About the Data

 

The Atlantic Coast of New York Erosion Monitoring Program Data Viewer contains several  different types of information:  Beach Profile Surveys, Seasonal Aerial Photographs, Historical Shorelines, and Cultural and Physical  data.  These data are continually being updated as new information becomes available.

 

 

Beach Profiles Surveys

Starting in 1995, beach profile data was collected on a biannual to annual basis depending on funding.  Licensed surveyors collected the profiles using a digital total station with a rodman for the subaerial beach and a sea sled for the subtidal beach.  Survey data collected as part of several other on-going federal storm damage reduction projects with monitoring components in the area were also incorporated into the ACNYMP database.  Presently, the database contains some 3,406 profiles collected at 426 stations.  These profiles include 1,275 subaerial, or “short”, profiles and 2131“long” profiles measured to a distance 760 m offshore or a depth of 9 m (approximate depth of closure).  These data provide a detailed, quantitative picture of shoreline change previously not available. 

In addition, New York State Department of State is compiling historical profile data collected in the past by local, state and federal agencies in study area.  These profiles will be added to the database as resources permit. 

 

Seasonal Aerial Photographs

Vertical color aerial photography of the entire reach has been taken twice a year at a scale of 1:9,600 starting in 1995.  Flights were scheduled for the spring and fall to coincide with the profile surveys.  The photographs provide a qualitative measure of the condition beach between the beach profile survey stations but they are not georectified or georeferenced.  (The seasonal aerial photographs should not be confused with the photobase maps used in the mapping window.  The latter  are Digital Orthophoto Quarter Quads (DOQQ’s) taken as part of a state program.  The DOQQ are georeferenced,  rectified images).  The seasonal photographs can be viewed with the Photo Viewer.   To view the photograph sets presently available, click here.

Historical Shorelines

Historical shorelines are only available for Jones Beach and the shorelines to the east (Fire Island, Westhampton, the Ponds and Montauk).  As a part of the “Coastal Processes Studies for the South Shore of Long Island, Fire Island to Montauk Point Reformulation Study” done by the Corps of Engineers, three sets of aerial photography were used to develop shoreline position data for the study area extending from Gilgo Beach, which is located west of Fire Island Inlet.  These aerial photographs were dated April 1983, March 1988, and March/April 1995, and were used to supplement an existing shoreline database, which includes shorelines dated 1830, 1870, 1887 (no months available), Feb-May 1933, Oct 1938, Mar 1962, and Dec 1979.  The shorelines were done by Leatherman, et al. as part of the Corps earlier geomorphic analysis.

 

Cultural and Physical Data

Cultural and Physical data has been compiled from a variety of different sources.  Much of this information comes from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District  investigations for storm damage reduction and navigation projects at Coney Island, Rockaway, Fire Island Inlet, Shinnecock Inlet and Fire Island to Montauk Point.  These data include topography, spot land elevations, building footprints, and waterfront structures for selected areas.  The site also contains other digital data available from other agencies and organizations.