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Beach and Dune Analysis Using Chiroptera Imaging System, South Padre and Brazos Islands, Texas Gulf Coast Tiffany L

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Beach and Dune Analysis Using Chiroptera Imaging System, South Padre and Brazos Islands, Texas Gulf Coast Tiffany L Beach and Dune Analysis Using Chiroptera Imaging System, South Padre and Brazos Islands, Texas Gulf Coast Tiffany L. Caudle, Thomas A. Tremblay, Jeffrey G. Paine, John R. Andrews and Kutalmis Saylam Final Report Bureau of Economic Geology Scott W. Tinker, Director A Report of the Coastal Coordination John A. and Katherine G. Jackson School of Geosciences Council Pursuant to National Oceanic The University of Texas at Austin and Atmospheric Administration Austin, Texas 78713-8924 Award No. NA12NOS4190021 Final Report Prepared for General Land Office under contract no. 13-030-000-6895. Final Report Beach and Dune Analysis Using Chiroptera Imaging System, South Padre and Brazos Islands, Texas Gulf Coast Tiffany L. Caudle, Thomas A. Tremblay, Jeffrey G. Paine, John R. Andrews and Kutalmis Saylam Report to the Texas Coastal Coordination Council pursuant to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Award No. NA12NOS4190021. Final report prepared for General Land Office under contract No. 13-030-000-6895. Bureau of Economic Geology Scott W. Tinker, Director Jackson School of Geosciences The University of Texas at Austin Austin, Texas 78713-8924 June 2014 QAe2830 CONTENTS Abstract ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 2 Methods .................................................................................................................................... 6 Data Acquisition ............................................................................................................ 6 Lidar Data Processing .................................................................................................... 8 Topographic Processing .................................................................................. 10 Bathymetric Processing .................................................................................. 10 Aerial Imagery Post-Processing .................................................................................. 11 GIS Data Deliverables .................................................................................................. 13 Shoreline ......................................................................................................... 13 Potential Vegetation Line ............................................................................... 16 Landward Dune Line ....................................................................................... 16 Long-Term Shoreline Change Rates ................................................................ 19 Geomorphic Units ........................................................................................... 22 Maximum Dune Crest Position and Volume Statistics ................................... 25 Barrier Island Geomorphology ................................................................................................ 27 Shoreline Change .................................................................................................................... 32 Long-Term Change, 1937–2013 .................................................................................. 33 Decadal Change, 2000–2013 ...................................................................................... 35 Short-Term Change, 2010–2013 ................................................................................. 38 Comparison of Historical, Decadal, and Short-Term Periods ..................................... 41 Volumetric Analysis ................................................................................................................. 44 Bathymetric Lidar Assessment ................................................................................................ 52 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................. 56 Acknowledgments................................................................................................................... 57 References .............................................................................................................................. 59 Appendix A: Imagemagick Script ............................................................................................ 61 Appendix B: Threshold Elevation Curves-Survey Comparison ............................................... 62 Appendix C: Threshold Elevation Curves-Shoreline Segment Change ................................... 64 Appendix D: Data Volume Contents ....................................................................................... 67 i FIGURES 1. Index map of the study area ............................................................................................. 5 2. Trajectories of all three flights showing coverage between Mansfield Channel and Rio Grande .................................................................................................................. 9 3. Merged topographic and bathymetric digital elevation model (DEM) for area north Brazos Santiago Pass ................................................................................ 12 4. 2013 shoreline and potential vegetation line positions on South Padre Island ............. 15 5. Location of landward dune boundary in north and south sections of study area.......... 18 6. Sample of historical shoreline positions at Isla Blanca Park on South Padre Island ....... 20 7. Long-term change rates in north and south sections of study area ............................... 21 8. Geomorphic units within north and south sections of the study area. ................................... 23 9. First appearance of incipient dunes north of Brazos Santiago Pass ............................... 24 10. Maximum dune crest elevations along north and south sections of study area ............ 26 11. Generalized barrier island profile illustrating prominent features. ................................ 27 12. Storm washover channel ................................................................................................. 28 13. Active dune and deflation area ....................................................................................... 28 14. Marsh in depression lagoonward of fore-island dune ridge ........................................... 29 15. Wind-tidal flats ................................................................................................................ 30 16. Marsh vegetation along margins of a storm washover channel on South Padre Island ........................................................................................................... 30 17. Generalized cross section of Padre Island barrier system .............................................. 32 18. Geomorphic unit area in South Padre Island study area ................................................ 32 19. Net rates of long-term change for South Padre Island and Brazos Island calculated from shoreline positions from 1937 through 2013 ....................................... 34 20. Net rates of decade-scale change for South Padre Island and Brazos Island calculated from shoreline positions from 2000 through 2013 ....................................... 37 ii 21. Net shoreline change between April 2010 and February 2013 for South Padre Island and Brazos Island ........................................................................ 39 22. Short-term shoreline change between Rio Grande and Mansfield Channel showing fluctuations between advance and retreat ...................................................... 41 23. Comparison of historical and decade-scale net shoreline change rates (m/yr) with short-term net shoreline movement (m) ................................................................ 43 24. Changes in shoreline position, vegetation line position, and sediment volume at SPI02 on South Padre Island as measured by Port Isabel High School students participating in Texas High School Coastal Monitoring Program .................................... 43 25. Average volume (m3/m) of sand per meter of shoreline above threshold elevations in 2000, 2010, and 2013 for Brazos and South Padre Islands ....................... 45 26. Average volume (m3/m) above threshold elevations for Brazos and South Padre Island and South Padre Island segments calculated from 2013 lidar-derived DEMS ................................................................................................. 47 27. South Padre Island developed segment with seawall displaying maximum dune crest elevations ..................................................................................... 48 28. Developed segment of South Padre Island with seawall showing maximum dune crest elevations ....................................................................... 49 29. Undeveloped South Padre Island showing maximum dune crest elevations ................. 50 30. Average volume (m3/m) of sand per meter of shoreline above threshold elevations in 2000, 2010, and 2013 for developed area of South Padre Island without seawall ............................................................................................................... 51 31. Single-beam sonar lines collected October 2012 ............................................................ 53 32. Comparison of lidar (blue) with single-beam sonar (red) from southernmost
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