This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) data release includes geospatial datasets that were created for the analysis of Virginia and Maryland Atlantic coastal wetland changes over time. Wetland change was determined by assessing two metrics: wetland persistence and land-cover switching. Because seasonal water levels, beach width, and vegetation differences can affect change analyses, only images acquired during the spring (March, April, and May) were included in the wetland-change metrics (N=10). Land-cover switching was evaluated using Landsat images for successive spring image-acquisition dates: 1985–1989, 1989–1994, 1994–1999, 1999–2004, 2004-2009, 2009-2011, 2011-2013, 2013-2014, and 2014-2015. To evaluate land-cover switching, land-cover types defined by Bernier and others (2015) were reclassified as 1 (water), 3 (wetland), or 7 (non-wetland). These values were chosen so the results of subtracting two dates will create unique values for each scenario. For example, if a cell in 1994 is classified as land and in 1989 was wetland, the result (1994-1989 or 7-3) is 4. If the cell in 1994 is wetland and in 1989 was water (3-1) the result is 2. With this analysis, each two-date combination results in a raster that identifies wetland-land-water conversions, such that water-to-land is -6, wetland-to-land is -4, water-to-wetland is -2, wetland-to-water equals 2, land-to-wetland is 4, and land-to-water is 6.

Sandy ocean beaches are a popular recreational destination, often surrounded by communities containing valuable real estate. Development is on the rise despite the fact that coastal infrastructure is subjected to flooding and erosion. As a result, there is an increased demand for accurate information regarding past and present shoreline changes. To meet these national needs, the Coastal and Marine Geology Program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is compiling existing reliable historical shoreline data along open-ocean sandy shores of the conterminous United States and parts of Alaska and Hawaii under the National Assessment of Shoreline Change project. There is no widely accepted standard for analyzing shoreline change. Existing shoreline data measurements and rate calculation methods vary from study to study and prevent combining results into state-wide or regional assessments. The impetus behind the National Assessment project was to develop a standardized method of measuring changes in shoreline position that is consistent from coast to coast. The goal was to facilitate the process of periodically and systematically updating the results in an internally consistent manner.

These data utilize existing land cover products and elevation information to provide information on changes on barrier islands and barrier shorelines along the north central Gulf of Mexico coast. Specifically, this data release includes information on changes in subaerial land, habitat types, and high-tide flooding for barrier islands and barrier shorelines along the north central Gulf of Mexico coast.

A barrier island habitat prediction model was used to forecast barrier island habitats (for example, beach, dune, intertidal marsh, and woody vegetation) for Dauphin Island, Alabama, based on potential island configurations associated with a variety of restoration measures and varying future conditions of storminess and sea level (Enwright and others, 2020). This USGS data release contains five habitat model predictions from the aforementioned modeling effort. These include: (1) the contemporary period (that is, 2015); (2) with action Year 0 (that is, hypothetically, predicted habitat coverage in 2128 based on our sea-level change rate); (3) with action Year 10 (that is, predicted habitat coverage after ten years of morphodynamic modeling with simulated storms); (4) without action Year 0; and (5) without action Year 10. Additionally, this data release includes change maps that highlight changes over the decadal simulation (that is, Year 0 to Year 10) with and without action, respectively, along with the difference between Year 10 for the with and without the action simulation. For more information on the habitat model methodology and results, see the publication listed in the larger work section of this metadata (Enwright and others, 2020) and Enwright and others (in review).

This data set consists of digital data describing wetlands and uplands habitats for the Mississippi Coastal Improvements Program (MsCIP) area, consisting of Cat, Ship, Horn and Petit Bois Islands for the year 2020. Wetlands were classified using the Cowardin, et al., wetlands classification scheme to the level of freshwater and tidal, salinity modifiers. Uplands were classified using a customized classification scheme which can be cross-referenced to Anderson, et. al. For this dataset, upland dunes were delineated as areas at or above 1.524 meters (5 feet) as determined in the Lidar data that was referenced without modification for this classification. With this elevation criteria some delineated upland dune features may be high beach berms. Neighboring habitats bordering these upland dune areas are included in the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) classification system. Examples include,irregularly flooded, E2EM1P which is estuarine, emergent vegetation above tidal level, whereas E2EM1N is tidally influenced and has direct connection to tidal flow.

The Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring (BICM) program was developed by Louisiana’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) and is implemented as a component of the System Wide Assessment and Monitoring Program (SWAMP). The program uses both historical data and contemporary data collections to assess and monitor changes in the aerial and subaqueous extent of islands, habitat types, sediment texture and geotechnical properties, environmental processes, and vegetation composition. Examples of BICM datasets include still and video aerial photography for documenting shoreline changes, shoreline positions, habitat mapping, land change analyses, light detection and ranging (lidar) surveys for topographic elevations, single-beam and swath bathymetry, and sediment grab samples. For more information about the BICM program, see Kindinger and others (2013). The U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center provides support to the BICM program through the development of habitat map products using aerial imagery and lidar elevation data and assessing change in habitats over time. These data provide a snapshot of barrier island habitats and can be combined with other past and/or future maps to monitor these valuable natural resources over time. The current effort of this habitat mapping program includes developing habitat maps for 2008 and 2015-2016 for the following BICM regions: 1) West Chenier; 2) East Chenier; 3) Acadiana Bays (only Marsh Island); 4) Early Lafourche Delta; 5) Late Lafourche Delta; 6) Modern Delta (only Chaland Headland and Shell Island); and 7) Chandeleur Islands. The BICM program has developed two habitat classification schemes which include a detailed 15-class habitat scheme and a general eight-class habitat scheme. The detailed scheme was used for this habitat mapping effort and builds off the general scheme used in previous BICM habitat mapping efforts (Fearnley and others, 2009). The additional classes developed in the detailed scheme are primarily used to further delineate various dune habitats, separate marsh and mangrove, and distinguish between beach and unvegetated barrier flat habitats. The habitat change analyses in this product depict and summarize habitat change between 2008 and 2015-2016 per BICM reach. The results from these analyses are summarized in two habitat change products. The first product depicts change in land and water coverage and the second product highlights changes based on inundation zones (for example, water, intertidal-unvegetated, intertidal-vegetated, supratidal, and developed/shoreline protection). This product also includes recommended symbology for these data layers. Please see the Entity and Attribute Information section in this metadata file for the BICM barrier island habitat and change class descriptions and the Processing Steps section for information on methodology for map development. Kindinger, J.L., Buster, N.A., Flocks, J.G., Bernier, J.C., and Kulp, M.A., 2013, Louisiana Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring (BICM) program summary report: Data and analyses 2006 through 2010: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2013–1083, 86 p., accessed April 3, 2017, at http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2013/1083/. Fearnley, S., Brien, L., Martinez, L., Miner, M., Kulp, M., and Penland, S., 2009, Louisiana Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring Program (BICM), Volume 5: Chenier Plain, South-Central Louisiana, and Chandeleur Islands, Habitat mapping and change analysis 1996 to 2005, Part 1: Methods for habitat mapping and change analysis 1996 to 2005: New Orleans, University of New Orleans, Pontchartrain Institute for Environmental Sciences.

The Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring (BICM) program was developed by Louisiana’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) and is implemented as a component of the System Wide Assessment and Monitoring Program (SWAMP). The program uses both historical data and contemporary data collections to assess and monitor changes in the aerial and subaqueous extent of islands, habitat types, sediment texture and geotechnical properties, environmental processes, and vegetation composition. Examples of BICM datasets include still and video aerial photography for documenting shoreline changes, shoreline positions, habitat mapping, land change analyses, light detection and ranging (lidar) surveys for topographic elevations, single-beam and swath bathymetry, and sediment grab samples. For more information about the BICM program, see Kindinger and others (2013). The U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center provides support to the BICM program through the development of habitat map products using aerial imagery and lidar elevation data and assessing change in habitats over time. These data provide a snapshot of barrier island habitats and can be combined with other past and/or future maps to monitor these valuable natural resources over time. The current effort of this habitat mapping program includes developing habitat maps for 2008 and 2015/2016 for the following BICM regions: 1) West Chenier; 2) East Chenier; 3) Acadiana Bays (only Marsh Island); 4) Early Lafourche Delta; 5) Late Lafourche Delta; 6) Modern Delta (only Chaland Headland and Shell Island); and 7) Chandeleur Islands. The BICM program has developed two habitat classification schemes which include a detailed 15-class habitat scheme and a general eight-class habitat scheme. The detailed scheme was used for this habitat mapping effort and builds off the general scheme used in previous BICM habitat mapping efforts (Fearnley and others, 2009). The additional classes developed in the detailed scheme are primarily used to further delineate various dune habitats, separate marsh and mangrove, and distinguish between beach and unvegetated barrier flat habitats. The habitat change analyses in this product depict and summarize habitat change between 2008 and 2015/2016 per BICM reach. The results from these analyses are summarized in two habitat change products. The first product depicts change in land and water coverage and the second product highlights changes based on inundation zones (for example, water, intertidal-unvegetated, intertidal-vegetated, supratidal, and developed/shoreline protection). This product also includes recommended symbology for these data layers. Please see the Entity and Attribute Information section in this metadata file for the BICM barrier island habitat and change class descriptions and the Processing Steps section for information on methodology for map development.

Sandy ocean beaches are a popular recreational destination, often surrounded by communities containing valuable real estate. Development is on the rise despite the fact that coastal infrastructure is subjected to flooding and erosion. As a result, there is an increased demand for accurate information regarding past and present shoreline changes. To meet these national needs, the Coastal and Marine Geology Program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is compiling existing reliable historical shoreline data along open-ocean sandy shores of the conterminous United States and parts of Alaska and Hawaii under the National Assessment of Shoreline Change project. There is no widely accepted standard for analyzing shoreline change. Existing shoreline data measurements and rate calculation methods vary from study to study and prevent combining results into state-wide or regional assessments. The impetus behind the National Assessment project was to develop a standardized method of measuring changes in shoreline position that is consistent from coast to coast. The goal was to facilitate the process of periodically and systematically updating the results in an internally consistent manner.

The Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring (BICM) program was developed by Louisiana’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) and is implemented as a component of the System Wide Assessment and Monitoring Program (SWAMP). The program uses both historical data and contemporary data collections to assess and monitor changes in the aerial and subaqueous extent of islands, habitat types, sediment texture and geotechnical properties, environmental processes, and vegetation composition. Examples of BICM datasets include still and video aerial photography for documenting shoreline changes, shoreline positions, habitat mapping, land change analyses, light detection and ranging (lidar) surveys for topographic elevations, single-beam and swath bathymetry, and sediment grab samples. For more information about the BICM program, see Kindinger and others (2013). The U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center provides support to the BICM program through the development of habitat map products using aerial imagery and lidar elevation data and assessing change in habitats over time. These data provide a snapshot of barrier island habitats and can be combined with other past and/or future maps to monitor these valuable natural resources over time. The current effort of this habitat mapping program includes developing habitat maps for 2008 and 2015/2016 for the following BICM regions: 1) West Chenier; 2) East Chenier; 3) Acadiana Bays (only Marsh Island); 4) Early Lafourche Delta; 5) Late Lafourche Delta; 6) Modern Delta (only Chaland Headland and Shell Island); and 7) Chandeleur Islands. The BICM program has developed two habitat classification schemes which include a detailed 15-class habitat scheme and a general eight-class habitat scheme. The detailed scheme was used for this habitat mapping effort and builds off the general scheme used in previous BICM habitat mapping efforts (Fearnley and others, 2009). The additional classes developed in the detailed scheme are primarily used to further delineate various dune habitats, separate marsh and mangrove, and distinguish between beach and unvegetated barrier flat habitats. The habitat change analyses in this product depict and summarize habitat change between 2008 and 2015/2016 per BICM reach. The results from these analyses are summarized in two habitat change products. The first product depicts change in land and water coverage and the second product highlights changes based on inundation zones (for example, water, intertidal-unvegetated, intertidal-vegetated, supratidal, and developed/shoreline protection). This product also includes recommended symbology for these data layers. Please see the Entity and Attribute Information section in this metadata file for the BICM barrier island habitat and change class descriptions and the Processing Steps section for information on methodology for map development.

This Data Series Report contains lidar elevation data collected September 5 to October 11, 2012, for the barrier islands of Alabama, Mississippi and southeast Louisiana, including the coast near Port Fourchon. Most of the data were collected September 5-10, 2012, with a reflight conducted on October 11, 2012, to increase point density in some areas. Lidar data exchange format (LAS) 1.2 formatted point data files were generated based on these data. The point cloud data were processed to extract bare earth data; therefore, the point cloud data are organized into only four classes: 1-unclassified, 2-ground, 7-noise and 9-water. Aero-Metric, Inc., was contracted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to collect and process these data. The lidar data were collected at a nominal pulse spacing (NPS) of 1.0 meter (m). The horizontal projection and datum of the data are Universe Transverse Mercator, zones 15N and 16N, North American Datum 1983 (UTM Zone 15N or 16N NAD83), meters. The vertical datum is North American Vertical Datum 1988, Geoid 2012 (NAVD88, GEOID12), meters. These lidar data are available to Federal, State and local governments, emergency-response officials, resource managers, and the general public.