RUSH is a tool for rapid repeat high resolution coastal vegetation maps to improve forecasting of hurricane impacts and coastal resilience. Vegetation cover in coastal settings significantly controls flooding, erosion, and barrier island breaching during extreme storms by reducing wave energy.
Nicholas M Enwright, Ph.D.
Nicholas Enwright is a Research Geographer at U.S. Geological Survey's Wetland and Aquatic Research Center in Lafayette, Louisiana.
He received his Ph.D. from Louisiana State University in 2019. Nicholas uses applied coastal geography research to understand how the spatial distribution and patterns of environments, such as barrier islands and coastal wetlands, are changing through time. His research program aims to further science related to natural resource assessments, restoration planning, and monitoring by: (1) developing new data using remote sensing techniques; (2) advancing methodologies for geospatial studies; (3) analyzing spatial data using geographic information science (GIS); and (4) forecasting potential future landscapes using geocomputational modeling. Currently, Nicholas' research team is working on projects that span the Northern Gulf Coast and the Atlantic Seaboard.
Professional Experience
Research Geographer, U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Lafayette, LA, 2022 to present
Geographer, U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Lafayette, LA, 2013 to 2022
Geographic Information Specialist II, Five Rivers Services/IAP Worldwide Services, contracted to support the U.S. Geological Survey, National Wetlands Research Center Lafayette, LA, 2010 to 2013
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., 2019, Louisiana State University, Major: Geography and Anthropology; research emphasis: barrier island habitat mapping and modeling
M.S., 2010, University of North Texas, Major: Applied Geography; research emphasis: geospatial analysis of wetlands
Certificate in Geographic Information Systems, 2008, University of North Texas
B.S., 2007, University of North Texas, Major: Geography
Science and Products
Alabama Barrier Island Restoration Assessment at Dauphin Island
A Case Study Assessing the Cumulative Effects of Deepwater Horizon Restoration Projects on Barrier Island/Barrier Shoreline Ecosystem Resilience in the North-central Gulf
Understanding Ecosystem Response and Infrastructure Vulnerability to Sea-Level Rise for Gulf Islands National Seashore
Barriers and Opportunities for Landward Migration of Coastal Wetlands along Texas' Upper and Middle Coast
Coastal Wetland Vulnerability to Climate Change and Sea-Level Rise: Understanding Ecological Thresholds and Ecosystem Transformations
Developing General Coastal Vegetation Maps for Coastal Morphodynamic Models
Mapping Avian Habitat for the Gulf Coast Joint Venture
Understanding Avian Habitat Availability and Use After Barrier Island Restoration in Coastal Louisiana
Restoration Impacts to Avian Populations along the Louisiana Outer Coast
Barrier Island Habitat Mapping for the Louisiana Outer Coast Project
Characterizing the Barrier Island Geomorphic State: Indicators of Resistance vs. Resilience
Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) Program-Louisiana Outer Coast Restoration: North Breton Island Component-Monitoring and Adaptive Management
Wetland transformations for three relative sea-level rise scenarios along the middle and upper Texas Coast, wetland current condition map and wetland transformation maps by decade, sea-level rise scenario, and coastal wetland drowning threshold
Long-term change on barrier islands and barrier shorelines from extreme storms and restoration along the north central Gulf of Mexico coast
Digital elevation models for the Everglades Depth Estimation Network with elevation uncertainty treatment (ver. 2.0, March 2025)
Sea-level rise and high tide flooding inundation probability and depth statistics at San Juan National Historic Site, Puerto Rico
Sea-level rise and high tide flooding inundation probability and depth statistics at Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida
Sea-level rise and high tide flooding inundation probability and depth statistics at Biscayne National Park, Florida
Sea-level rise and high tide flooding inundation probability and depth statistics at Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida
When and where could rising seas cross thresholds for initiating wetland drowning across conterminous United States?
Contractor vertical accuracy checkpoints for 3D Elevation Program digital elevation models in the Northern Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coastal regions, 2012–2020
Sea-level rise and high tide flooding inundation probability and depth statistics at De Soto National Memorial, Florida
Wetland migration analysis for relative sea-level rise scenarios in Nassau and Duval Counties, Florida
Corrected digital elevation model in coastal wetlands in Nassau and Duval Counties, Florida, 2018
Delineation of marsh types from Corpus Christi Bay, Texas, to Perdido Bay, Alabama, in 2010

RUSH is a tool for rapid repeat high resolution coastal vegetation maps to improve forecasting of hurricane impacts and coastal resilience. Vegetation cover in coastal settings significantly controls flooding, erosion, and barrier island breaching during extreme storms by reducing wave energy.
A view of a vegetated inland coastline overlooking the water on Dauphin Island, Alabama. The island protects mainland Alabama’s coastal communities and resources from storms, while also providing recreational opportunities (fishing, beach tourism, etc.) and other economic benefits to the local community and state.
A view of a vegetated inland coastline overlooking the water on Dauphin Island, Alabama. The island protects mainland Alabama’s coastal communities and resources from storms, while also providing recreational opportunities (fishing, beach tourism, etc.) and other economic benefits to the local community and state.
A panoramic view on Dauphin Island, Alabama. The island protects mainland Alabama’s coastal communities and resources from storms, while also providing recreational opportunities (fishing, beach tourism, etc.) and other economic benefits to the local community and state.
A panoramic view on Dauphin Island, Alabama. The island protects mainland Alabama’s coastal communities and resources from storms, while also providing recreational opportunities (fishing, beach tourism, etc.) and other economic benefits to the local community and state.
Ecological thresholds and transformations due to climate change: The role of abiotic stress
Projected sea-level rise and high tide flooding at San Juan National Historic Site, Puerto Rico
Projected sea-level rise and high tide flooding at Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida
Projected sea-level rise and high tide flooding at Biscayne National Park, Florida
Projected sea-level rise and high tide flooding at Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida
Rising seas could cross thresholds for initiating coastal wetland drowning within decades across much of the United States
Assessing the vertical accuracy of digital elevation models by quality level and land cover
Projected sea-level rise and high tide flooding at De Soto National Memorial, Florida
Projected sea-level rise and high tide flooding at Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, Florida
Enhancing assessments of coastal wetland migration potential with sea-level rise: Accounting for uncertainty in elevation data, tidal data, and future water levels
Mapping high marsh and salt pannes/flats along the northern Gulf of Mexico coast
Site occupancy of focal shorebird species at Whiskey Island and Caminada Headland, Louisiana 2012–2020
RUSH: Rapid Remote Sensing Updates of landcover for Storm and Hurricane forecasts (Version 1.0.0)
Science and Products
Alabama Barrier Island Restoration Assessment at Dauphin Island
A Case Study Assessing the Cumulative Effects of Deepwater Horizon Restoration Projects on Barrier Island/Barrier Shoreline Ecosystem Resilience in the North-central Gulf
Understanding Ecosystem Response and Infrastructure Vulnerability to Sea-Level Rise for Gulf Islands National Seashore
Barriers and Opportunities for Landward Migration of Coastal Wetlands along Texas' Upper and Middle Coast
Coastal Wetland Vulnerability to Climate Change and Sea-Level Rise: Understanding Ecological Thresholds and Ecosystem Transformations
Developing General Coastal Vegetation Maps for Coastal Morphodynamic Models
Mapping Avian Habitat for the Gulf Coast Joint Venture
Understanding Avian Habitat Availability and Use After Barrier Island Restoration in Coastal Louisiana
Restoration Impacts to Avian Populations along the Louisiana Outer Coast
Barrier Island Habitat Mapping for the Louisiana Outer Coast Project
Characterizing the Barrier Island Geomorphic State: Indicators of Resistance vs. Resilience
Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) Program-Louisiana Outer Coast Restoration: North Breton Island Component-Monitoring and Adaptive Management
Wetland transformations for three relative sea-level rise scenarios along the middle and upper Texas Coast, wetland current condition map and wetland transformation maps by decade, sea-level rise scenario, and coastal wetland drowning threshold
Long-term change on barrier islands and barrier shorelines from extreme storms and restoration along the north central Gulf of Mexico coast
Digital elevation models for the Everglades Depth Estimation Network with elevation uncertainty treatment (ver. 2.0, March 2025)
Sea-level rise and high tide flooding inundation probability and depth statistics at San Juan National Historic Site, Puerto Rico
Sea-level rise and high tide flooding inundation probability and depth statistics at Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida
Sea-level rise and high tide flooding inundation probability and depth statistics at Biscayne National Park, Florida
Sea-level rise and high tide flooding inundation probability and depth statistics at Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida
When and where could rising seas cross thresholds for initiating wetland drowning across conterminous United States?
Contractor vertical accuracy checkpoints for 3D Elevation Program digital elevation models in the Northern Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coastal regions, 2012–2020
Sea-level rise and high tide flooding inundation probability and depth statistics at De Soto National Memorial, Florida
Wetland migration analysis for relative sea-level rise scenarios in Nassau and Duval Counties, Florida
Corrected digital elevation model in coastal wetlands in Nassau and Duval Counties, Florida, 2018
Delineation of marsh types from Corpus Christi Bay, Texas, to Perdido Bay, Alabama, in 2010

RUSH is a tool for rapid repeat high resolution coastal vegetation maps to improve forecasting of hurricane impacts and coastal resilience. Vegetation cover in coastal settings significantly controls flooding, erosion, and barrier island breaching during extreme storms by reducing wave energy.
RUSH is a tool for rapid repeat high resolution coastal vegetation maps to improve forecasting of hurricane impacts and coastal resilience. Vegetation cover in coastal settings significantly controls flooding, erosion, and barrier island breaching during extreme storms by reducing wave energy.
A view of a vegetated inland coastline overlooking the water on Dauphin Island, Alabama. The island protects mainland Alabama’s coastal communities and resources from storms, while also providing recreational opportunities (fishing, beach tourism, etc.) and other economic benefits to the local community and state.
A view of a vegetated inland coastline overlooking the water on Dauphin Island, Alabama. The island protects mainland Alabama’s coastal communities and resources from storms, while also providing recreational opportunities (fishing, beach tourism, etc.) and other economic benefits to the local community and state.
A panoramic view on Dauphin Island, Alabama. The island protects mainland Alabama’s coastal communities and resources from storms, while also providing recreational opportunities (fishing, beach tourism, etc.) and other economic benefits to the local community and state.
A panoramic view on Dauphin Island, Alabama. The island protects mainland Alabama’s coastal communities and resources from storms, while also providing recreational opportunities (fishing, beach tourism, etc.) and other economic benefits to the local community and state.