Understanding where hardened shorelines play a role in identifying opportunities for littoral system restoration is a critical aspect of prioritizing work in an anthropomorphic system. While this need has been recognized as a priority in the Great Lakes, there previously was no way to document these changes.
This multiagency project used existing aerial imagery and ancillary data to classify segments of the U.S. Great Lakes shoreline as either artificial or natural, along with structure type and condition. These data helped to enhance coastal communities' understanding of unintended consequences and recognition of potential systemic issues related to shoreline armoring. Data can be used to improve modeling efforts, evaluate projects for future climate resilience, and prioritize Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding decisions each year. It is publicly accessible on NOAA’s Digital Coast. The next round of funding will be used to update the 2019 products to represent the current status of hardened shorelines.
Funding:
FY 2024: $450,000
FY 2019: $100,000
FY 2018: $400,000
Contact: Brandon.Krumwiede@noaa.gov
Partners: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Geological Survey