(Click above for access to all the data files,
including the documentation file for this data base,
ndp043c.txt)
V. M. Gornitz, T. W. Beaty, and R. C. Daniels (contributors)
DOI: 10.3334/CDIAC/ssr.ndp043c
This document describes the contents of a digital data base that may be used
to identify coastlines along the U.S. West Coast that are at risk to sea-level
rise. This data base integrates point, line, and polygon data for the U.S.
West Coast into 0.25 degree latitude by 0.25 degree longitude grid cells and into
1:2,000,000 digitized line segments that can be used by raster or vector
geographic information systems (GIS) as well as by non-GIS data bases. Each
coastal grid cell and line segment contains data variables from the following
seven data sets: elevation, geology, geomorphology, sea-level trends,
shoreline displacement (erosion/accretion), tidal ranges, and wave heights.
One variable from each data set was classified according to its susceptibility
to sea-level rise and/or erosion to form 7 relative risk variables. These
risk variables range in value from 1 to 5 and may be used to calculate a
Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI). Algorithms used to calculate several CVIs
are listed within this text. The data for these 29 variables (i.e., the 22
original variables and 7 risk variables) are available as:
(1) Gridded polygon data for the 22 original data variables. Data include
elevation, geology, geomorphology, sea-level trends, shoreline
displacement (erosion/accretion), tidal ranges, and wave heights;
(2) Gridded polygon data for the seven classified risk variables. The risk
variables are classified versions of: mean coastal elevation, geology,
geomorphology, local subsidence trend, mean shoreline displacement,
maximum tidal range, and maximum significant wave height;
(3) 1:2,000,000 line segment data containing the 29 data variables (i.e.,
the 22 original data variables and the 7 classified risk variables);
(4) Supplemental point data for the stations used in calculating the sea-
level trend and tidal-range data sets; and
(5) Supplemental line segment data containing a 1:2,000,000 digitized
coastline of the U.S. West Coast.
Back to CDIAC Home Page