End point rate of shoreline change statistics for New York State coastal wetlands
Dates
Publication Date
2019-04-02
Citation
Welk, R.J., 2019, Rate of shoreline change statistics for New York State coastal wetlands: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9JVMLFT.
Summary
This data set contains rate of shoreline change statistics for New York State coastal wetlands. Analysis was performed in ArcMap 10.5.1 using historical vector shoreline data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Rate of change statistics were calculated using the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS), created by U.S. Geological Survey, version 5.0. End-point rates, presented here, calculated by dividing the distance of shoreline movement by the time elapsed between the oldest and the most recent shoreline, were generated for wetlands where fewer than three historic shorelines were available. Linear regression rates, determined by fitting a least-squares regression line to all shoreline points for [...]
Summary
This data set contains rate of shoreline change statistics for New York State coastal wetlands. Analysis was performed in ArcMap 10.5.1 using historical vector shoreline data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Rate of change statistics were calculated using the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS), created by U.S. Geological Survey, version 5.0. End-point rates, presented here, calculated by dividing the distance of shoreline movement by the time elapsed between the oldest and the most recent shoreline, were generated for wetlands where fewer than three historic shorelines were available. Linear regression rates, determined by fitting a least-squares regression line to all shoreline points for a particular transect, were used in areas where three or more shorelines were present. A reference baseline was used as the originating point for the orthogonal transects cast by the DSAS software. The transects intersect each shoreline establishing intersection measurement points, which were then used to calculate the rates.
This data set is part of a cooperative agreement between USGS and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to assess coastal wetland vulnerability within the state. Monitoring shoreline change enables quantification of land loss or gain over time, determined by the balance between erosion and accretion along coasts. Metrics such as this are valuable to management decision makers in evaluating long-term wetland viability. For coastal wetlands, erosion along the water boundary causes a loss of ecosystem services, such as habitat provision, carbon storage, and wave attenuation.
