Coastal Hazards Related to Water

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Institute of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 3431 Arendell Street, Morehead City, NC 28557, USA
Interests: modeling and observing coastal waters; storm surge modeling; coastal hazard prediction; event based flood forecasting
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Water draws us to the coast, yet its destructive and life-threatening power poses the principal hazard to life, property, and economies in much of the world’s coastal zone. 2017 was another year of intense tropical cyclone activity, especially in the Atlantic Basin, with devastating consequences throughout the Caribbean, parts of the US, and even the British Isles. Globally, severe tropical and extra-tropical storms continue to cause deaths, massive destruction, and provide constant reminders of the escalating risk associated with living in the coastal zone. The continued growth in commerce, infrastructure, and population; relative sea level rise; and the impacts of a warming climate on storm characteristics are all contributing to an increase in the risk associated with living at the coast. As we seek to manage this risk and create more resilient coastal communities, it is essential that we continue to improve our understanding of and skill in predicting water-related hazards and the efficacy of all potential mitigating measures.

This Special Issue will build on the very successful JMSE issue "Coastal Hazards Related to Storm Surge", and is envisioned as a forum for documenting advances in the state of the art in water-related coastal hazards associated with severe storms, whether attributable to storm surge, surface waves, or precipitation-based flooding. Contributions are encouraged in topics including:

  • improved understanding of coastal hazards;
  • improved coastal hazard predictive capabilities;
  • hydrologic, surge, and wave models, particularly coupled models;
  • climatic and relative sea level change influences on coastal hazards;
  • coastal hazards statistics;
  • improved solution algorithms for coastal hazard models, particularly for new computer architectures;
  • deterministic or probabilistic event-based forecasting;
  • novel solutions for coastal hazard reduction;
  • quantifying the effectiveness of nature-based coastal hazard reduction;
  • surrogate modeling of coastal hazards, and
  • process-based and applied studies.

Prof. Dr. Rick Luettich
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • coastal hazards
  • coastal flooding
  • storm surge
  • waves
  • hydrologic flooding
  • modeling
  • coastal hazard reduction
  • nature-based solutions
  • storm surge barriers
  • tropical cyclones
  • extra-tropical storms
  • hurricanes
  • coastal storms
  • sea level rise
  • climate change

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 3461 KiB  
Article
Mechanics and Historical Evolution of Sea Level Blowouts in New York Harbor
by Praneeth Gurumurthy, Philip M. Orton, Stefan A. Talke, Nickitas Georgas and James F. Booth
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2019, 7(5), 160; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse7050160 - 23 May 2019
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3673
Abstract
Wind-induced sea level blowouts, measured as negative storm surge or extreme low water (ELW), produce public safety hazards and impose economic costs (e.g., to shipping). In this paper, we use a regional hydrodynamic numerical model to test the effect of historical environmental change [...] Read more.
Wind-induced sea level blowouts, measured as negative storm surge or extreme low water (ELW), produce public safety hazards and impose economic costs (e.g., to shipping). In this paper, we use a regional hydrodynamic numerical model to test the effect of historical environmental change and the time scale, direction, and magnitude of wind forcing on negative and positive surge events in the New York Harbor (NYH). Environmental sensitivity experiments show that dredging of shipping channels is an important factor affecting blowouts while changing ice cover and removal of other roughness elements are unimportant in NYH. Continuously measured water level records since 1860 show a trend towards smaller negative surge magnitudes (measured minus predicted water level) but do not show a significant change to ELW magnitudes after removing the sea-level trend. Model results suggest that the smaller negative surges occur in the deeper, dredged modern system due to a reduced tide-surge interaction, primarily through a reduced phase shift in the predicted tide. The sensitivity of surge to wind direction changes spatially with remote wind effects dominating local wind effects near NYH. Convergent coastlines that amplify positive surges also amplify negative surges, a process we term inverse coastal funneling. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coastal Hazards Related to Water)
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16 pages, 3932 KiB  
Article
Variability of Best-Estimate Flood Depth Return Periods in Coastal Louisiana
by Mikaela R. Meyer and David R. Johnson
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2019, 7(5), 145; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse7050145 - 14 May 2019
Viewed by 2994
Abstract
Estimates of surge-based flood depth exceedance curves are useful to inform flood risk management strategies. Estimated return periods associated with flood depth exceedances naturally vary over time, even under assumptions of stationarity, due to the irreducible randomness associated with storm events as new [...] Read more.
Estimates of surge-based flood depth exceedance curves are useful to inform flood risk management strategies. Estimated return periods associated with flood depth exceedances naturally vary over time, even under assumptions of stationarity, due to the irreducible randomness associated with storm events as new observations accrue with each passing year. We empirically examine the degree to which best-estimates of coastal Louisiana floodplains have changed over time and consider implications for risk management policies. We generate variation in estimated 100-year flood depths by truncating a historical data set of observed tropical cyclones to end in years ranging from 1980 to 2016, adopting three procedures for updating various inputs to an existing flood risk model using the truncated data set to identify which factors are most important in driving variation in risk estimates over time. The landscape used for modeling hydrodynamics is kept constant, allowing us to isolate the impacts of randomness in storm occurrence from other factors. Our findings indicate that the 100-year floodplain extent has substantially expanded in populated areas since 1980 due to these effects. Due to the low frequency at which flood maps are updated, it is possible that thousands of coastal residents are misclassified as being outside of the 100-year floodplain relevant to flood insurance rates and other regulations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coastal Hazards Related to Water)
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21 pages, 5341 KiB  
Article
Real-Time Chronological Hazard Impact Modeling
by Peter Stempel, Isaac Ginis, David Ullman, Austin Becker and Robert Witkop
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2018, 6(4), 134; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse6040134 - 10 Nov 2018
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 5307
Abstract
The potential of using ADvanced CIRCulation model (ADCIRC) to assess the time incremented progression of hazard impacts on individual critical facilities has long been recognized but is not well described. As ADCIRC is applied to create granular impact models, the lack of transparency [...] Read more.
The potential of using ADvanced CIRCulation model (ADCIRC) to assess the time incremented progression of hazard impacts on individual critical facilities has long been recognized but is not well described. As ADCIRC is applied to create granular impact models, the lack of transparency in the methods is problematic. It becomes difficult to evaluate the entire system in situations where modeling integrates different types of data (e.g., hydrodynamic and existing geospatial point data) and involves multiple disciplines and stakeholders. When considering increased interest in combining hydrodynamic models, existing geospatial information, and advanced visualizations it is necessary to increase transparency and identify the pitfalls that arise out of this integration (e.g., the inadequacy of data to support the resolution of proposed outputs). This paper thus describes an all numerical method to accomplish this integration. It provides an overview of the generation of the hydrodynamic model, describes the all numerical method utilized to model hazard impacts, identifies pitfalls that arise from the integration of existing geospatial data with the hydrodynamic model, and describes an approach to developing a credible basis for determining impacts at a granular scale. The paper concludes by reflecting on the implementation of these methods as part of a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Integrated Emergency Management Training Course (IEMC) and identifies the need to further study the effects of integrated models and visualizations on risk perception. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coastal Hazards Related to Water)
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20 pages, 26216 KiB  
Article
Sensitivity of Offshore Tropical Cyclone Wave Simulations to Spatial Resolution in Wave Models
by Xuanyu Chen, Isaac Ginis and Tetsu Hara
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2018, 6(4), 116; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse6040116 - 11 Oct 2018
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3429
Abstract
This study investigated and quantified the sensitivity of tropical cyclone (TC) wave simulations in the open ocean to different spatial resolutions ( 1 / 3 , 1 / 6 , 1 / 12 and 1 / 24 ) using [...] Read more.
This study investigated and quantified the sensitivity of tropical cyclone (TC) wave simulations in the open ocean to different spatial resolutions ( 1 / 3 , 1 / 6 , 1 / 12 and 1 / 24 ) using two wave models, WAVEWATCH III (WW3) and Simulating WAves Nearshore (SWAN). Six idealized TCs of different radii of maximum winds (25 km and 50 km), and of different translation speeds (3 m/s, 6 m/s and 9 m/s) were prescribed to force these two wave models. Results from both models show that the coarsest resolution ( 1 / 3 ) introduces significant errors in both the significant wave height (SWH) and the mean wavelength. Moreover, results reveal that sensitivity to spatial resolution strongly depends on storm characteristics. Waves simulated under the small (25 km) and fast moving (9 m/s) TC show the largest sensitivity to the coarse spatial resolutions. With the 1 / 3 resolution, maximum SWH can be underestimated by as much as 6% in WW3 and 16% in SWAN compared to those with the 1 / 24 resolution. These findings from the idealized TC simulations are further confirmed by wave simulations under a historical storm. Our analysis also demonstrates that spatial smoothing of the input wind field with coarse grids is not the only reason for the errors in wave simulations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coastal Hazards Related to Water)
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17 pages, 8537 KiB  
Article
Frequency Analysis of Storm-Surge-Induced Flooding for the Huangpu River in Shanghai, China
by Qian Ke, Sebastiaan N. Jonkman, Pieter H. A. J. M. Van Gelder and Jeremy D. Bricker
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2018, 6(2), 70; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse6020070 - 11 Jun 2018
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 7232
Abstract
Shanghai, as a coastal city, is vulnerable to various types of flooding. The floodwalls along the Huangpu River provide protection against typhoon-induced flooding. However, there is limited insight into the actual safety level of the flood defences in Shanghai, and recent failures have [...] Read more.
Shanghai, as a coastal city, is vulnerable to various types of flooding. The floodwalls along the Huangpu River provide protection against typhoon-induced flooding. However, there is limited insight into the actual safety level of the flood defences in Shanghai, and recent failures have highlighted their vulnerability. Therefore, the aims of this paper are to derive a series of new flood frequency curves for the Huangpu River, and to evaluate the level of protection of the floodwall system. This paper analysed over 100 years (1912–2013) of annual maximum water levels for three stations at near-sea, mid-stream and inland locations along the Huangpu River. Best-fit curves were determined for a number of selected probability distributions using statistical performance indicators. As a result, new flood frequency curves of the water levels for different storm surge return periods were produced. The results showed that generalised extreme value (GEV) was identified as the most suitable probability distribution for the datasets. Analysis showed that the current design water levels correspond to exceedance probabilities of 1/500 per year at the near-sea and mid-stream stations, and no more than 1/50 per year at the inland station of the Huangpu River, whereas the intended safety standard is 1/1000 per year. A comparison of the findings with a dataset of the crest heights of the floodwalls showed that the current protection level of the floodwalls along the Huangpu River is expected to be around 1/50 per year in terms of overtopping for the lowest sections. The results of this study can be utilized to provide future recommendations for flood risk management in Shanghai. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coastal Hazards Related to Water)
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21 pages, 46961 KiB  
Article
Simulating Storm Surge Impacts with a Coupled Atmosphere-Inundation Model with Varying Meteorological Forcing
by Alexandra N. Ramos Valle, Enrique N. Curchitser, Cindy L. Bruyere and Kathryn R. Fossell
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2018, 6(2), 35; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse6020035 - 5 Apr 2018
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 4862
Abstract
Storm surge events have the potential to cause devastating damage to coastal communities. The magnitude of their impacts highlights the need for increased accuracy and real-time forecasting and predictability of storm surge. In this study, we assess two meteorological forcing configurations to hindcast [...] Read more.
Storm surge events have the potential to cause devastating damage to coastal communities. The magnitude of their impacts highlights the need for increased accuracy and real-time forecasting and predictability of storm surge. In this study, we assess two meteorological forcing configurations to hindcast the storm surge of Hurricane Sandy, and ultimately support the improvement of storm surge forecasts. The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model is coupled to the ADvanced CIRCulation Model (ADCIRC) to determine water elevations. We perform four coupled simulations and compare storm surge estimates resulting from the use of a parametric vortex model and a full-physics atmospheric model. One simulation is forced with track-based meteorological data calculated from WRF, while three simulations are forced with the full wind and pressure field outputs from WRF simulations of varying resolutions. Experiments were compared to an ADCIRC simulation forced by National Hurricane Center best track data, as well as to station observations. Our results indicated that given accurate meteorological best track data, a parametric vortex model can accurately forecast maximum water elevations, improving upon the use of a full-physics coupled atmospheric-surge model. In the absence of a best track, atmospheric forcing in the form of full wind and pressure field from a high-resolution atmospheric model simulation prove reliable for storm surge forecasting. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coastal Hazards Related to Water)
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3180 KiB  
Article
Sub-Ensemble Coastal Flood Forecasting: A Case Study of Hurricane Sandy
by Justin A. Schulte
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2017, 5(4), 59; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse5040059 - 15 Dec 2017
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 5583
Abstract
In this paper, it is proposed that coastal flood ensemble forecasts be partitioned into sub-ensemble forecasts using cluster analysis in order to produce representative statistics and to measure forecast uncertainty arising from the presence of clusters. After clustering the ensemble members, the ability [...] Read more.
In this paper, it is proposed that coastal flood ensemble forecasts be partitioned into sub-ensemble forecasts using cluster analysis in order to produce representative statistics and to measure forecast uncertainty arising from the presence of clusters. After clustering the ensemble members, the ability to predict the cluster into which the observation will fall can be measured using a cluster skill score. Additional sub-ensemble and composite skill scores are proposed for assessing the forecast skill of a clustered ensemble forecast. A recently proposed method for statistically increasing the number of ensemble members is used to improve sub-ensemble probabilistic estimates. Through the application of the proposed methodology to Sandy coastal flood reforecasts, it is demonstrated that statistics computed using only ensemble members belonging to a specific cluster are more representative than those computed using all ensemble members simultaneously. A cluster skill-cluster uncertainty index relationship is identified, which is the cluster analog of the documented spread-skill relationship. Two sub-ensemble skill scores are shown to be positively correlated with cluster forecast skill, suggesting that skillfully forecasting the cluster into which the observation will fall is important to overall forecast skill. The identified relationships also suggest that the number of ensemble members within in each cluster can be used as guidance for assessing the potential for forecast error. The inevitable existence of ensemble member clusters in tidally dominated total water level prediction systems suggests that clustering is a necessary post-processing step for producing representative and skillful total water level forecasts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coastal Hazards Related to Water)
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