Conceptual marsh units for Fire Island National Seashore and central Great South Bay salt marsh complex, New York

The salt marsh complex of Fire Island National Seashore (FIIS) and central Great South Bay was delineated to smaller, conceptual marsh units by geoprocessing of surface elevation data. Flow accumulation based on the relative elevation of each location is used to determine the ridge lines that separate each marsh unit while the surface slope is used to automatically assign each unit a drainage point, where water is expected to drain through. Through scientific efforts initiated with the Hurricane Sandy Science Plan, the U.S. Geological Survey has been expanding national assessment of coastal change hazards and forecast products to coastal wetlands, including the Fire Island National Seashore and central Great South Bay salt marshes, [...]