800 miles of field reconnaissance on a shoestring budget: Findings and lessons learned from the California coast

1. by
Justin Vandever, PE, Coastal Engineer, AECOM
Nicole Metzger, Oceanographer, Michael Baker Jr, Inc.
Darryl Hatheway, CFM, Coastal Scientist, AECOM
FMA September 7, 2011

2. CCAMP / OPC Study
Field Reconnaissance
Outline
1. CCAMP/OPC Study Overview
2. Purpose of Field Reconnaissance
3. Field Recon Process and Planning
4. Field Recon Activities
5. Challenges and Lessons Learned
FMA September 7, 2011

3. CCAMP / OPC Study – Overview
Del Norte
Humboldt
Michael
Phase 1 (2010)
Baker Jr. Mendocino
Ten Counties
Sonoma
Northern and Central
QA/QC Marin
San Francisco California Coast
San Mateo
Santa Cruz
AECOM Monterey
San Luis Obispo
Santa
Barbara Objective:
Phase 2 (2012) Ventura Determine new
Los
Five Counties Angeles
BFEs and flood
Southern Orange
San Diego extents
California Coast
FMA September 7, 2011 www.r9coastal.org

4. • Familiarize Study Contractor with study area
• Characterize shoreline exposure and morphology
• Inventory and field-verify coastal structures
• Field-verify geospatial datasets
• Collect data pertinent to coastal analyses, per G&S
• Demonstrate local knowledge and site familiarity
to communities, document conditions
FEMA Guidelines and Specifications provide very
limited direction on field recon objectives.
Objectives can be tailored to meet Contractor needs
FMA September 7, 2011
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5. 1. Desktop Research
• Overhead Aerials 2. Field Plan & Logistics
• Oblique Aerials • Sites of Interest
• Literature Review • Schedule, tides
• Storm Damage • Directions
• Flood Maps
• Population Centers
4. Field Activities
3. FEMA G&S • Field Notes
• Engineering • Photographs
Calculations • Standardized Form
• Data Requirements • Measurements (rock size,
• Documentation beach slope, grain size)
• Verify geospatial data
FMA September 7, 2011
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6. bing.com bing.com
Google Earth
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7. http://www.californiacoastline.org/
• Fall flights @ 500-700 ft
• 2002, 2004, 2005, 2008,
2009, 2010 oblique
aerials Photography and website Copyright ©
FMA September 7, 2011 2002-2010 Kenneth & Gabrielle Adelman
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8. FMA September 7, 2011
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9. Populated, low-lying
Unpopulated
High Relief
2000 Census
Bureau
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10. 1. Desktop Research
• Overhead Aerials 2. Field Plan & Logistics
• Oblique Aerials • Sites of Interest
• Literature Review • Schedule, tides
• Storm Damage • Directions
• Flood Maps
• Population Centers
4. Field Activities
3. FEMA G&S • Field Notes
• Engineering • Photographs
Calculations • Standardized Form
• Data Requirements • Measurements (rock size,
• Documentation beach slope, grain size)
• Verify geospatial data
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11. • Identify sites of interest based
on desktop research
• Develop schedule, consider
tides and access
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12. *Detail sheet created for each site*
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13. 1. Desktop Research
• Overhead Aerials 2. Field Plan & Logistics
• Oblique Aerials • Sites of Interest
• Literature Review • Schedule, tide
• Storm Damage • Directions
• Flood Maps
• Population Centers
4. Field Activities
3. FEMA G&S • Field Notes
• Engineering • Photographs
Calculations • Standardized Form
• Data Requirements • Measurements (rock size,
• Documentation beach slope, grain size)
• Verify geospatial data
FMA September 7, 2011
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14. FEMA Pacific Guidelines
l
Where is additional information needed?
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15. Need sediment grain size to determine time scale of erosion response
Fine
Estimate D50 Medium (bin into grain
(visually or lab analysis) Coarse size categories)
Coastal Erosion Methods
And Data Requirements
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16. Need rock armor characteristics for wave runup and overtopping
• Armor size
• Porosity
• Roughness
• Condition
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17. 1. Desktop Research
• Overhead Aerials 2. Field Plan & Logistics
• Oblique Aerials • Sites of Interest
• Literature Review • Schedule, tide
• Storm Damage • Directions
• Flood Maps
• Population Centers
4. Field Activities
3. FEMA G&S • Field Notes
• Engineering • Photographs
Calculations • Standardized Form
• Data Requirements • Measurements (rock size,
• Documentation beach slope, grain size)
• Verify geospatial data
FMA September 7, 2011
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18. Bodega Bay
Trinidad
Russian River
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19. FMA September 7, 2011
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20. FMA September 7, 2011
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21. FMA September 7, 2011
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22. PWA Shore Type & NOAA ESI
CCC Armor Database Shoreline Classification
Great Fine-grained
HWY Sandy beach
Seawall
Missing Dune
(buried)
Taraval
Seawall
Coarse-grained
Sandy beach
Wave Bluff
Model
Output
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23. • Access WANTED
• Safety
• Local knowledge
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24. www.r9coastal.org
FMA September 7, 2011

25. Questions?
March 2011 Tsunami Damage
Crescent City Harbor
Photo: N. Metzger (Baker)
FMA September 7, 2011