Pacific Region RCSD Projects & Activities (PAWS) Worksheet
Form used for a entering PAWS into Piko (Worsheet Version April 27 2012)
Acronym
Name/Title
Predicting the Impact of Storm Waves and Sea-Level Rise within the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument
Capability Area: Understanding Climate Variability and Change
Understanding Climate Variability and Change
Observing Systems, Data Stewardship, Data Services
Operational Products and Services
Research/Development
Historical Observations (hindcasts/climatologies)
Projections (modeling and downscaling)
Training and Capacity Building, Education, Outreach
Best Practices/Guidance
Decision Support Tools
Essential Climate Variable/Parameter
Atmospheric:
Surface (e.g., temp, precip, wind)
Upper-Air
Composition
Oceanic:
Surface (e.g., SST, SSH, salinity, ocean color)
Sub-surface (e.g., temp, salinity, nutrients, carbon, phytoplankton)
Terrestrial:
(e.g., surface water, glaciers and ice caps, land cover, biomass)
Time Frame
Seasonal (outlook)
Intra-annual to Decadal
Multi-decadal (scenarios)
Capability Area: Understanding Climate Impacts and Informing Adaptation
Understanding Climate Impacts and Informing Adaptation
Climate Impacts
Observing Systems, Data Stewardship, Data Services
Research/Development
Historical Observations (hindcasts/climatologies)
Projections (modeling and downscaling)
Climate Adaptation
Training and Capacity Building, Education, Outreach
Best Practices/Guidance
Decision Support Tools
Policies and Legislation
Assessment and Evaluation
Sector
Public Health and Safety
Fresh Water Resources
Energy
Transportation/Communication and Commerce
Community Planning and Development
Social and Cultural Resources
Agriculture and Fisheries
Recreation and Tourism
Ecosystems
Other
Status
Completed
Ongoing
Planned
Proposed
Focus Area
Fresh Water Resources and Drought
Coastal Inundation/Sea Level Rise, Extreme Weather, and Community Resilience
Marine and Terrestrial Ecosystems
Region/Locale
Central North Pacific
State of Hawaii
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
Pacific Remote Islands
Western North Pacific
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI)
Federated States of Micronesia (FSM)
Guam
Republic of Palau
Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI)
Other Western North Pacific
South Pacific
American Samoa
Australia
Cook Islands
Fiji
French Polynesia
Kiribati
New Zealand
Papua New Guinea (PNG)
Samoa
Solomon Islands
Tonga
Tuvalu
Vanuatu
Other South Pacific
Pacific Basin
Global
Description
The goal of this study is to provide maps of wave impact and storm-induced inundation levels for islands of high conservation value. Vulnerability will be assessed for Midway Atoll and Laysan Island using historical data and new high resolution Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) for a variety of sea-level rise scenarios. Research to date forecasts sea-level rise with only passive flooding scenarios, and until now, was limited by a lack of topography data for Hawaii’s remote atolls. Predicting impacts of flooding and storm-induced waves is needed to develop climate-change adaptation plans for the biological communities and resident endangered species. This information is also needed for managers to understand risks and determine emergency responses for the range of parameters where natural, historical, and cultural resources and remotely stationed personnel may be threatened from sea-level rise and storm-induced waves.
Objectives/Outcomes
The following products will be produced for both Midway Atoll and Laysan Island: 1) Wave climatology (long-term characterization of wave patterns) delineating the different end-member wave conditions that impact the islands; 2) GIS maps of wave parameters (significant wave height, wave period, wavelength) for the different wave climatologies at present sea level; 3) GIS maps of wave parameters (significant wave height, wave period, wavelength) for the different wave climatologies at potential future sea levels; 4) GIS maps showing the limit of inundation for the different wave climatologies at present sea level relative to the locations of natural resources and infrastructure; 5) GIS maps showing the limit of inundation for the different wave climatologies at potential future sea levels relative to the locations of natural resources and infrastructure; and 6) Plots showing percentage of natural resources potentially inundated for the different wave climatologies at potential future sea levels. Products generated will also utilize historic monitoring data collect by project cooperators were appropriate (NOAA, USFWS). This project will also provide the essential baseline and understanding for potential future efforts to predict the potential effects of: a) tsunamis on natural and cultural resources; b) wave-induced forces on structures and predictions of coastal erosion and accretion; and c) sea-level rise’s influence on waves to better define impacts to Federally-managed marine resources (e.g., coral reefs).
Lead Agencies, Institutions and Organizations
U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Contacts(names, emails)
Curt D. Storlazzi, cstorlazzi@usgs.gov
Partnering Agencies, Institutions, and Organizations
U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Islands Ecological Research Center - Help conduct analyses, do visualization, and add terrestrial ecology to impact map products.
Required Resources
1) MSc. student support 2) USGS Open-File Report EPN publication charges
Projected Timelines
See table embedded in full worksheet.
Feedback Mechanisms and Evaluation Measures
Url
Worksheet
PnA_SLRPMNM.doc
Keywords
Understanding Climate Variability and Change Research/Development Projections (modeling and downscaling) Surface (e.g., temp, precip, wind) Surface (e.g., SST, SSH, salinity, ocean color) Seasonal (outlook) Intra-annual to Decadal Multi-decadal (scenarios) Understanding Climate Impacts and Informing Adaptation Climate Impacts Research/Development Projections (modeling and downscaling) Ongoing Coastal Inundation/Sea Level Rise, Extreme Weather, and Community Resilience Central North Pacific Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Ecosystems Community Planning and Development Public Health and Safety Social and Cultural Resources