MANAGING AND INTERPRETING COASTAL GEOMORPHOLOGIC DATA; AN ASSATEAGUE ISLAND NATIONAL SEASHORE CASE STUDY

The northern end of Assateague Island National Seashore (ASIS) has migrated more than 400 meters toward mainland Maryland since Ocean City Inlet was stabilized by jetties in 1933. This landward migration dramatically illustrates the dynamic nature of coastal systems. Geomorphologic monitoring is crucial to understanding both the natural fluctuations of barrier islands and anthropogenic influences on coastal change. The two primary types of data included in geomorphologic monitoring efforts at ASIS are horizontal shoreline position, as measured using GPS, and topographic information, provided by LIDAR and traditionally surveyed cross island profiles. In order for monitoring data to be effective, they must be properly managed, utilized in appropriate analyses, and presented to resource stewards and the public in a meaningful way. This study helps ASIS to achieve these goals by instituting a strategic data management plan, illustrating appropriate analytical techniques, and providing temporal data visualizations for coastal geomorphologic data.

Data management and standardization are essential to the effective utilization of spatial information. Developing a coastal geomorphologic data management protocol for ASIS has involved the creation of standard operating procedures for data collection, data processing protocols, archival procedures, and metadata templates. Analytical techniques described and illustrated include historic shoreline change analysis, morphologic change surface creation, derivation of profiles from LIDAR surfaces, and comparison of LIDAR and traditionally derived cross island profiles. Further the creation of three dimensional island models from LIDAR based digital elevation models is described.

These products provide resource managers and the general public the tools to obtain an elevated understanding of the dynamic nature of this national seashore. By increasing awareness of park dynamics this study will aid management decisions regarding; endangered species protection efforts, evaluation of beach restoration projects, and sustainable infrastructure development.