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My research focuses on coastal landscapes and how they change over time. I am especially interested in the complex interactions between land, rivers and the sea. This work is conducted with a wide range of remote sensing tools, physical measurements, and numerical techniques, which are combined to build a better understanding about earth system processes and to assist with resource management.
Coastal Change
Coastal landforms are continually changing from the effects of waves, winds, rainfall, sediment supplies and human impacts. I investigate the rates, styles and causes of change across a broad range of coastal systems, including beaches, sea cliffs, rocky shorelines and river mouths.
Remote Sensing
Optical and acoustic techniques allow us to observe many coastal processes remotely. I develop and use a range of remote sensing methods to observe landscape and seascape change and oceanographic processes.
Source-to-Sink Sediment
Sediment moves through terrestrial landscapes and river networks before it is discharged to the sea, where it can contribute to littoral cells or move to the deep sea. I study the broad range of processes responsible for these source-to-sink pathways of sediment, including the integration of sediment budgets across entire land-to-sea systems.
Most of the world’s beaches have regular cycles of erosion and recovery, but new USGS research is showing that these cycles may be considerably different from common perceptions.
Most of the world’s beaches have regular cycles of erosion and recovery, but new USGS research is showing that these cycles may be considerably different from common perceptions.
Most of the world’s beaches have regular cycles of erosion and recovery, but new USGS research is showing that these cycles may be considerably different from common perceptions.
Most of the world’s beaches have regular cycles of erosion and recovery, but new USGS research is showing that these cycles may be considerably different from common perceptions.
Join USGS Research Geologist and lifelong surfer Jon Warrick at the Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center Santa Cruz as he discusses how coastal and ocean geoscience contribute to a better understanding of how waves form and behave as they approach the shore—critical information with a broad range of applications, not least of which is surfing!
Join USGS Research Geologist and lifelong surfer Jon Warrick at the Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center Santa Cruz as he discusses how coastal and ocean geoscience contribute to a better understanding of how waves form and behave as they approach the shore—critical information with a broad range of applications, not least of which is surfing!
Join USGS Research Geologist and lifelong surfer Jon Warrick at the Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center Santa Cruz as he discusses how coastal and ocean geoscience contributes to a better understanding of how waves form and behave as they approach the shore—critical information with a broad range of applications, not least of which is surfing!
Join USGS Research Geologist and lifelong surfer Jon Warrick at the Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center Santa Cruz as he discusses how coastal and ocean geoscience contributes to a better understanding of how waves form and behave as they approach the shore—critical information with a broad range of applications, not least of which is surfing!
Monitoring coastal changes is important for the millions of people that live along coasts in the United States, particularly as climate change hastens coastal erosion by raising sea levels and fueling powerful storms.
Monitoring coastal changes is important for the millions of people that live along coasts in the United States, particularly as climate change hastens coastal erosion by raising sea levels and fueling powerful storms.
Monitoring coastal changes is important for the millions of people that live along coasts in the United States, particularly as climate change hastens coastal erosion by raising sea levels and fueling powerful storms.
Monitoring coastal changes is important for the millions of people that live along coasts in the United States, particularly as climate change hastens coastal erosion by raising sea levels and fueling powerful storms.
Section of Big Hickory Beach in Bonita Beach, Florida, before and after Hurricane Ian, 2022. The island endured severe damage and coastal change from the storm including overwashed sand and erosion.
Section of Big Hickory Beach in Bonita Beach, Florida, before and after Hurricane Ian, 2022. The island endured severe damage and coastal change from the storm including overwashed sand and erosion.
Section of Fort Myers Beach, Florida, before and after Hurricane Ian, 2022. The area endured severe damage and coastal change from the storm including overwashed sand, coastal flooding, and in some places, erosion.
Section of Fort Myers Beach, Florida, before and after Hurricane Ian, 2022. The area endured severe damage and coastal change from the storm including overwashed sand, coastal flooding, and in some places, erosion.
Section of Fort Myers Beach, Florida, before and after Hurricane Ian, 2022. The area endured severe damage and coastal change from the storm including overwashed sand, coastal flooding, and in some places, erosion.
Section of Fort Myers Beach, Florida, before and after Hurricane Ian, 2022. The area endured severe damage and coastal change from the storm including overwashed sand, coastal flooding, and in some places, erosion.
Section of Sanibel Island, Florida, before and after Hurricane Ian, 2022. The island endured severe damage and coastal change from the storm including overwashed sand, coastal flooding, and in some places, erosion.
Section of Sanibel Island, Florida, before and after Hurricane Ian, 2022. The island endured severe damage and coastal change from the storm including overwashed sand, coastal flooding, and in some places, erosion.
Section of Sanibel Island, Florida, before and after Hurricane Ian, 2022. The island endured severe damage and coastal change from the storm including overwashed sand, coastal flooding, and in some places, erosion.
Section of Sanibel Island, Florida, before and after Hurricane Ian, 2022. The island endured severe damage and coastal change from the storm including overwashed sand, coastal flooding, and in some places, erosion.
A two-day rainstorm from January 26-28, 2021 caused numerous mudslides, debris flows, and other issues along California's coastal Highway 1 through Big Sur. This section is just north of Kirk Creek, at a drainage where mud was washed across the roadway. Plumes of the muddy runoff are clearly visible in the ocean.
A two-day rainstorm from January 26-28, 2021 caused numerous mudslides, debris flows, and other issues along California's coastal Highway 1 through Big Sur. This section is just north of Kirk Creek, at a drainage where mud was washed across the roadway. Plumes of the muddy runoff are clearly visible in the ocean.
A two-day rainstorm from January 26-28, 2021 caused numerous mudslides, debris flows, and other issues along California's coastal Highway 1 through Big Sur. This is Big Creek Bridge, and Big Creek is still murky. Plumes of the muddy runoff are clearly visible in the ocean.
A two-day rainstorm from January 26-28, 2021 caused numerous mudslides, debris flows, and other issues along California's coastal Highway 1 through Big Sur. This is Big Creek Bridge, and Big Creek is still murky. Plumes of the muddy runoff are clearly visible in the ocean.
USGS photographs taken from a contracted small airplane are used to build three-dimensional representations of the hillslopes of Big Sur, California, as shown here for the Mud Creek landslide site in 2017. Blue symbols show the locations of individual photos obtained on the flight, and the gray area shows the hillslope landscape created from the photos using S
USGS photographs taken from a contracted small airplane are used to build three-dimensional representations of the hillslopes of Big Sur, California, as shown here for the Mud Creek landslide site in 2017. Blue symbols show the locations of individual photos obtained on the flight, and the gray area shows the hillslope landscape created from the photos using S
USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center in Santa Cruz, California installed these two video cameras, pointed at the shoreline. The cameras collected imagery every half hour for 10 minutes, during daylight hours. The images are stored in the cloud and are used to study coastal variations through time, like wave, shoreline, and sandbar dynamics.
USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center in Santa Cruz, California installed these two video cameras, pointed at the shoreline. The cameras collected imagery every half hour for 10 minutes, during daylight hours. The images are stored in the cloud and are used to study coastal variations through time, like wave, shoreline, and sandbar dynamics.
USGS ocean engineer Gerry Hatcher with the camera system he helped create for recording the precise time and geographic location of each air photo it takes. The system is mounted in the cargo compartment of a Cessna 182R airplane and takes photos through a window cut into a removable cargo door (right).
USGS ocean engineer Gerry Hatcher with the camera system he helped create for recording the precise time and geographic location of each air photo it takes. The system is mounted in the cargo compartment of a Cessna 182R airplane and takes photos through a window cut into a removable cargo door (right).
USGS scientists survey a beach near San Francisco to assist with a comparison of data derived from aerial photos and lidar.
USGS scientists survey a beach near San Francisco to assist with a comparison of data derived from aerial photos and lidar.
Special camera rig and precision GPS receiver (right) designed to take Structure from Motion photos from a small airplane.
Special camera rig and precision GPS receiver (right) designed to take Structure from Motion photos from a small airplane.
Most of the world’s beaches have regular cycles of erosion and recovery, but new USGS research is showing that these cycles may be considerably different from common perceptions.
Most of the world’s beaches have regular cycles of erosion and recovery, but new USGS research is showing that these cycles may be considerably different from common perceptions.
Most of the world’s beaches have regular cycles of erosion and recovery, but new USGS research is showing that these cycles may be considerably different from common perceptions.
Most of the world’s beaches have regular cycles of erosion and recovery, but new USGS research is showing that these cycles may be considerably different from common perceptions.
Join USGS Research Geologist and lifelong surfer Jon Warrick at the Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center Santa Cruz as he discusses how coastal and ocean geoscience contribute to a better understanding of how waves form and behave as they approach the shore—critical information with a broad range of applications, not least of which is surfing!
Join USGS Research Geologist and lifelong surfer Jon Warrick at the Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center Santa Cruz as he discusses how coastal and ocean geoscience contribute to a better understanding of how waves form and behave as they approach the shore—critical information with a broad range of applications, not least of which is surfing!
Join USGS Research Geologist and lifelong surfer Jon Warrick at the Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center Santa Cruz as he discusses how coastal and ocean geoscience contributes to a better understanding of how waves form and behave as they approach the shore—critical information with a broad range of applications, not least of which is surfing!
Join USGS Research Geologist and lifelong surfer Jon Warrick at the Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center Santa Cruz as he discusses how coastal and ocean geoscience contributes to a better understanding of how waves form and behave as they approach the shore—critical information with a broad range of applications, not least of which is surfing!
Monitoring coastal changes is important for the millions of people that live along coasts in the United States, particularly as climate change hastens coastal erosion by raising sea levels and fueling powerful storms.
Monitoring coastal changes is important for the millions of people that live along coasts in the United States, particularly as climate change hastens coastal erosion by raising sea levels and fueling powerful storms.
Monitoring coastal changes is important for the millions of people that live along coasts in the United States, particularly as climate change hastens coastal erosion by raising sea levels and fueling powerful storms.
Monitoring coastal changes is important for the millions of people that live along coasts in the United States, particularly as climate change hastens coastal erosion by raising sea levels and fueling powerful storms.
Section of Big Hickory Beach in Bonita Beach, Florida, before and after Hurricane Ian, 2022. The island endured severe damage and coastal change from the storm including overwashed sand and erosion.
Section of Big Hickory Beach in Bonita Beach, Florida, before and after Hurricane Ian, 2022. The island endured severe damage and coastal change from the storm including overwashed sand and erosion.
Section of Fort Myers Beach, Florida, before and after Hurricane Ian, 2022. The area endured severe damage and coastal change from the storm including overwashed sand, coastal flooding, and in some places, erosion.
Section of Fort Myers Beach, Florida, before and after Hurricane Ian, 2022. The area endured severe damage and coastal change from the storm including overwashed sand, coastal flooding, and in some places, erosion.
Section of Fort Myers Beach, Florida, before and after Hurricane Ian, 2022. The area endured severe damage and coastal change from the storm including overwashed sand, coastal flooding, and in some places, erosion.
Section of Fort Myers Beach, Florida, before and after Hurricane Ian, 2022. The area endured severe damage and coastal change from the storm including overwashed sand, coastal flooding, and in some places, erosion.
Section of Sanibel Island, Florida, before and after Hurricane Ian, 2022. The island endured severe damage and coastal change from the storm including overwashed sand, coastal flooding, and in some places, erosion.
Section of Sanibel Island, Florida, before and after Hurricane Ian, 2022. The island endured severe damage and coastal change from the storm including overwashed sand, coastal flooding, and in some places, erosion.
Section of Sanibel Island, Florida, before and after Hurricane Ian, 2022. The island endured severe damage and coastal change from the storm including overwashed sand, coastal flooding, and in some places, erosion.
Section of Sanibel Island, Florida, before and after Hurricane Ian, 2022. The island endured severe damage and coastal change from the storm including overwashed sand, coastal flooding, and in some places, erosion.
A two-day rainstorm from January 26-28, 2021 caused numerous mudslides, debris flows, and other issues along California's coastal Highway 1 through Big Sur. This section is just north of Kirk Creek, at a drainage where mud was washed across the roadway. Plumes of the muddy runoff are clearly visible in the ocean.
A two-day rainstorm from January 26-28, 2021 caused numerous mudslides, debris flows, and other issues along California's coastal Highway 1 through Big Sur. This section is just north of Kirk Creek, at a drainage where mud was washed across the roadway. Plumes of the muddy runoff are clearly visible in the ocean.
A two-day rainstorm from January 26-28, 2021 caused numerous mudslides, debris flows, and other issues along California's coastal Highway 1 through Big Sur. This is Big Creek Bridge, and Big Creek is still murky. Plumes of the muddy runoff are clearly visible in the ocean.
A two-day rainstorm from January 26-28, 2021 caused numerous mudslides, debris flows, and other issues along California's coastal Highway 1 through Big Sur. This is Big Creek Bridge, and Big Creek is still murky. Plumes of the muddy runoff are clearly visible in the ocean.
USGS photographs taken from a contracted small airplane are used to build three-dimensional representations of the hillslopes of Big Sur, California, as shown here for the Mud Creek landslide site in 2017. Blue symbols show the locations of individual photos obtained on the flight, and the gray area shows the hillslope landscape created from the photos using S
USGS photographs taken from a contracted small airplane are used to build three-dimensional representations of the hillslopes of Big Sur, California, as shown here for the Mud Creek landslide site in 2017. Blue symbols show the locations of individual photos obtained on the flight, and the gray area shows the hillslope landscape created from the photos using S
USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center in Santa Cruz, California installed these two video cameras, pointed at the shoreline. The cameras collected imagery every half hour for 10 minutes, during daylight hours. The images are stored in the cloud and are used to study coastal variations through time, like wave, shoreline, and sandbar dynamics.
USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center in Santa Cruz, California installed these two video cameras, pointed at the shoreline. The cameras collected imagery every half hour for 10 minutes, during daylight hours. The images are stored in the cloud and are used to study coastal variations through time, like wave, shoreline, and sandbar dynamics.
USGS ocean engineer Gerry Hatcher with the camera system he helped create for recording the precise time and geographic location of each air photo it takes. The system is mounted in the cargo compartment of a Cessna 182R airplane and takes photos through a window cut into a removable cargo door (right).
USGS ocean engineer Gerry Hatcher with the camera system he helped create for recording the precise time and geographic location of each air photo it takes. The system is mounted in the cargo compartment of a Cessna 182R airplane and takes photos through a window cut into a removable cargo door (right).
USGS scientists survey a beach near San Francisco to assist with a comparison of data derived from aerial photos and lidar.
USGS scientists survey a beach near San Francisco to assist with a comparison of data derived from aerial photos and lidar.
Special camera rig and precision GPS receiver (right) designed to take Structure from Motion photos from a small airplane.
Special camera rig and precision GPS receiver (right) designed to take Structure from Motion photos from a small airplane.
