USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program
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| USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program | |
|---|---|
| Name | USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program |
| Type | Federal science program |
| Headquarters | Reston, Virginia |
| Formed | 1977 |
| Parent organization | United States Geological Survey |
USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program The USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program conducts geologic and geophysical investigations of shorelines, continental shelves, and coastal environments. It provides data and applied research to inform decision makers in areas affected by storms, sea-level change, and resource management. The Program’s work supports national priorities across coastal zones from the Arctic to the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Islands.
Overview and Mission
The Program’s mission centers on understanding coastal and marine geologic processes to reduce hazards and manage resources. It contributes scientific information relevant to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of the Interior, Federal Emergency Management Agency, National Park Service, and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. Emphasis areas include mapping seabed morphology for United States Navy operations, assessing sediment budgets for United States Army Corps of Engineers projects, and documenting habitat for National Marine Fisheries Service and United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
History and Organizational Structure
The Program originated from coastal mapping and marine geology initiatives within the United States Geological Survey in the late 20th century and expanded following high-profile events that highlighted coastal vulnerabilities. Organizationally, it is structured into regional offices and discipline-based teams that coordinate with national science centers such as the Geological Survey of India-style national centers and international counterparts like British Geological Survey and Geoscience Australia for comparative studies. Staffing includes marine geologists, sedimentologists, geophysicists, and data scientists who collaborate with specialists from institutions such as Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory, NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, and university partners including University of Washington, University of Hawaii, University of Miami, and Texas A&M University.
Research Areas and Programs
The Program undertakes multidisciplinary research spanning coastal processes, sea-level rise, sediment transport, and coastal hazards. Specific programs address topics aligned with federal initiatives like National Climate Assessment, Coastal Zone Management Act, and Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Research themes include nearshore morphology studies supporting Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy response analyses, contaminant transport investigations related to incidents such as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and benthic habitat mapping relevant to Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Technology development focuses on sonar mapping that complements assets like NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer and platforms operated by United States Geological Survey research vessels.
Major Projects and Field Activities
Major projects encompass regional seafloor mapping, post-storm coastal change assessments, and long-term monitoring arrays. Notable field activities include airborne LIDAR surveys coordinated with National Aeronautics and Space Administration, multibeam echosounder campaigns aboard research vessels similar to RV Atlantis and NOAAS Ronald H. Brown, and sediment coring expeditions comparable to those undertaken by International Ocean Discovery Program vessels. Project-level collaborations have supported recovery and resilience planning after events such as Superstorm Sandy and 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, and have contributed to resource assessments off the continental shelf near Outer Banks, Chesapeake Bay, Santa Barbara Channel, Gulf of Alaska, and the Bering Sea.
Data, Tools, and Publications
The Program curates geospatial datasets, including bathymetry, sediment texture maps, seafloor substrate classifications, and coastal change time series. Data products are integrated with national systems like the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency holdings and shared with research portals similar to NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Analytical tools include specialized processing for multibeam bathymetry, ground-penetrating radar, seismic reflection profiling, and LIDAR-derived topography, often using software common in the community alongside codes developed in collaboration with United States Geological Survey software centers. Publications appear in peer-reviewed outlets and policy briefs distributed to stakeholders including agencies such as Environmental Protection Agency, National Science Foundation, and international bodies like the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement
The Program maintains partnerships with federal agencies, state geologic surveys such as the California Geological Survey and Florida Geological Survey, academic consortia, and conservation organizations including The Nature Conservancy and World Wildlife Fund. Engagement extends to regional entities like Pacific Islands Forum members and tribal governments in Alaska and the Pacific. Cooperative agreements and joint funding mechanisms facilitate applied research for coastal infrastructure managed by entities like the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and energy-related assessments in coordination with Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. Outreach includes technical workshops, data trainings with American Geophysical Union participants, and science synthesis contributions to assessments by organizations such as Union of Concerned Scientists and Congressional Research Service.