Shoreline change at Padre Island National Seashore, Texas: 2017–2019 data summary

Bracewell J. 2019. Shoreline change at Padre Island National Seashore, Texas: 2017–2019 data summary. Natural Resource Data Series. NPS/GULN/NRDS—2019/1238. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado

In May and June 2017 and April 2019 the Gulf Coast Network collected shoreline data at Padre Island National Seashore as a part of the NPS Vital Signs Monitoring Program. Monitoring was conducted following methods detailed in Monitoring shoreline position at Gulf Coast Network parks: Protocol implementation plan (PIP; Bracewell 2017). Shoreline change was calculated using the Digital Shoreline Analysis System developed by USGS (Theiler et al. 2008). Key findings from this effort are as follows: Shoreline position was recorded for the entire Gulf-side shore, a 105 kilometer (65.2 mile [mi]) extent. Overall, 94.5% of transects exhibited landward retreat and only 5.5% of transects were static or advanced seaward. The mean shoreline change rate change from 2017 to 2019 was -3.68 meters per year (-12.07 feet [ft] per year) with a standard deviation of 2.3 meters (7.5 ft). The shoreline change rate ranged from -12.11 meters per year to +4.83 meters per year (-39.73 ft/yr to +15.84 ft/yr). This project is in the early phases of implementation and will benefit from future surveys to better understand the influence of slight changes in survey timing and other environmental variations.

Type
Published Report
Authors
Bracewell, Jeff
Date of Issue
2019-10
Publisher
National Park Service
Units
GULN , NRSS , PAIS

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