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Track: Oceanography, Coastal Zone, Marine Resources
Sharon Dewing
Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences
PO Box 1346
Gloucester Point, VA 23062
Telephone: 804-642-7140
Fax: 804-642-7182
E-mail: Sharon@vims.edu
A GIS Application for the Development of Shoreline Inventories as a Coastal Zone Management Tool within a Military Reservation
Federal military installations are under increased pressure to enhance current environmental and resource management protocols. This is particularly true within the region of southeastern Virginia known as Hampton Roads. The region includes the largest naval bases in the world, as well as a strong presence of Army and Air Force occupation. All of these bases are contiguous to some major waterway adjacent to the Chesapeake Bay or the Mid-Atlantic. Historically, the natural resources and support ecosystems within this region have been severely stressed as a result. Restoration and remediation is a central focus of environmental activities among many of these bases today. Federal monies are now being allocated for cleanup and development of management strategies for enhanced protection and preservation. In coastal areas it is important to understand the existing natural resources and the physical dynamics of the shoreline. Within Chesapeake Bay, sandy coastlines serve as buffers against wave action to
prevent erosion, and vegetated coastlines serve as sinks for pollutants carried through upland runoff. Both are important for maintenance of good water quality, habitat, and general ecosystem health. The Fort Eustis Military Installation in Newport News, Virginia has recognized the importance of understanding the status and trends of their nearshore region. A GIS approach was engaged to map the changing characteristics of the shoreline adjacent to the Fort Eustis property. Shoreline attributes including composition, structural components, stability, and erosion control were mapped within an ArcInfo GIS system. In addition, adjacent upland land use relevant to base activities was also addressed. Data collection utilized low-altitude oblique videography in 1985, 1990, and again in 1995. Data were digitally delineated onto scanned color infrared photography. A shoreline was digitized from a USGS 1:24,000-scale topographic sheet for use in hard-copy displays. Perhaps the greatest challenge in this
effort was to create a hard-copy cartographic product to display data contained within the GIS database. Unfortunately the use of GIS as a daily management tool did not extend to Fort Eustis personnel. As the funding agency, a hard-copy product had to be designed for them that could illustrate the data effectively. The situation is typical for many GIS users who provide service; the clients are often not GIS users and the final products must have a quality hard-copy component. This project primarily used ARCPLOT tools in designing the map products. A Canon color copier produced 11 x 17 inch output. This presentation will highlight the data collection and transfer to digital format, and the transition of this digital data to a cartographic product with widespread management uses.
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