Understanding the Role Coastal Marshes Play in Protecting Communities from Storm Surge and Flooding - NERRS/NSC(NERRS Science Collaborative)

The research team developed a vegetation-resolving three-dimensional surge-wave model to simulate storm impacts on Piermont Marsh and the adjacent Village. The model incorporated locally collected data on plant distribution and structure, as well as observed and simulated wind and water level data from the Hudson River. By modeling the impacts of Superstorm Sandy, they found that marsh vegetation with predominantly invasive common reed, Phragmites australis, reduced 66% of the wave energy, but less than 1% of the flood, at the Village. The marsh vegetation also significantly prevented transport of debris from the southeastern corner of the marsh. If managers were to replace Phragmites with the shorter, native cattail, Typha angustifolia , simulations of Sandy, which occurred in October, suggest that Piermont Marsh’s wave and debris buffering capacity would be preserved. However, had Sandy occurred in May/June when Typha is much shorter and sparser, the marsh would have been unable to buffer the wave and debris as effectively. The Piermont Marsh Coastal GeoTool allows Village of officials and resource managers to explore how homes and buildings would be impacted under marsh management and sea-level rise scenarios.

The Village of Piermont is located along the Hudson River in New York and is adjacent to a large tidal marsh that is dominated by the tall invasive grass, Phragmites (common reed). Resource managers from the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve are interested in restoring native grasses such as cattails in the marsh, but they do not want to impact the wetland’s ability to protect the Village from the waves and flooding caused by severe storms. In partnership with the local community, researchers, led by Y. Peter Sheng, PhD., designed and applied state-of-the-art coastal and hurricane models to address these questions: (1) What is the flooding risk for the Village of Piermont under current and future conditions? (2) What role does Piermont Marsh play in buffering the village from present and future flood, surge and wave damage? (3) How would the marsh’s buffering services be changed if marsh managers were to restore native vegetation a phased approach to a portion of the marsh? (4) What is the economic value of the buffering services the marsh provides, now and in the future?

Loaded by FGDC Metadata Uploader, batch 10159, 10-31-2017 15:33

Peter Sheng

Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment, University of Florida

pete@coastal.ufl.edu

==About these datasets

Three project datasets have been archived with the NERRS Centralized Data Management Office and can be requested through individual data requests forms.

==Hydrologic Data: Observed Water Level in Sparkill Creek

This dataset includes observed water level at a dock located on the Sparkill Creek (Piermont, NY) recorded during high water level events occurring over a span of ~7 months using a pressure sensor and an experimental radar sensor.

Contact for Hydrologic Data: Justin Davis, University of Florida, Email: justin.r.davis@essie.ufl.edu

==Vegetation Data: Marsh Vegetation and Plant Dimensions

This dataset includes herbaceous marsh vegetation data from two marsh sites along the Hudson River, NY - Iona Marsh and Piermont Marsh. Plant stem density and physical plant dimensions were measured by hand and with a Riegl 400 terrestrial laser scanner.

Contact for Vegetation Data: Christine Angelini, University of Florida, Email: c.angelini@ufl.edu

==Flood and Wave Maps: Model Generated Flood and Wave Height Maps

These are model generated maps of the predicted 1% flood (0.01 annual exceedance probability) and the predicted 1% wave height (0.01 annual exceedance probability) for 7 scenarios that mimic different stages of marsh management and future projections of sea level rise.

Contact for Flood and Wave Maps: Y. Peter Sheng, University of Florida, Email: pete@coastal.ufl.edu

The distributor does not assume liability.

None

Cite this dataset when used as a source: NOAA retains the right to analyze, synthesize and publish summaries of the NERRS/NSC data. The NERRS/NSC retains the right to be fully credited for having collected and process the data. Following academic courtesy standards, the NERR site where the data were collected should be contacted and fully acknowledged in any subsequent publications in which any part of the data are used. The data enclosed within this package/transmission are only as accurate as the quality assurance and quality control procedures that are described in the associated metadata reporting statement allow. The user bears all responsibility for its subsequent use/misuse in any further analyses or comparisons. The Federal government does not assume liability to the Recipient or third persons, nor will the Federal government reimburse or indemnify the Recipient for its liability due to any losses resulting in any way from the use of this data. Requested citation format: NOAA National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) Science Collaborative(NSC).

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This information is detailed within the project links.

This information is detailed within the project links.