Houses in Rodanthe, NC, are left in the waves at the ocean's edge following the passage of Hurricane Isabel, which made landfall as a category 2 storm in the Outer Banks on September 18, 2003.
Hilary Stockdon, Ph.D.
My work at USGS is aimed at improving our understanding of coastal change processes, developing innovative methods for forecasting coastal change, applying these methods to identify potential hazards along our Nation’s coastlines, and then sharing the information with coastal stakeholders.
Hilary Stockdon is the Program Coordinator for the Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program with the U.S. Geological Survey. For almost 20 years, she has been part of a multifaceted project that quantifies how sea level rise, storms and long-term erosion are shaping our shorelines. Her research contributions include advances in:
- Real-time forecasts and scenario-based predictions of coastal total water level and geomorphic change during storms
- Use of wave runup parameterization in coastal hazard assessments
- Barrier island response to extreme storms and hurricanes
- Modeling wave swash, setup, and runup
- Lidar-derived measures of coastal change
Her work is both fundamental and applied: rigorous science on coastal processes is used to create tools for decision makers who are responsible for preparedness, response, and resilience along our coastlines. Her work on the effects of storms on the coastal communities of our Nation has raised public awareness about the value of scientific information on coastal vulnerability, helping residents prepare for future events. Most recently, she served as a Science Advisor for the Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, helping to develop a National initiative for coastal change hazards research and applications.
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Oceanography Oregon State University
M.S. Oceanography Oregon State University
B.S. Geology Duke University
Science and Products
Operational forecasts of wave-driven water levels and coastal hazards for US Gulf and Atlantic coasts
During Nearshore Event Experiment (DUNEX): A collaborative community field data collection effort
Characterizing storm-induced coastal change hazards along the United States West Coast
Hurricane Matthew: Predictions, observations, and an analysis of coastal change
US Costal Research Program: Fostering academic research
US Costal Research Program: Building a research community to support coastal stakeholders
Forecasts of coastal change hazards
iCoast – Did the Coast Change?: Storm-impact model verification using citizen scientists
The influence of shelf bathymetry and beach topography on extreme total water levels: Linking large-scale changes of the wave climate to local coastal hazards
Examples of storm impacts on barrier islands
The relative contribution of waves, tides, and nontidal residuals to extreme total water levels on U.S. West Coast sandy beaches
Testing model parameters for wave‐induced dune erosion using observations from Hurricane Sandy
iCoast - Did the Coast Change?
Coastal Change Hazards
Hurricane Sandy Response - Storm Impacts and Vulnerability of Coastal Beaches
Storm-Induced Coastal Processes
Forecasting Coastal Change
National Assessment of Coastal Change Hazards
Lidar-derived Beach Morphology (Dune Crest, Dune Toe, and Shoreline) for U.S. Sandy Coastlines
Storm-Induced Coastal Change Forecasts: Archive of Individual Storm Events
Total Water Level and Coastal Change Forecast Viewer
Total water level (TWL) at the shoreline is the combination of tides, surge, and wave runup. A forecast of TWL is an estimate of the elevation where the ocean will meet the coast and can provide guidance on potential coastal erosion and flooding hazards.
National Assessment of Hurricane-Induced Coastal Erosion Hazards: South Carolina to New Hampshire update
Houses in Rodanthe, NC, are left in the waves at the ocean's edge following the passage of Hurricane Isabel, which made landfall as a category 2 storm in the Outer Banks on September 18, 2003.
Coastal Change Hazards Portal
Interactive access to coastal change science and data for our Nation’s coasts. Information and products are organized within three coastal change hazard themes: 1) extreme storms, 2) shoreline change, and 3) sea-level rise. Displays probabilities of coastal erosion.
Science and Products
Operational forecasts of wave-driven water levels and coastal hazards for US Gulf and Atlantic coasts
During Nearshore Event Experiment (DUNEX): A collaborative community field data collection effort
Characterizing storm-induced coastal change hazards along the United States West Coast
Hurricane Matthew: Predictions, observations, and an analysis of coastal change
US Costal Research Program: Fostering academic research
US Costal Research Program: Building a research community to support coastal stakeholders
Forecasts of coastal change hazards
iCoast – Did the Coast Change?: Storm-impact model verification using citizen scientists
The influence of shelf bathymetry and beach topography on extreme total water levels: Linking large-scale changes of the wave climate to local coastal hazards
Examples of storm impacts on barrier islands
The relative contribution of waves, tides, and nontidal residuals to extreme total water levels on U.S. West Coast sandy beaches
Testing model parameters for wave‐induced dune erosion using observations from Hurricane Sandy
iCoast - Did the Coast Change?
Coastal Change Hazards
Hurricane Sandy Response - Storm Impacts and Vulnerability of Coastal Beaches
Storm-Induced Coastal Processes
Forecasting Coastal Change
National Assessment of Coastal Change Hazards
Lidar-derived Beach Morphology (Dune Crest, Dune Toe, and Shoreline) for U.S. Sandy Coastlines
Storm-Induced Coastal Change Forecasts: Archive of Individual Storm Events
Total Water Level and Coastal Change Forecast Viewer
Total water level (TWL) at the shoreline is the combination of tides, surge, and wave runup. A forecast of TWL is an estimate of the elevation where the ocean will meet the coast and can provide guidance on potential coastal erosion and flooding hazards.
National Assessment of Hurricane-Induced Coastal Erosion Hazards: South Carolina to New Hampshire update
Houses in Rodanthe, NC, are left in the waves at the ocean's edge following the passage of Hurricane Isabel, which made landfall as a category 2 storm in the Outer Banks on September 18, 2003.
Houses in Rodanthe, NC, are left in the waves at the ocean's edge following the passage of Hurricane Isabel, which made landfall as a category 2 storm in the Outer Banks on September 18, 2003.
Coastal Change Hazards Portal
Interactive access to coastal change science and data for our Nation’s coasts. Information and products are organized within three coastal change hazard themes: 1) extreme storms, 2) shoreline change, and 3) sea-level rise. Displays probabilities of coastal erosion.