Article

Projecting the Future of Cape Hatteras National Seashore's Beaches

Scientists Training Presentation on the Beaches of Cape Hatteras National Seashore

The NPS Inventory and Monitoring Division (IMD) Scientists’ Training Sessions were held in January 2022. The sessions were virtual courses designed to develop skills and learn from peers about work conducted throughout IMD. Claire Schmidt, formerly of the Southeast Coast Network, and Michael Flynn, Physical Scientist from Cape Hatteras National Seashore, presented "Projecting the Future of Cape Hatteras National Seashore’s Beaches." The presentation highlighted the increasing threats to the park's cultural and natural resources from coastal erosion and storm surges. The Southeast Coast Network has been monitoring the high tide line at the park since 2012 and scientists at Cape Hatteras National Seashore have been using this data, as well as historic imagery, to forecast shoreline position in 10- and 20-year increments using the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS). All of this help park managers make informed decisions regarding where to rebuild infrastructure. Below are the slides and video from the presentation.

Integrating Science into Park Management Day 1 (Part 1)

Watch 'Integrating Science into Park Management Day 1 (Part 1)' | Microsoft Stream (Classic)
Published on 1/27/2022 by Sanders, Suzanne M.
Presentation starts at 3:02:00 and runs to 3:20:06.

powerpoint slide
Slide 1
powerpoint slide
Slide 2
phots of flooded street and house on a beach
Slide 3
map of southern us with colors on the coastline
Slide 4
map of southern coastal states
Slide 5
photo of utv on a beach and a person walking on the beach
Slide 6
map of cape point with blue and yellow outlines
Slide 7
closeup of turtle eye
Slide 8
photo of lighthouse and aerial photo of cape hatteras
Slide 9
screen with Acronym Decoder QuizWhat does CAHA stand for?Coastal Adaptation Historical Archive or Critical Assessments and Heroic Actions or Catalog of Astounding and Historical Adaptation or Cape Hatteras National Seashore
Slide 10
photo of damaged pier on a beach
Slide 11
people on beach with cameras and tripods taking shots of old pier
Slide 12
photo of crane lifting something from the ocean and a fence and a house behind it
Slide 13
aerial of view of beach and houses
Slide 14
table showing historic shoreline position data
Slide 15
cover of DSAS user guide and ArcMap Extension Required Inputs Geodatabase Shorelines (MHW or HWL) Baseline Cast Transects Calculate Change Statistics Beta Shoreline Forecast
Slide 16
3 shoreline position photos with add shorelines, add baselines and cast transects
Slide 17
table showing DSAS statistics and descriptions
Slide 18
photos of shoreline with solid and dotted black lines, a damaged pier and a sparsely vegetated sand dune
Slide 19
aerial photo of beach and houses
Slide 20
photos of dunes and a map of beach with solid and dotted black lines
Slide 21
aerial shot of the beach and parking area in the center
Slide 22
aerial photo of beach and parking area in the center
Slide 23
slide showing next steps
Slide 24
slide showing map and houses on the beach
Slide 25
Slide with questions and man in uniform on a flooded road
Slide 26

Last updated: October 13, 2022