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Located in the northern tropical Pacific Ocean, Majuro is the capital of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Majuro Atoll consists of a large, narrow landmass and a set of smaller perimeter islands surrounding a lagoon that is over 100 square miles in size. The waters surrounding the Majuro Atoll land areas are relatively shallow with poorly mapped bathymetry. However, the Pacific Ocean on the exterior of the coral atoll and the lagoon within its interior consist of deep bathymetry with steep slopes. The highest elevation of the Majuro Atoll is estimated at only 3-meters above sea level, which is the island community of Laura located on the western part of the atoll. At the eastern edge of the atoll lies the capital...
Categories: Data; Tags: 3D Elevation Program, 3DEP, American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Base Maps, Bathymetric, All tags...
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The Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center (PI CASC) supports sustainability and climate adaptation in communities across the Pacific Islands by providing natural and cultural resource managers with access to actionable science specific to the region. PI CASC is hosted by the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (UHM) with consortium partners at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo (UHH) and the University of Guam (UOG). During the period of 2019 - 2024, the PI CASC consortium will strive to i) build resiliency and sustainability in ecosystems and communities to climate change impacts; ii) strive to develop the best actionable climate science, while maintaining a non-advocacy stance; and iii) apply the elements...
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The shapefile associated with this metadata file represents the spatial distribution of mean annual water-budget components, in inches, for Hawaii Island, Hawaii. The water-budget components in the shapefile were computed by a water-budget model for a scenario representative of predevelopment conditions (1916-83 rainfall and 1870 land cover), as described in USGS Scientific Investigations Report (SIR) 2015-5164. The model was developed for estimating groundwater recharge and other water-budget components for each subarea of the model. The model-subarea data set, consisting of 467,805 subareas (polygons), was generated using Esri ArcGIS software by intersecting (merging) multiple spatial data sets. Spatial datasets...
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PI-CASC regularly interacts with a diverse and extensive network of stakeholder organizations at federal, territory, state, county, and local levels across the Pacific Region, supporting communication and iterative problem solving between researchers, managers, and decision makers. In addition to these partnerships, PI-CASC has two important ongoing collaborative initiatives. Pacific Islands-Alaska CASC collaboration The PI-AK CASC collaboration is aimed at bringing together scientist and resource managers from the Pacific and Alaska regions to share insights on related climate adaptation challenges in Ridge-to-Reef (R2R) and Icefield-to-Ocean (I2O) ecosystems. Similarities in landscapes and communities in these...
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Landscape-scale conservation of threatened and endangered species is often challenged by multiple, sometimes conflicting, land uses. In Hawaiʻi, efforts to conserve native forests have come into conflict with objectives to sustain non-native game mammals, such as feral pigs, goats, and deer, for subsistence and sport hunting. Maintaining stable or increasing game populations represents one of the greatest obstacles to the recovery of Hawaii’s 425 threatened and endangered plant species. Many endemic Hawaiian species have declined and become endangered as a result of herbivorous non-native game mammals. Meanwhile, other environmental changes, including the spread of invasive grasses and changing precipitation patterns...
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Hawaiʻi is considered a worldwide biodiversity hotspot, with nearly 90 percent of its native plants found nowhere else in the world. However, about half of these native plants are imperiled by threats including human development, non-native species, and climate change. Through this project, scientists modeled the relative vulnerability of over 1,000 native plant species to the effects of climate change. A panel of experts in Hawaiian plant species assisted with the development of the model and verified its results. From the model, researchers were able to develop a vulnerability score for each plant species and identify categories of species with high, medium, and low vulnerability to climate change. This information...
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For the past few years, “king tides,” or the highest tides of the year, have been occurring more frequently and significantly affecting coastal environments across Hawaiʻi. Now, disappearing beaches and waves crashing over roadways are seemingly the “new normal.” In response, the state of Hawaiʻi is implementing adaptation strategies to combat tidal flooding in coastal areas. While flood management strategies are being implemented in urban areas, less is known about how tidal flooding, and associated inundation into surface and groundwater, might influence watershed dynamics and the native animals that depend on estuarine environments where freshwater meets the sea. Efforts for biocultural restoration of ecosystem...
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A sensitivity analysis of groundwater-recharge estimates from a water-budget model was completed for the islands of Oahu and Maui, Hawaii (Johnson and others, 2023). Results of the sensitivity analysis were used to quantify the relative importance of selected model parameters to recharge estimates for three moisture zones (dry, mesic, and wet) on Oahu and Maui. This shapefile contains the boundaries of the moisture zones and boundaries of the model subareas that were used in the model simulations for Oahu. The shapefile attribute information includes the names of the land-cover types assigned to model subareas and the mean annual recharge values determined for the model subareas for the baseline scenario of the...
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This shapefile represents the spatial distribution of mean annual water-budget components, in inches, for the Island of Maui, Hawaii for a projected climate condition representative of phase 3 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP3) A1B 2080-99 scenario climate and 2017 land cover, as described in USGS SIR 2019-5064. The water-budget components for each model subarea were computed for the future climate condition using a water-budget model developed by Johnson and others (2018). The 2017 land-cover map developed by Mair (2018) was used to define the land-cover conditions and the model subareas. The shapefile attribute information associated with each subarea (or polygon) present an estimate of mean...
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These shapefiles represent the spatial distribution of mean annual water-budget components, in inches, for the Island of Maui, Hawaii for a set of eight future climate and land-cover scenarios. The future climate conditions used in the water-budget analyses were derived from two end-of-century downscaled climate projections including (1) a projected future climate condition representative of phase 3 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP3) A1B 2080-99 scenario climate described in Zhang and others (2016a, 2016b) and (2) a projected future climate condition representative of phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5 (RCP8.5) 2080-99 scenario...
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Low-lying island environments, such as the Majuro Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, are particularly vulnerable to inundation (coastal flooding) whether the increased water levels are from episodic events (storm surge, wave run-up, king tides) or from chronic conditions (long term sea-level rise). Land elevation is the primary geophysical variable that determines exposure to inundation in coastal settings. Accordingly, coastal elevation data are a critical input for assessments of inundation exposure and vulnerability. Previous research has demonstrated that the quality of data used for elevation-based assessments must be well understood and applied to properly model potential impacts. The vertical...
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As a low-lying coastal nation, the Republic of the Marshall Islands is at the forefront of exposure to climate change impacts. The Republic of the Marshall Islands has a strong dependence on natural resources and biodiversity not only for food and income but also for culture and livelihood. However, these resources are threatened by rising sea levels and associated coastal hazards (storm surges, saltwater intrusion, erosion, etc.). High-quality data for atoll ‘ridge to reef’ (land and ocean) areas are needed to provide remote communities with the tools and strategies to make adaptation efforts before disasters occur. Although the Republic of the Marshall Islands’ National Strategic Plans recognize the need to...
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Loko iʻa (Hawaiian fishponds) are an advanced, extensive form of aquaculture found nowhere else in the world. Loko iʻa practices are the result of over a thousand years of intergenerational knowledge, experimentation, and adaptation, and once produced over 2 million pounds of fish per year throughout the Hawaiian Islands. These fishponds provided a consistent and diverse supply of fish when ocean fishing was not possible or did not yield enough supply. In many ways, loko iʻa are foundational to traditional aquaculture in Hawai‘i and have the potential to provide food security that contributes to greater coastal community resilience and economic autonomy. Today, changes in coastal and hydrological processes, including...
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Hawaiian shorelines and near-shore waters have long been used for cultural activities, food gathering and fishing, and recreation. As seascapes are physically altered by changing climate, the ways in which people experience these environments will likely change as well. Local perspectives of how seascapes are changing over time can help managers better understand and manage these areas for both natural persistence and human use. For this project, researchers conducted interviews and surveys of surfers and other ocean users to gather observations and perceptions of change over time at Hilo Bay, Hawaiʻi. They combined these results with historical data on public beach use and biophysical data from monitoring buoys...
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The beaches of the Hawaiian Islands attract nearly 9 million visitors each year, who inject around $15.6 billion into the state’s economy and support almost 200,000 jobs. Beyond their economic importance, Hawaiian beaches are also culturally and ecologically valuable. However, climate change driven sea-level rise is causing many beaches to disappear, endangering property, infrastructure, and critical habitats. The goal of this project was to develop a method for forecasting erosion-vulnerable beach areas that could be used in coastal management planning. Researchers focused on the island of Kauaʻi, modeling beach response to rising sea level over the next century and producing maps that provide information about...
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Palau buildings (from PALARIS) with elevation data (extracted from USGS DEM)
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The Pacific Ocean is home to a number of low-lying, coastal national parks and wildlife refuges. These public lands are situated on coral reef-lined islands that are susceptible to inundation from sea-level rise and flooding during storms. Because of their low-lying nature and limited availability of space, ecosystems, cultural resources, and infrastructure on these islands are particularly vulnerable to flooding. Sea-level rise will further exacerbate the impact of storms on island parks and refuges by increasing wave-driven coastal flooding, with consequences for ecological and human communities alike. However, most assessments of future conditions at coastal national parks and refuges consider only permanent...
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Coral ecosystems of West Maui support a vibrant tourism industry and provide tangible economic benefits to the community. Hawaiian nearshore reefs generate about $800 million in annual revenue, not including the ecosystem services they provide - such as critical habitat for diverse fish species and buffering coasts from storm surges. The Hawaiian economy depends on healthy coral ecosystems, yet reefs are currently facing multiple threats, including changing climate conditions, local land-based pollution, and sediment erosion. Erosion of soils into nearshore coastal zones is a chief concern facing land managers in West Maui. Intermittent rainfall can carry sediment from sources such as dirt roads, agricultural fields,...
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This shapefile represents the spatial distribution of mean annual water-budget components, in inches, for the Island of Maui, Hawaii. The water-budget components in the shapefile were computed by a water-budget model for a scenario representative of average climate conditions (1978–2007 rainfall) and 2010 land cover, as described in USGS SIR 2014-5168. The model was developed for estimating groundwater recharge and other water-budget components for each subarea of the model. The model subareas were generated using Esri ArcGIS software by intersecting (merging) multiple spatial data sets that characterize the spatial distribution of rainfall, fog interception, irrigation, reference evapotranspiration, direct runoff,...
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This shapefile represents the spatial distribution of mean annual water-budget components, in inches, for the Island of Maui, Hawaii for a projected climate condition representative of phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5 (RCP8.5) 2071-99 scenario rainfall and 2017 land cover, as described in USGS SIR 2019-5064. The water-budget components for each model subarea were computed for the future climate condition using a water-budget model developed by Johnson and others (2018). The 2017 land-cover map developed by Mair (2018) was used to define the land-cover conditions and the model subareas. The shapefile attribute information associated with each subarea...


map background search result map search result map Establishing Climate Change Vulnerability Rankings for Hawaiian Native Plants Forecasting Beach Loss from Sea-Level Rise on the Island of Kauaʻi Changing Hawaiian Seascapes and Their Management Implications Understanding Sediment Transport to Coastal Waters and Coral Reefs in West Maui One Meter Topobathymetric Digital Elevation Model for Majuro Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands, 1944 to 2016 Mean annual water-budget components for the Island of Maui, Hawaii, for average climate conditions, 1978-2007 rainfall and 2010 land cover (version 2.0) Managing Non-native Game Mammals to Reduce Future Conflicts with Native Plant Conservation in Hawai‘i Inundation Exposure Assessment for Majuro Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands Science Needs Assessment to Support Management of Loko Iʻa (Hawaiian Fishpond) Resources and Practices Critical to the Native Hawaiian Community Mean annual water-budget components for the Island of Maui, Hawaii, for projected climate conditions, CMIP3 A1B 2080-99 scenario climate and 2017 land cover Mean annual water-budget components for the Island of Maui, Hawaii, for projected climate conditions, CMIP5 RCP8.5 2071-99 scenario rainfall and 2017 land cover The Impact of Climate Change and Sea-Level Rise on Future Flooding of Coastal Parks and Refuges in Hawaiʻi and the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands Mean annual water-budget components for the Island of Maui, Hawaii, for a set of eight future climate and land-cover scenarios Enhancing Stakeholder Capacity for Coastal Inundation Assessments in the Marshall Islands Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center Consortium - Hosted by University of Hawai‘i, Mānoa (2019-2024) Regional Collaborations Effect of Extreme Tidal Events on Future Sea-Level Rise Scenarios for He‘eia Fish Communities undergoing Ahupua‘a Restoration Mean annual water-budget components for Hawaii Island, Hawaii, for predevelopment conditions, 1916-83 rainfall and 1870 land cover Buildings with Elevation in Babeldaob, Palau Model subareas and moisture zones used in a sensitivity analysis of a water-budget model completed in 2022 for the island of Oahu, Hawaii Understanding Sediment Transport to Coastal Waters and Coral Reefs in West Maui Inundation Exposure Assessment for Majuro Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands Buildings with Elevation in Babeldaob, Palau One Meter Topobathymetric Digital Elevation Model for Majuro Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands, 1944 to 2016 Forecasting Beach Loss from Sea-Level Rise on the Island of Kauaʻi Model subareas and moisture zones used in a sensitivity analysis of a water-budget model completed in 2022 for the island of Oahu, Hawaii Changing Hawaiian Seascapes and Their Management Implications Mean annual water-budget components for Hawaii Island, Hawaii, for predevelopment conditions, 1916-83 rainfall and 1870 land cover Establishing Climate Change Vulnerability Rankings for Hawaiian Native Plants Enhancing Stakeholder Capacity for Coastal Inundation Assessments in the Marshall Islands Science Needs Assessment to Support Management of Loko Iʻa (Hawaiian Fishpond) Resources and Practices Critical to the Native Hawaiian Community Effect of Extreme Tidal Events on Future Sea-Level Rise Scenarios for He‘eia Fish Communities undergoing Ahupua‘a Restoration The Impact of Climate Change and Sea-Level Rise on Future Flooding of Coastal Parks and Refuges in Hawaiʻi and the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center Consortium - Hosted by University of Hawai‘i, Mānoa (2019-2024) Regional Collaborations