This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) data release includes geospatial datasets that were created for the analysis of Virginia and Maryland Atlantic coastal wetland changes over time. Wetland change was determined by assessing two metrics: wetland persistence and land-cover switching. Because seasonal water levels, beach width, and vegetation differences can affect change analyses, only images acquired during the spring (March, April, and May) were included in the wetland-change metrics (N=10). To assess ...

This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) data release includes geospatial datasets that were created for the analysis of Virginia and Maryland Atlantic coastal wetland changes over time. Wetland change was determined by assessing two metrics: wetland persistence and land-cover switching. Because seasonal water levels, beach width, and vegetation differences can affect change analyses, only images acquired during the spring (March, April, and May) were included in the wetland-change metrics (N=10). Land-cover ...

From August 9 to 14, 2019, researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted a geophysical survey to investigate shoreface morphology and geology near Cedar Island, Virginia. The Coastal Sediment Availability and Flux project objectives include understanding the morphologic evolution of the barrier island system on a variety of time scales (months to centuries) and resolving storm-related impacts, post-storm beach response, and recovery. This publication serves as an archive of high-resolution ...

Foraminiferal samples were collected from Chincoteague Bay, Newport Bay, and Tom’s Cove as well as the marshes on the back-barrier side of Assateague Island and the Delmarva (Delaware-Maryland-Virginia) mainland by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) researchers from the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center in March, April (14CTB01), and October (14CTB02) 2014. Samples were also collected by the Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center (WHCMSC) in July 2014 and shipped to the St. Petersburg ...

Foraminiferal samples were collected from Chincoteague Bay, Newport Bay, and Tom’s Cove as well as the marshes on the back-barrier side of Assateague Island and the Delmarva (Delaware-Maryland-Virginia) mainland by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) researchers from the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center in March, April (14CTB01), and October (14CTB02) 2014. Samples were also collected by the Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center (WHCMSC) in July 2014 and shipped to the St. Petersburg ...

Foraminiferal samples were collected from Chincoteague Bay, Newport Bay, and Tom’s Cove as well as the marshes on the back-barrier side of Assateague Island and the Delmarva (Delaware-Maryland-Virginia) mainland by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) researchers from the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center in March, April (14CTB01), and October (14CTB02) 2014. Samples were also collected by the Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center (WHCMSC) in July 2014 and shipped to the St. Petersburg ...

Foraminiferal samples were collected from Chincoteague Bay, Newport Bay, and Tom’s Cove as well as the marshes on the back-barrier side of Assateague Island and the Delmarva (Delaware-Maryland-Virginia) mainland by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) researchers from the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center in March, April (14CTB01), and October (14CTB02) 2014. Samples were also collected by the Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center (WHCMSC) in July 2014 and shipped to the St. Petersburg ...

Foraminiferal samples were collected from Chincoteague Bay, Newport Bay, and Tom’s Cove as well as the marshes on the back-barrier side of Assateague Island and the Delmarva (Delaware-Maryland-Virginia) mainland by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) researchers from the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center in March, April (14CTB01), and October (14CTB02) 2014. Samples were also collected by the Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center (WHCMSC) in July 2014 and shipped to the St. Petersburg ...

Projections of vegetated area and vegetated plain elevation for salt marsh units within the Chesapeake Bay (CB) salt marsh complex are calculated using geospatial information for conceptual marsh units defined by Ackerman and others (2022) and Defne and others (2023). The projections are based on the UBMorph model, described in Ganju and others (2025), which estimates changes in areal cover and elevation due to open-water expansion and sea-level rise (SLR). Sea-level rise rate predictions are implemented at ...

This database contains a comprehensive inventory of geologic (coral, coral reef, limestone, and sediment) cores and samples collected, analyzed, published, and/or archived by, or in collaboration with, the U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (USGS SPCMSC). The SPCMSC Geologic Core and Sample Database includes geologic cores and samples collected beginning in the 1970s to present day, from study sites across the world. This database captures metadata about samples ...

The U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (USGS SPCMSC) collected single beam echosounder (SBES) and differential global positioning system (DGPS) elevation data in the nearshore and beach environments of Wallops and Assawoman Islands, Virginia, in June 2024. This USGS data release includes the processed SBES and DGPS elevation point data (xyz) for Field Activity Number (FAN) 2024-310-FA. The SBES data were acquired using survey equipment mounted on personal watercrafts ...

In July 2022, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the University of Maryland’s Chesapeake Biological Laboratory conducted a study, USGS Field Activity Number (FAN) 2022-020-FA, in Chesapeake Bay to quantify greenhouse gas fluxes from the largest estuary in the United States. The team investigated the environmental factors that control the distribution and exchange of methane and carbon dioxide in the sediments, water column, and fluxes across the atmospheric boundary layer(sea-air interface) during the ...

In June 2024, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted a nearshore geologic assessment, including bathymetric mapping, near Wallops and Assawoman Islands, Virginia (VA). This work was performed to collect bathymetry to initialize hydrodynamic models and acquire new sub-bottom profile data to connect with existing USGS offshore lines collected along the Delmarva Peninsula, Maryland and VA, in 2015 (Sweeney and others, 2015). These newly acquired datasets will be used to help evaluate impacts of shoreface ...

In June 2024, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted a nearshore geologic assessment, including bathymetric mapping, near Wallops and Assawoman Islands, Virginia (VA). This work was performed to collect bathymetry to initialize hydrodynamic models and acquire new sub-bottom profile data to connect with existing USGS offshore lines collected along the Delmarva Peninsula, Maryland and VA, in 2015 (Sweeney and others, 2015). These newly acquired datasets will be used to help evaluate impacts of shoreface ...

Marsh migration potential in the Chesapeake Bay (CB) salt marshes is calculated in terms of available migration area for each marsh unit defined by Ackerman and others (2022). The space available for landward migration is based on the NOAA marsh migration predictions under 2.0 feet of local sea-level rise (SLR). The migration space is further divided by National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) Plus catchments before assigning related catchment polygons to each marsh unit. The migration rates are then calculated ...

Marsh migration potential in the Chesapeake Bay (CB) salt marshes is calculated in terms of available migration area for each marsh unit defined by Ackerman and others (2022). The space available for landward migration is based on the NOAA marsh migration predictions under 2.0 feet of local sea-level rise (SLR). The migration space is further divided by National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) Plus catchments before assigning related catchment polygons to each marsh unit. The migration rates are then calculated ...

Seabeach amaranth (Amaranthus pumilus) is a federally threatened plant species that was once prevalent on beaches of the U.S. mid-Atlantic coast. For much of the 20th century, seabeach amaranth was absent and thought to be extinct along this coast presumably due to development and recreational pressure. Few plants were observed over much of the 20th century and the species was federally listed as endangered in 1993. To re-establish a population, the Natural Resources staff at Assateague Island National ...

Lifespan distribution in the Chesapeake Bay (CB) salt marsh complex is presented in terms of lifespan of conceptual marsh units defined by Ackerman and others (2022). The lifespan calculation is based on estimated sediment supply and sea-level rise (SLR) predictions after Ganju and others (2020). Sea level predictions are present day estimates at the prescribed rate of SLR, which correspond to the 0.3, 0.5, and 1.0 meter increase in Global Mean Sea Level (GMSL) scenarios by 2100 from Sweet and others (2022) ...