Coastal topography change at Padre Island National Seashore, Texas: 2017–2021 data summary

Bracewell J and Carlson J. 2022. Coastal topography change at Padre Island National Seashore, Texas: 2017–2021 data summary. Natural Resource Data Series. NPS/GULN/NRDS—2022/1347. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado. https://doi.org/10.36967/nrds-2293032

In May and June 2017, April 2019, and May 2021, the Gulf Coast Network (GULN) collected coastal topography data at Padre Island National Seashore (PAIS) as a part of the NPS Vital Signs Monitoring Program. Monitoring was conducted following methods detailed in Monitoring Coastal Topography at Gulf Coast Network Parks: Protocol Implementation Plan (PIP; Bracewell 2017). Key findings from this effort are as follows: A fixed set of 23 topographic transects distributed along the Gulf shore were surveyed. The most accelerated change in profile area occurred in the transect groups located near Mile Markers 15 and 37. This is likely due to the impacts from Hurricane Hanna. The transects on the south end of Padre Island National Seashore near Mansfield Channel showed short-term losses in profile area (2019 to 2021) that are less than the longer-term losses (2017 to 2021). The transect nearest the channel showed substantial recovery, which is related to the deposition of dredged material. 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; Carlson, Jane
Date of Issue
2022-03
Publisher
National Park Service
DOI
10.36967/nrds-2293032
Units
GULN , NRSS , PAIS
Keywords
Coastal Geomorphology, GULN, Shoreline Position
Subjects
Ecological Framework: Geology and Soils | Geomorphology | Coastal/Oceanographic Features and Processes

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