A view of a vegetated inland coastline overlooking the water on Dauphin Island, Alabama. The island protects mainland Alabama’s coastal communities and resources from storms, while also providing recreational opportunities (fishing, beach tourism, etc.) and other economic benefits to the local community and state.
Nicholas M Enwright, Ph.D.
Nicholas Enwright is a Research Geographer at U.S. Geological Survey's Wetland and Aquatic Research Center in Lafayette, Louisiana.
He received his Ph.D. from Louisiana State University in 2019. Nicholas uses applied coastal geography research to understand how the spatial distribution and patterns of environments, such as barrier islands and coastal wetlands, are changing through time. His research program aims to further science related to natural resource assessments, restoration planning, and monitoring by: (1) developing new data using remote sensing techniques; (2) advancing methodologies for geospatial studies; (3) analyzing spatial data using geographic information science (GIS); and (4) forecasting potential future landscapes using geocomputational modeling. Currently, Nicholas' research team is working on projects that span the northern Gulf of Mexico coast and the Atlantic Seaboard.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 23
A Case Study Assessing the Cumulative Effects of Deepwater Horizon Restoration Projects on Barrier Island/Barrier Shoreline Ecosystem Resilience in the North-central Gulf of Mexico
USGS and partners will assess the potential cumulative effects of restoration projects on the resiliency of barrier islands and barrier shorelines in the north-central Gulf of Mexico.
Barrier Island Habitat Mapping for the Louisiana Outer Coast Project
The USGS is collaborating with the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) to develop post-restoration barrier island habitat maps for three of the four components associated with the Louisiana Outer Coast Restoration Project
Understanding Ecosystem Response and Infrastructure Vulnerability to Sea-Level Rise for Gulf Islands National Seashore
USGS researchers will will survey elevation and vegetation in wetlands and vegetated dunes on Horn, Petite Bois, and Ship Islands; Correct the best available lidar-based digital elevation model; estimate inundation for the Gulf Islands National Seashore under various water levels and relative sea-level rise scenarios; and quantify and predict potential marsh migration for the Gulf Islands National...
Characterizing the Barrier Island Geomorphic State: Indicators of Resistance vs. Resilience
The USGS, The Water Institute of the Gulf, and other partners are assessing the resistance and resilience of Louisiana's barrier islands.
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.
Developing General Coastal Vegetation Maps for Coastal Morphodynamic Models
The USGS is collaborating with researchers from other agencies, academia, and industry to predict coastal impacts from hurricanes. The results from this study will better inform coastal morphological change models, which will lead to improved hurricane impact projections.
A Tool for Rapid-Repeat High-Resolution Coastal Vegetation Maps to Improve Forecasting of Hurricane Impacts and Coastal Resilience
We developed and published a stand-alone Python script to produce high-frequency and high-spatial resolution coastal vegetation maps that leverage new Planet 8-band 3m images, USGS CoNED topo-bathy DEMs, and 3DEP Height Above Ground data. These products will help improve forecasts of hurricane impacts.
Barriers and Opportunities for Landward Migration of Coastal Wetlands along Texas' Upper and Middle Coast
Researchers at WARC will use data and models to produce probabilistic maps of current and future wetland inundation, coastal wetland extent, and coastal and wetland trangression.
Understanding Ecosystem Response and Infrastructure Vulnerability to Sea-Level Rise for Several National Parks and Preserves in the South Atlantic-Gulf Region
USGS Researchers at the Wetland and Aquatic Research Center and the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center will provide valuable information to natural resource managers on how important coastal ecosystems in the National Park Service South Atlantic-Gulf Region may change over time. This information could assist with future-focused land management and stewardship.
Mapping Avian Habitat for the Gulf Coast Joint Venture
The Gulf Coast Joint Venture (GCJV) was established in 1988 as a result of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, which espouses the restoration of continental waterfowl populations through conservation partnerships in priority habitat regions. Since that time GCJV partners have expanded their mission and purpose to include the provision of habitat to support other priority bird species...
Coast Train: Massive Library of Labeled Coastal Images to Train Machine Learning for Coastal Hazards and Resources
Scientists who study coastal ecosystems and hazards such as hurricanes, flooding, and cliff failure collect lots of photographs of coastal environments from airplanes and drones. A large area can be surveyed at high resolution and low cost. Additionally, satellites such as Landsat have provided imagery of the Nation’s coastlines every few days for decades. Scientist’s ability to understand coastal
Understanding Avian Habitat Availability and Use After Barrier Island Restoration in Coastal Louisiana
Using ecological and geographical data, WARC researchers and their partners are analyzing avian and benthic sampling on Whiskey Island and Caminda Headland to compare pre- and post-restoration aspects of habitat occupancy, habitat availability, habitat use, and kernal density estimation.
Dauphin Island, Alabama
A view of a vegetated inland coastline overlooking the water on Dauphin Island, Alabama. The island protects mainland Alabama’s coastal communities and resources from storms, while also providing recreational opportunities (fishing, beach tourism, etc.) and other economic benefits to the local community and state.
Dauphin Island, Alabama
A panoramic view on Dauphin Island, Alabama. The island protects mainland Alabama’s coastal communities and resources from storms, while also providing recreational opportunities (fishing, beach tourism, etc.) and other economic benefits to the local community and state.
A panoramic view on Dauphin Island, Alabama. The island protects mainland Alabama’s coastal communities and resources from storms, while also providing recreational opportunities (fishing, beach tourism, etc.) and other economic benefits to the local community and state.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 23
A Case Study Assessing the Cumulative Effects of Deepwater Horizon Restoration Projects on Barrier Island/Barrier Shoreline Ecosystem Resilience in the North-central Gulf of Mexico
USGS and partners will assess the potential cumulative effects of restoration projects on the resiliency of barrier islands and barrier shorelines in the north-central Gulf of Mexico.
Barrier Island Habitat Mapping for the Louisiana Outer Coast Project
The USGS is collaborating with the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) to develop post-restoration barrier island habitat maps for three of the four components associated with the Louisiana Outer Coast Restoration Project
Understanding Ecosystem Response and Infrastructure Vulnerability to Sea-Level Rise for Gulf Islands National Seashore
USGS researchers will will survey elevation and vegetation in wetlands and vegetated dunes on Horn, Petite Bois, and Ship Islands; Correct the best available lidar-based digital elevation model; estimate inundation for the Gulf Islands National Seashore under various water levels and relative sea-level rise scenarios; and quantify and predict potential marsh migration for the Gulf Islands National...
Characterizing the Barrier Island Geomorphic State: Indicators of Resistance vs. Resilience
The USGS, The Water Institute of the Gulf, and other partners are assessing the resistance and resilience of Louisiana's barrier islands.
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.
Developing General Coastal Vegetation Maps for Coastal Morphodynamic Models
The USGS is collaborating with researchers from other agencies, academia, and industry to predict coastal impacts from hurricanes. The results from this study will better inform coastal morphological change models, which will lead to improved hurricane impact projections.
A Tool for Rapid-Repeat High-Resolution Coastal Vegetation Maps to Improve Forecasting of Hurricane Impacts and Coastal Resilience
We developed and published a stand-alone Python script to produce high-frequency and high-spatial resolution coastal vegetation maps that leverage new Planet 8-band 3m images, USGS CoNED topo-bathy DEMs, and 3DEP Height Above Ground data. These products will help improve forecasts of hurricane impacts.
Barriers and Opportunities for Landward Migration of Coastal Wetlands along Texas' Upper and Middle Coast
Researchers at WARC will use data and models to produce probabilistic maps of current and future wetland inundation, coastal wetland extent, and coastal and wetland trangression.
Understanding Ecosystem Response and Infrastructure Vulnerability to Sea-Level Rise for Several National Parks and Preserves in the South Atlantic-Gulf Region
USGS Researchers at the Wetland and Aquatic Research Center and the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center will provide valuable information to natural resource managers on how important coastal ecosystems in the National Park Service South Atlantic-Gulf Region may change over time. This information could assist with future-focused land management and stewardship.
Mapping Avian Habitat for the Gulf Coast Joint Venture
The Gulf Coast Joint Venture (GCJV) was established in 1988 as a result of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, which espouses the restoration of continental waterfowl populations through conservation partnerships in priority habitat regions. Since that time GCJV partners have expanded their mission and purpose to include the provision of habitat to support other priority bird species...
Coast Train: Massive Library of Labeled Coastal Images to Train Machine Learning for Coastal Hazards and Resources
Scientists who study coastal ecosystems and hazards such as hurricanes, flooding, and cliff failure collect lots of photographs of coastal environments from airplanes and drones. A large area can be surveyed at high resolution and low cost. Additionally, satellites such as Landsat have provided imagery of the Nation’s coastlines every few days for decades. Scientist’s ability to understand coastal
Understanding Avian Habitat Availability and Use After Barrier Island Restoration in Coastal Louisiana
Using ecological and geographical data, WARC researchers and their partners are analyzing avian and benthic sampling on Whiskey Island and Caminda Headland to compare pre- and post-restoration aspects of habitat occupancy, habitat availability, habitat use, and kernal density estimation.
Dauphin Island, Alabama
A view of a vegetated inland coastline overlooking the water on Dauphin Island, Alabama. The island protects mainland Alabama’s coastal communities and resources from storms, while also providing recreational opportunities (fishing, beach tourism, etc.) and other economic benefits to the local community and state.
A view of a vegetated inland coastline overlooking the water on Dauphin Island, Alabama. The island protects mainland Alabama’s coastal communities and resources from storms, while also providing recreational opportunities (fishing, beach tourism, etc.) and other economic benefits to the local community and state.
Dauphin Island, Alabama
A panoramic view on Dauphin Island, Alabama. The island protects mainland Alabama’s coastal communities and resources from storms, while also providing recreational opportunities (fishing, beach tourism, etc.) and other economic benefits to the local community and state.
A panoramic view on Dauphin Island, Alabama. The island protects mainland Alabama’s coastal communities and resources from storms, while also providing recreational opportunities (fishing, beach tourism, etc.) and other economic benefits to the local community and state.