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
Filter Total Items: 54
Hurricane Ike: Observations and analysis of coastal change
Understanding storm-induced coastal change and forecasting these changes require knowledge of the physical processes associated with the storm and the geomorphology of the impacted coastline. The primary physical processes of interest are the wind field, storm surge, and wave climate. Not only does wind cause direct damage to structures along the coast, but it is ultimately responsible for much of
Authors
Kara S. Doran, Nathaniel G. Plant, Hilary F. Stockdon, Asbury H. Sallenger, Katherine A. Serafin
Hurricane Gustav: Observations and analysis of coastal change
Understanding storm-induced coastal change and forecasting these changes require knowledge of the physical processes associated with a storm and the geomorphology of the impacted coastline. The primary physical processes of interest are the wind field, storm surge, currents, and wave field. Not only does wind cause direct damage to structures along the coast, but it is ultimately responsible for m
Authors
Kara S. Doran, Hilary F. Stockdon, Nathaniel G. Plant, Asbury H. Sallenger, Kristy K. Guy, Katherine A. Serafin
Extraction of lidar-based dune-crest elevations for use in examining the vulnerability of beaches to inundation during hurricanes
The morphology of coastal sand dunes plays an important role in determining how a beach will respond to a hurricane. Accurate measurements of dune height and position are essential for assessing the vulnerability of beaches to extreme coastal change during future landfalls. Lidar topographic surveys provide rapid, accurate, high-resolution datasets for identifying the location, position, and morph
Authors
H.F. Stockdon, K.S. Doran, A. H. Sallenger
The need for sustained and integrated high-resolution mapping of dynamic coastal environments
The coastal zone of the United States is a dynamic environment evolving in response to both natural processes and human activities. In order to protect coastal populations and resources, a detailed understanding of the physical setting and of the processes responsible for change is required. A sustained program of mapping coastal areas provides a means to establish baseline conditions, document ch
Authors
Hilary F. Stockdon, Jeff W. Lillycrop, Peter A. Howd, Jennifer M. Wozencraft
Impacts of Hurricane Rita on the beaches of western Louisiana
Hurricane Rita made landfall as a category 3 storm in western Louisiana in late September 2005, 1 month following Hurricane Katrina's devastating landfall in the eastern part of the State. Large waves and storm surge inundated the lowelevation coastline, destroying many communities and causing extensive coastal change including beach, dune, and marsh erosion.
Authors
Hilary F. Stockdon, Laura A. Fauver, Asbury H. Sallenger,, C. Wayne Wright
A simple model for the spatially-variable coastal response to hurricanes
The vulnerability of a beach to extreme coastal change during a hurricane can be estimated by comparing the relative elevations of storm-induced water levels to those of the dune or berm. A simple model that defines the coastal response based on these elevations was used to hindcast the potential impact regime along a 50-km stretch of the North Carolina coast to the landfalls of Hurricane Bonnie o
Authors
H.F. Stockdon, A. H. Sallenger, R.A. Holman, P.A. Howd
Extreme changes to barrier islands along the central Gulf of Mexico coast during Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina caused extreme changes to the barrier islands of the central Gulf of Mexico coast. Dauphin Island, Ala., migrated landward and stranded the remains of its oceanfront row homes in the sea. Chandeleur Islands, La., were completely stripped of their sand, leaving only marshy outcrops in the storm's wake.
Authors
Asbury Sallenger, Wayne Wright, Jeff Lillycrop, Peter Howd, Hilary Stockdon, Kristy K. Guy, Karen Morgan
Vulnerability of National Park Service beaches to inundation during a direct hurricane landfall: Cape Lookout National Seashore
Cape Lookout National Seashore, a barrier-island coastal park in North Carolina, is vulnerable to the powerful, sand-moving forces of hurricanes. Waves and storm surge associated with these strong tropical storms are part of a natural process in barrier-island evolution and can cause extensive morphologic changes in coastal parks, leading to road closures and reduced visitor accessibility. The vul
Authors
Hilary F. Stockdon, David M. Thompson
Vulnerability of National Park Service beaches to inundation during a direct hurricane landfall: Cumberland Island National Seashore
Cumberland Island National Seashore, a barrier-island coastal park in Georgia, is vulnerable to the powerful, sand-moving forces of hurricanes. Waves and storm surge associated with these strong tropical storms are part of the natural process of barrier-island evolution and can cause extensive morphologic changes in coastal parks, leading to reduced visitor accessibility and enjoyment. The vulnera
Authors
Hilary F. Stockdon, David M. Thompson, Laura A. Fauver
Vulnerability of National Park Service beaches to inundation during a direct hurricane landfall: Fire Island National Seashore
Waves and storm surge associated with strong tropical storms are part of the natural process of barrier-island evolution and can cause extensive morphologic changes in coastal parks, leading to reduced visitor accessibility and enjoyment. Even at Fire Island National Seashore, a barrier-island coastal park in New York where extratropical storms (northeasters) dominate storm activity, the beaches a
Authors
Hilary F. Stockdon, David M. Thompson
Hindcasting potential hurricane impacts on rapidly changing barrier islands
Hindcasts of the coastal impact of Hurricane Ivan on Santa Rosa Island, Florida, using a storm-impact scaling model that compares hurricane-induced water levels to local dune morphology, were found to have an accuracy of 68% in predicting the occurrence of one of four impact regimes: swash, collision, overwash, and inundation. Errors were overwhelming under-predictions of the regime where the obse
Authors
H.F. Stockdon, D.M. Thompson, A. H. Sallenger
Empirical parameterization of setup, swash, and runup
Using shoreline water-level time series collected during 10 dynamically diverse field experiments, an empirical parameterization for extreme runup, defined by the 2% exceedence value, has been developed for use on natural beaches over a wide range of conditions. Runup, the height of discrete water-level maxima, depends on two dynamically different processes; time-averaged wave setup and total swas
Authors
H.F. Stockdon, R.A. Holman, P.A. Howd, A. H. Sallenger
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 54
Hurricane Ike: Observations and analysis of coastal change
Understanding storm-induced coastal change and forecasting these changes require knowledge of the physical processes associated with the storm and the geomorphology of the impacted coastline. The primary physical processes of interest are the wind field, storm surge, and wave climate. Not only does wind cause direct damage to structures along the coast, but it is ultimately responsible for much of
Authors
Kara S. Doran, Nathaniel G. Plant, Hilary F. Stockdon, Asbury H. Sallenger, Katherine A. Serafin
Hurricane Gustav: Observations and analysis of coastal change
Understanding storm-induced coastal change and forecasting these changes require knowledge of the physical processes associated with a storm and the geomorphology of the impacted coastline. The primary physical processes of interest are the wind field, storm surge, currents, and wave field. Not only does wind cause direct damage to structures along the coast, but it is ultimately responsible for m
Authors
Kara S. Doran, Hilary F. Stockdon, Nathaniel G. Plant, Asbury H. Sallenger, Kristy K. Guy, Katherine A. Serafin
Extraction of lidar-based dune-crest elevations for use in examining the vulnerability of beaches to inundation during hurricanes
The morphology of coastal sand dunes plays an important role in determining how a beach will respond to a hurricane. Accurate measurements of dune height and position are essential for assessing the vulnerability of beaches to extreme coastal change during future landfalls. Lidar topographic surveys provide rapid, accurate, high-resolution datasets for identifying the location, position, and morph
Authors
H.F. Stockdon, K.S. Doran, A. H. Sallenger
The need for sustained and integrated high-resolution mapping of dynamic coastal environments
The coastal zone of the United States is a dynamic environment evolving in response to both natural processes and human activities. In order to protect coastal populations and resources, a detailed understanding of the physical setting and of the processes responsible for change is required. A sustained program of mapping coastal areas provides a means to establish baseline conditions, document ch
Authors
Hilary F. Stockdon, Jeff W. Lillycrop, Peter A. Howd, Jennifer M. Wozencraft
Impacts of Hurricane Rita on the beaches of western Louisiana
Hurricane Rita made landfall as a category 3 storm in western Louisiana in late September 2005, 1 month following Hurricane Katrina's devastating landfall in the eastern part of the State. Large waves and storm surge inundated the lowelevation coastline, destroying many communities and causing extensive coastal change including beach, dune, and marsh erosion.
Authors
Hilary F. Stockdon, Laura A. Fauver, Asbury H. Sallenger,, C. Wayne Wright
A simple model for the spatially-variable coastal response to hurricanes
The vulnerability of a beach to extreme coastal change during a hurricane can be estimated by comparing the relative elevations of storm-induced water levels to those of the dune or berm. A simple model that defines the coastal response based on these elevations was used to hindcast the potential impact regime along a 50-km stretch of the North Carolina coast to the landfalls of Hurricane Bonnie o
Authors
H.F. Stockdon, A. H. Sallenger, R.A. Holman, P.A. Howd
Extreme changes to barrier islands along the central Gulf of Mexico coast during Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina caused extreme changes to the barrier islands of the central Gulf of Mexico coast. Dauphin Island, Ala., migrated landward and stranded the remains of its oceanfront row homes in the sea. Chandeleur Islands, La., were completely stripped of their sand, leaving only marshy outcrops in the storm's wake.
Authors
Asbury Sallenger, Wayne Wright, Jeff Lillycrop, Peter Howd, Hilary Stockdon, Kristy K. Guy, Karen Morgan
Vulnerability of National Park Service beaches to inundation during a direct hurricane landfall: Cape Lookout National Seashore
Cape Lookout National Seashore, a barrier-island coastal park in North Carolina, is vulnerable to the powerful, sand-moving forces of hurricanes. Waves and storm surge associated with these strong tropical storms are part of a natural process in barrier-island evolution and can cause extensive morphologic changes in coastal parks, leading to road closures and reduced visitor accessibility. The vul
Authors
Hilary F. Stockdon, David M. Thompson
Vulnerability of National Park Service beaches to inundation during a direct hurricane landfall: Cumberland Island National Seashore
Cumberland Island National Seashore, a barrier-island coastal park in Georgia, is vulnerable to the powerful, sand-moving forces of hurricanes. Waves and storm surge associated with these strong tropical storms are part of the natural process of barrier-island evolution and can cause extensive morphologic changes in coastal parks, leading to reduced visitor accessibility and enjoyment. The vulnera
Authors
Hilary F. Stockdon, David M. Thompson, Laura A. Fauver
Vulnerability of National Park Service beaches to inundation during a direct hurricane landfall: Fire Island National Seashore
Waves and storm surge associated with strong tropical storms are part of the natural process of barrier-island evolution and can cause extensive morphologic changes in coastal parks, leading to reduced visitor accessibility and enjoyment. Even at Fire Island National Seashore, a barrier-island coastal park in New York where extratropical storms (northeasters) dominate storm activity, the beaches a
Authors
Hilary F. Stockdon, David M. Thompson
Hindcasting potential hurricane impacts on rapidly changing barrier islands
Hindcasts of the coastal impact of Hurricane Ivan on Santa Rosa Island, Florida, using a storm-impact scaling model that compares hurricane-induced water levels to local dune morphology, were found to have an accuracy of 68% in predicting the occurrence of one of four impact regimes: swash, collision, overwash, and inundation. Errors were overwhelming under-predictions of the regime where the obse
Authors
H.F. Stockdon, D.M. Thompson, A. H. Sallenger
Empirical parameterization of setup, swash, and runup
Using shoreline water-level time series collected during 10 dynamically diverse field experiments, an empirical parameterization for extreme runup, defined by the 2% exceedence value, has been developed for use on natural beaches over a wide range of conditions. Runup, the height of discrete water-level maxima, depends on two dynamically different processes; time-averaged wave setup and total swas
Authors
H.F. Stockdon, R.A. Holman, P.A. Howd, A. H. Sallenger