USGS research geologist Curt Storlazzi installs an instrument package on the seafloor of Maunalua Bay, Oʻahu. The platform, called a MiniPROBE, hosts six upward-looking acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCP), seven conductivity and temperature (CT) sensors, and eight self-logging optical backscatter sensors (SLOBS).
Curt Storlazzi, PhD
My interests span the coastal zone, from seacliff erosional processes to sediment dynamics in the shallow coastal ocean. My research focuses on the quantitative study of hydrodynamics, sediment transport, and geomorphology in coastal and marine environments.
Research Topics
Coral reef morphology, hydrodynamics, and sediment, nutrient, contaminant, and larval transport
The role of coral reefs and other coastal ecosystems in coastal hazard risk reduction
The interplay between geologic structure, climatic fluctuations, and coastal processes
High-resolution oceanographic instrumentation and coastal mapping techniques
The influence of physical processes on coral reef ecosystems
Many tropical coastal environments have been impacted by infrastructure development, nutrient and contaminant delivery, and natural and human-induced sedimentation. The high geomorphic and hydrodynamic complexity both within and between coral reefs, in conjunction with past technical restrictions, has limited our understanding of the nature of flow and the resulting flux of physical, chemical, and biologic material in these ecosystems. Understanding the physical controls on the timing and magnitude of flow and sediment, larvae, nutrient, and contaminant transport, along with their impact on seafloor geomorphology, stability, and sedimentation in these refugia are essential to assessing modern anthropogenic impacts (climate change, etc.) on these ecosystems and help guide how restoration can increase the resiliency of coral reef-lined coastal communities.
See: Coral Reef Project and The Value of U.S. Coral Reefs for Risk Reduction (links below)
The influence of climate change and sea-level rise on coral reef-lined coasts
Observations show that sea level is rising and recent projections indicate sea level will exceed 1.0 m, and may reach 2.0 m, above 2000 levels by the end of the 21st century. The amount of land and water available for human habitation, water and food sources, and ecosystems along coral reef-lined coasts is limited and vulnerable to wave-driven flooding during storms. Rising sea levels will further exacerbate the impacts of storms on coral reef-lined coasts by reducing wave breaking (and thus energy dissipation) over reefs and result in greater wave energy impacting the shoreline, causing increased flooding and changes to the coast such as erosion. Understanding the physical controls on the timing and magnitude of flooding, along with their impact on coastal geomorphology, are essential to assessing impacts on, and the future sustainability of, coastal infrastructure, agriculture, freshwater availability, and ecosystems.
See: Low-lying areas of tropical Pacific islands (links below)
Professional Experience
2002-present: Research Geologist and Oceanographer, USGS Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program
2002-present: Research Associate, University of California at Santa Cruz (UCSC) Institute for Marine Sciences
Education and Certifications
2002-2004: Research Fellow, Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans Consortium
2000-2002: Post-doctoral Researcher, UCSC Institute for Marine Sciences
2000: Ph.D., UCSC, Earth Sciences Department
1996: B.Sc., University of Delaware, Geology Department
Science and Products
Using Video Imagery to Study Wave Dynamics: Tres Palmas
Quantifying Flood Risk and Reef Risk Reduction Benefits in Florida and Puerto Rico: The Consequences of Hurricane Damage, Long-term Degradation, and Restoration Opportunities
The Value of U.S. Coral Reefs for Risk Reduction
Summary of the report, “Rigorously valuing the role of U.S. coral reefs in coastal hazard risk reduction”
Coral Reef Project: Kauaʻi
Coral Reef Project: Puerto Rico
Coral Reef Project: Oʻahu
Coral Reef Project: Guam
Coral Reef Project: Hawaiʻi
Coral Reef Project: Lānaʻi
Coral Reef Project: Kahoʻolawe
Coral Reef Project: Tutuila
A Prioritization Plan for Coastal Wetland Restoration on Moloka‘i
Time-series data of water surface elevation, waves, currents, temperature, and turbidity collected between November 2017 and March 2018 off the west coast of Maui, Hawaii, USA
Hydrographic and sediment field data collected in the vicinity of Wainwright, Alaska, in 2009
Pharmaceuticals and personal care products measured in passive samplers at seven coastal sites off West Maui during February and March 2017
National Assessment of Hurricane-Induced Coastal Erosion Hazards: Puerto Rico
Ocean wave time-series data simulated with a global-scale numerical wave model under the influence of projected CMIP6 wind and sea ice fields
Model parameter input files to compare the influence of channels in fringing coral reefs on alongshore variations in wave-driven runup along the shoreline
Aerial imagery and structure-from-motion-derived shallow water bathymetry from a UAS survey of the coral reef off Waiakane, Molokai, Hawaii, June 2018
Flooding extent polygons for modelled wave-driven water levels in Florida with and without projected coral reef degradation
Projected flooding extents and depths based on 10-, 50-, 100-, and 500-year wave-energy return periods for the State of Florida and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico before and after Hurricanes Irma and Maria due to the storms' damage to the coral reefs
Projected flooding extents and depths based on 10-, 50-, 100-, and 500-year wave-energy return periods for the State of Florida, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the Territory of the U.S. Virgin Islands for current and potentially restored coral reefs
Near-shore seawater-column measurements of excess radon (Rn-222) and water levels, Faga'alu Bay, Tutuila, American Samoa, August 2018
Modeled extreme total water levels along the U.S. west coast
![A person wearing scuba gear positions an underwater instrument package on the seafloor.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/media/images/MaunaluaBay_SLOBS_3_0.jpg?itok=ZJfOCcqf)
USGS research geologist Curt Storlazzi installs an instrument package on the seafloor of Maunalua Bay, Oʻahu. The platform, called a MiniPROBE, hosts six upward-looking acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCP), seven conductivity and temperature (CT) sensors, and eight self-logging optical backscatter sensors (SLOBS).
Underwater photograph of Tumon Bay Marine Reserve, Guam, showing some of the amazing biologic diversity of coral reefs.
Underwater photograph of Tumon Bay Marine Reserve, Guam, showing some of the amazing biologic diversity of coral reefs.
Underwater photo of a stressed coral mound in Tumon Bay Marine Preserve in Guam.
Underwater photo of a stressed coral mound in Tumon Bay Marine Preserve in Guam.
Large-scale poster describing USGS work.
Large-scale poster describing USGS work.
Underwater photograph of larvae being released into the water column from reef-building coral spawning off Maui the night of June 30, 2003. The white larvae are about 0.5 to 1.5 mm across.
Underwater photograph of larvae being released into the water column from reef-building coral spawning off Maui the night of June 30, 2003. The white larvae are about 0.5 to 1.5 mm across.
The potential for coral reef restoration to mitigate coastal flooding as sea levels rise
Modeling fluvial sediment plumes: Impacts to coral reefs
Carbonate sediment transport across coral reefs: A comparison of fringing vs. barrier reefs
Wave-scale observations of sediment resuspension and subsequent transport across a fringing reef flat
Wave-scale observations of coarse-grained sediment resuspension and subsequent transport across a fringing reef flat, Molokaʻi, Hawaiʻi, USA
Observations of coastal circulation, waves, and sediment transport along West Maui, Hawaiʻi (November 2017– March 2018), and modeling effects of potential watershed restoration on decreasing sediment loads to adjacent coral reefs
Advancing best practices for the analysis of the vulnerability of military installations in the Pacific Basin to coastal flooding under a changing climate – RC-2644
Physicochemical coastal groundwater dynamics between Kauhakō Crater lake and Kalaupapa settlement, Moloka‘i, Hawai‘i
Coral reef restoration for risk reduction (CR4): A guide to project design and proposal development
Wave-driven hydrodynamic processes over fringing reefs with varying slopes, depths, and roughness: Implications for coastal protection
Wave breaking on the steep fore-reef slopes of shallow fringing reefs is effective at dissipating incident sea-swell waves prior to reaching reef shorelines. However, wave setup and free infragravity waves generated during the sea-swell breaking process are often the largest contributors to wave-driven water levels at the shoreline. Laboratory flume experiments and a multi-layer phase-resolving no
Pharmaceuticals and personal care products in passive samplers at seven coastal sites off West Maui, Hawaiʻi:
A numerical study of geomorphic and oceanographic controls on wave-driven runup on fringing reefs with shore-normal channels
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
Using Video Imagery to Study Wave Dynamics: Tres Palmas
Quantifying Flood Risk and Reef Risk Reduction Benefits in Florida and Puerto Rico: The Consequences of Hurricane Damage, Long-term Degradation, and Restoration Opportunities
The Value of U.S. Coral Reefs for Risk Reduction
Summary of the report, “Rigorously valuing the role of U.S. coral reefs in coastal hazard risk reduction”
Coral Reef Project: Kauaʻi
Coral Reef Project: Puerto Rico
Coral Reef Project: Oʻahu
Coral Reef Project: Guam
Coral Reef Project: Hawaiʻi
Coral Reef Project: Lānaʻi
Coral Reef Project: Kahoʻolawe
Coral Reef Project: Tutuila
A Prioritization Plan for Coastal Wetland Restoration on Moloka‘i
Time-series data of water surface elevation, waves, currents, temperature, and turbidity collected between November 2017 and March 2018 off the west coast of Maui, Hawaii, USA
Hydrographic and sediment field data collected in the vicinity of Wainwright, Alaska, in 2009
Pharmaceuticals and personal care products measured in passive samplers at seven coastal sites off West Maui during February and March 2017
National Assessment of Hurricane-Induced Coastal Erosion Hazards: Puerto Rico
Ocean wave time-series data simulated with a global-scale numerical wave model under the influence of projected CMIP6 wind and sea ice fields
Model parameter input files to compare the influence of channels in fringing coral reefs on alongshore variations in wave-driven runup along the shoreline
Aerial imagery and structure-from-motion-derived shallow water bathymetry from a UAS survey of the coral reef off Waiakane, Molokai, Hawaii, June 2018
Flooding extent polygons for modelled wave-driven water levels in Florida with and without projected coral reef degradation
Projected flooding extents and depths based on 10-, 50-, 100-, and 500-year wave-energy return periods for the State of Florida and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico before and after Hurricanes Irma and Maria due to the storms' damage to the coral reefs
Projected flooding extents and depths based on 10-, 50-, 100-, and 500-year wave-energy return periods for the State of Florida, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the Territory of the U.S. Virgin Islands for current and potentially restored coral reefs
Near-shore seawater-column measurements of excess radon (Rn-222) and water levels, Faga'alu Bay, Tutuila, American Samoa, August 2018
Modeled extreme total water levels along the U.S. west coast
![A person wearing scuba gear positions an underwater instrument package on the seafloor.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/media/images/MaunaluaBay_SLOBS_3_0.jpg?itok=ZJfOCcqf)
USGS research geologist Curt Storlazzi installs an instrument package on the seafloor of Maunalua Bay, Oʻahu. The platform, called a MiniPROBE, hosts six upward-looking acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCP), seven conductivity and temperature (CT) sensors, and eight self-logging optical backscatter sensors (SLOBS).
USGS research geologist Curt Storlazzi installs an instrument package on the seafloor of Maunalua Bay, Oʻahu. The platform, called a MiniPROBE, hosts six upward-looking acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCP), seven conductivity and temperature (CT) sensors, and eight self-logging optical backscatter sensors (SLOBS).
Underwater photograph of Tumon Bay Marine Reserve, Guam, showing some of the amazing biologic diversity of coral reefs.
Underwater photograph of Tumon Bay Marine Reserve, Guam, showing some of the amazing biologic diversity of coral reefs.
Underwater photo of a stressed coral mound in Tumon Bay Marine Preserve in Guam.
Underwater photo of a stressed coral mound in Tumon Bay Marine Preserve in Guam.
Large-scale poster describing USGS work.
Large-scale poster describing USGS work.
Underwater photograph of larvae being released into the water column from reef-building coral spawning off Maui the night of June 30, 2003. The white larvae are about 0.5 to 1.5 mm across.
Underwater photograph of larvae being released into the water column from reef-building coral spawning off Maui the night of June 30, 2003. The white larvae are about 0.5 to 1.5 mm across.
The potential for coral reef restoration to mitigate coastal flooding as sea levels rise
Modeling fluvial sediment plumes: Impacts to coral reefs
Carbonate sediment transport across coral reefs: A comparison of fringing vs. barrier reefs
Wave-scale observations of sediment resuspension and subsequent transport across a fringing reef flat
Wave-scale observations of coarse-grained sediment resuspension and subsequent transport across a fringing reef flat, Molokaʻi, Hawaiʻi, USA
Observations of coastal circulation, waves, and sediment transport along West Maui, Hawaiʻi (November 2017– March 2018), and modeling effects of potential watershed restoration on decreasing sediment loads to adjacent coral reefs
Advancing best practices for the analysis of the vulnerability of military installations in the Pacific Basin to coastal flooding under a changing climate – RC-2644
Physicochemical coastal groundwater dynamics between Kauhakō Crater lake and Kalaupapa settlement, Moloka‘i, Hawai‘i
Coral reef restoration for risk reduction (CR4): A guide to project design and proposal development
Wave-driven hydrodynamic processes over fringing reefs with varying slopes, depths, and roughness: Implications for coastal protection
Wave breaking on the steep fore-reef slopes of shallow fringing reefs is effective at dissipating incident sea-swell waves prior to reaching reef shorelines. However, wave setup and free infragravity waves generated during the sea-swell breaking process are often the largest contributors to wave-driven water levels at the shoreline. Laboratory flume experiments and a multi-layer phase-resolving no
Pharmaceuticals and personal care products in passive samplers at seven coastal sites off West Maui, Hawaiʻi:
A numerical study of geomorphic and oceanographic controls on wave-driven runup on fringing reefs with shore-normal channels
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.