore habitat and living...Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring Program (BICM)
The goal of the State of Louisiana Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring (BICM) program is to provide long-term data on the barrier islands of Louisiana that could be used to plan, design, evaluate, and maintain current and future barrier-island restoration projects.Integrating Mapping and Modeling to Support the Restoration of Bird Nesting Habitat at Breton Island National Wildlife Refuge
Breton Island, located at the southern end of the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana, is part of the Breton National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) established in 1904 by Theodore Roosevelt. Breton NWR is recognized as a globally important bird habitat because of the resources it provides, and hosts one of Louisiana's largest historical brown pelican nesting colonies. Without actions to restore sand to the...Mapping Florida's Coastal Waters
The FCMaP approach divides Florida into 6 regions that are geologically and physiographically distinct in terms of coastal characteristic.The Florida Coastal Mapping Program
The Florida Coastal Mapping Program (FCMaP) is an initiative between Federal and Florida State agencies and institutions to coordinate and facilitate the collection and accessibility of Florida coastal seafloor data in order to fill priority areas and gaps. FCMaP is affiliated with the Florida Institute of Oceanography (FIO) whose activities are guided by the FCMaP Science and Technical Advisory...Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring
Historical and newly acquired data were used to assess and monitor changes in the aerial and subaqueous extent of islands, habitat types, sediment properties, environmental processes, and vegetation composition.Subsidence and Coastal Geomorphic Change in South-Central Louisiana
New methods will investigate coastal subsidence on and around barrier islands before and after restoration.Science Support for the Mississippi Coastal Improvement Project
Since 2007, the USGS (with NPS and USACE) has been mapping the seafloor and substrate around the Mississippi barrier islands to characterize the near-surface stratigraphy and identify the influence it has on island evolution and fate.Enhancing Coastal Adaptation Planning at Gulf Islands National Seashore
Barrier islands are exposed to a range of natural and human-caused changes, including hurricanes, sea-level rise, and dredging. These changes have the potential to influence the ability of barrier islands to serve as a first-line of defense for the mainland during storm events. Gulf Islands National Seashore, a National Park Service unit in the northern Gulf of Mexico between Florida and Mississip - Data
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Gulf Islands National Seashore 2020 Workshop: Attendee Survey Results
The National Park Service (NPS), in collaboration with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), recognizes the need to quantify the sediment budget of the barrier islands within the Gulf Islands National Seashore (GINS) to understand the coastal processes affecting island resiliency. To achieve this goal, identifying and quantifying the physical parameters that drive long-term change is necessary to modData from: Decision science for management of coastal ecosystems
Coastal management decisions are complex and include challenging tradeoffs. Decision science offers a useful framework to address such complex problems. We illustrate the process with several coastal restoration studies. Our capstone example is based on a recent barrier island restoration assessment project at Dauphin Island, Alabama, which included the development of geomorphological and ecologicArchive of Chirp Subbottom Profile Data Collected in 2015 From Dauphin Island, Alabama
As part of the Alabama Barrier Island Restoration Feasibility Study, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) conducted a nearshore geophysical survey to map the shoreface and determine Holocene stratigraphy near Dauphin Island, Alabama (AL) in September of 2015. The objective of the project is to investigate nearshore geologic conArchive of Chirp Subbottom Profile and Single-Beam Bathymetry Data Collected in 2021 From Santa Rosa Island, Florida
As part of the Coastal Resource Evaluation for Management Applications (CREMA) Project, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) conducted a nearshore geophysical survey to map the shoreface and determine Holocene stratigraphy near Pensacola Beach, Florida (FL) in June of 2021. The objective of the project is to investigate nearshoArchive of Digitized Analog Boomer Seismic Reflection Data Collected from the Northern Gulf of Mexico: Intersea 1980
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program (CMHRP) has actively collected geophysical and sedimentological data in the northern Gulf of Mexico for several decades, including shallow subsurface data in the form of high-resolution seismic reflection profiles (HRSP). Prior to the mid-1990s most HRSP data were collected in analog format as paper rolls of continuCoastal Multibeam Bathymetry Data Collected in 2019 off of Santa Rosa Island, Florida
The U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (USGS SPCMSC), collected multibeam bathymetry data off the coast of Santa Rosa Island, Florida in June of 2019. The data was collected as part of the USGS Resource Evaluation for Management Applications (CREMA) project. This USGS Data Release includes the resulting processed elevation point data (XYZ) as derived from a 1-mMultibeam Bathymetry Data Collected in 2018 offshore of Cedar Key, Florida
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) conducted a multibeam bathymetry survey of a selected area offshore Cedar Key, Florida (FL) for the Florida Big Bend Pilot Study funded by USGS and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The study involves federal, state, and local agencies who are taking a comprehensive approach to investiArchive of Digitized Analog Boomer Seismic Reflection Data Collected from the Northern Gulf of Mexico: 1982, 1985, 1989, 1991, and 1992
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program (CMHRP) has actively collected geophysical and sedimentological data in the northern Gulf of Mexico for several decades, including shallow subsurface data in the form of high-resolution seismic reflection profiles (HRSP). Prior to the mid-1990s most HRSP data were collected in analog format as paper rolls of continuArchive of Chirp Subbottom Profile Data Collected in 2017 from the Louisiana Chenier Plain
Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center conducted nearshore geophysical surveys around the eastern and western Chenier Plain, Louisiana, in 2017. Data were collected under the Barrier Island Coastal Monitoring (BICM) program, an ongoing collaboration between the State of Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA), the UnCoastal Single-Beam Bathymetry Data Collected in 2017 from the Chenier Plain, Louisiana
As part of the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority's Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring Program, scientist from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center conducted a nearshore single-beam bathymetry survey along the Chenier Plain, Louisiana from Marsh Island to Sabine Pass. The goal of the BICM program is to provide long-term data onSediment Data for Samples Collected in 2015, 2016, and 2017 from Coastal Louisiana
This data release serves as an archive of sediment data collected in 2015, 2016, and 2017 from coastal Louisiana. In 2015 and 2016, sediment grab samples (N=874) were collected coast-wide along shore-perpendicular transects that included back-barrier, emergent (beach and barrier island), shoreface, and nearshore environments. Sample locations were selected to re-occupy as closely as possible locatArchive of Digitized Analog Boomer Seismic-Reflection Data Collected During U.S. Geological Survey Cruises Erda 92-2 and Erda 92-4 in Mississippi Sound, June and August 1992
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Coastal and Marine Geology Program has actively collected geophysical and sedimentological data in the northern Gulf of Mexico for several decades, including shallow subsurface data in the form of high-resolution seismic reflection profiles (HRSP). Prior to the mid-1990s most HRSP data were collected in analog format as paper rolls of continuous profiles up to 25 - Multimedia
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Evaluating oil and gas industry two-dimensional multichannel seismic data for use in near-surface assessment of geologic framework and potential marine minerals resources
Marine seismic reflection data acquired across the Gulf of Mexico during oil and gas exploration are available to the public through an online database archive. The data are archived as two-dimensional multichannel seismic data in two digital formats. The formats include image files in portable document format (PDF), and binary files in industry standard Society for Exploration Geophysicists revisAuthorsJames G. Flocks, Arnell S. Forde, Stephen T. BosseAnalysis of high-resolution single channel seismic data for use in sediment resource evaluation, eastern Texas and western Louisiana Continental Shelf, Gulf of Mexico
Shallow subsurface geologic data recorded as high-resolution seismic profiles are used to interpret the geology of coastal and marine systems. These data were originally recorded on paper rolls that are stored in geophysical archives. Data collection has since converted to entirely digital formats, yet the analog data are still useful for geologic interpretation. This report describes the processAuthorsJames G. Flocks, Arnell S. Forde, Stephen T. BosseGulf Islands National Seashore regional sediment budget research and data needs—Workshop series summary
Executive SummaryThe National Park Service (NPS), in collaboration with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), recognizes the need to quantify the sediment budget of the barrier islands within the Gulf Islands National Seashore (GINS) to understand the coastal processes affecting island resiliency. To achieve this goal, identifying and quantifying the physical parameters that drive long-term change isAuthorsErin Seekamp, James Flocks, Courtney Hotchkiss, Linda York, Kelly IrickChanges in sediment transport processes at the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana in response to storm impact
We analyzed elevation changes at the northern Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana, to quantify sediment fluxes and assess sediment transport processes over two time periods (1920 – 2007 and 2007 – 2015). Wave-driven alongshore sediment transport is the predominant fair-weather process, whereas storms transport sediment across the island platform and promote shoreline retreat. Major storm impacts, whereAuthorsJames Flocks, Julie BernierDecision science as a framework for combining geomorphological and ecological modeling for the management of coastal systems
The loss of ecosystem services due to climate change and coastal development is projected to have significant impacts on local economies and conservation of natural resources. Consequently, there has been an increase in coastal management activities such as living shorelines, oyster reef restoration, marsh restoration, beach and dune nourishment, and revegetation projects. Coastal management decisAuthorsJulien Martin, Matthew S. Richardson, Davina Passeri, Nicholas Enwright, Simeon Yurek, James Flocks, Mitchell Eaton, Sara Zeigler, Hadi Charkhgard, Bradley James Udell, Elise IrwinSediment characterization and dynamics in Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana
Lake Pontchartrain in southeastern Louisiana is the largest of several shallow estuaries that together cover over 15,000 km2. Wetlands, forests, and large urban areas surround the lake. Primary transport mechanisms of sediments to Lake Pontchartrain include urban runoff, major diversions of the Mississippi River, discharge from streams along the north and west shores, and tidal circulation. SedimeAuthorsJames G. Flocks, Jack L Kindinger, Marci E Marot, Charles W HolmesDocumenting the multiple facets of a subsiding landscape from coastal cities and wetlands to the continental shelf
Land subsidence is a settling, sinking, or collapse of the land surface. In the southeastern United States, subsidence is frequently observed as sinkhole collapse in karst environments, wetland degradation and loss in coastal and other low-lying areas, and inundation of coastal urban communities. Human activities such as fluid extraction, mining, and overburden alteration can cause or exacerbate sAuthorsJames G. Flocks, Eileen McGraw, John Barras, Julie Bernier, Mike Bradley, Devin L. Galloway, James Landmeyer, W. Scott McBride, Christopher Smith, Kathryn Smith, Christopher Swarzenski, Lauren TothByNatural Hazards Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Caribbean-Florida Water Science Center (CFWSC), Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center, Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Water Science Center, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC), St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science CenterChandeleur Islands to Breton Island bathymetric and topographic datasets and operational sediment budget development: Methodology and analysis report
This study is part of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) Louisiana Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring (BICM) program. The goal of the BICM program is to provide long-term data on the barrier islands of Louisiana for monitoring change and assisting in coastal management. The BICM program uses historical data and acquires new data to map and monitor shoreline position, sediAuthorsJames G. Flocks, Arnell S. Forde, Julie BernierChenier Plain region bathymetric and topographic datasets: Methodology report
The goal of the Louisiana Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring (BICM) program is to provide long-term data on coastal Louisiana for monitoring change and assisting in coastal management. This study (carried out under Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority contract number 2000339324, BICM2—Chenier TopoBathy DEM) builds upon the previous BICM physical assessment of the Chenier Plain regionAuthorsJames G. Flocks, Arnell S. Forde, Julie BernierInfluence of antecedent geology on the Holocene formation and evolution of Horn Island, Mississippi, USA
Horn Island, one of the two most stable barriers along the Mississippi-Alabama chain (Cat, East and West Ship, Horn, West Petit Bois, Petit Bois, and Dauphin), provides critical habitat, helps regulate estuarine conditions in the Mississippi Sound, and reduces wave energy and storm surge before they reach the mainland shore. However, important details of the formation and evolution of the island iAuthorsNina S Gal, Davin J Wallace, Michael Miner, Robert S Hollis, Clayton H Dike, James FlocksImpacts of sediment removal from and placement in coastal barrier island systems
Executive SummaryOn June 24, 2019, Congressman Raul Grijalva of Arizona, Chair of the House Committee on Natural Resources, sent a letter to the directors of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Geological Survey to request their assistance in answering questions regarding coastal sediment resource management within the Coastal Barrier Resources System as defined by the Coastal Barrier
AuthorsJennifer L. Miselis, James G. Flocks, Sara Zeigler, Davina Passeri, David R. Smith, Jill Bourque, Christopher R. Sherwood, Christopher G. Smith, Daniel J. Ciarletta, Kathryn Smith, Kristen Hart, David C. Kazyak, Alicia Berlin, Bianca Prohaska, Teresa Calleson, Kristi YanchisSeafloor change around the Mississippi barrier islands, 1920 to 2016—The influence of storm effects on inlet and island morphodynamics
The Mississippi Barrier Islands in the northern Gulf of Mexico experienced high rates of spatial change over recorded history. Wave-induced sediment transport induced island migration, landward retreat, and inlet evolution. These processes can be measured using repeat bathymetric surveys to analyze elevation change over time. This study analyzes digital elevation models created from three time perAuthorsJames Flocks, Noreen A. Buster, Owen T. Brenner - News