Coastal Classification Atlas

Overview

Figure 1. Southeastern Louisiana coastline. [larger version]

Each year at least 10-12 named hurricanes and tropical storms will be the focus of national attention. Of particular interest are intense hurricanes (category 3-5 of the Saffir-Simpson scale) that have the potential to cause substantial economic and environmental damage to the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. These coastal regions include some of the largest metropolitan areas in the country and they continue to experience rapid population growth. Based on reports in the popular media, there is a general lack of knowledge regarding how different coastal segments will respond to the same storm or how the same coastal segment will respond differently depending on storm conditions.

One purpose of the USGS National Assessment of Coastal Change Project is to provide accurate representations of pre-storm ground conditions for areas that are designated high priority because they have dense populations or valuable resources that are at risk. Another purpose of the project is to develop a broad coastal classification that, with only minor modification, can be applied to most coastal regions in the United States.

continue to: Mapping Methods