Estimating Coastal Erosion Along the Potomac River Using Aerial Photography, Remote Sensing, and Gis/Gps, George Washington's Birthplace National Monument, Virginia

Author

Sarah A. Derouin, Fort Hays State University

Department

Geosciences

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Abstract

Integration of Global Positioning Survey (GPS), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), aerial photographs, and filed examinations of surficial geology were used to identify erosion amounts and rates along the Potomac River at George Washington’s Birthplace national Monument, Virginia. Over a 64-year span (1937 to 2001), the amount of land lost was 40651.97 m2 and a yearly erosion rate of 635.19 m2/yr. From 1988 to 2001, the rate increased 868.87 m2/yr and increased again from 1997 to 2001 to 1010.53 m2/yr. This was calculated form 2001 GPS data overlaid on the 1937, 1988, and 1997 images and using ArcView 3.2 GIS software to find the area lost to erosion. The geology of the shoreline and close proximity of pine plantation near the cliff’s edge appear to be the reasons for this increase in erosion.

Keywords

Geology

Advisor

Ken Neuhauser

Date of Award

Summer 2002

Document Type

Thesis - campus only access

DOI

10.58809/UMRQ4730

Recommended Citation

Derouin, Sarah A., "Estimating Coastal Erosion Along the Potomac River Using Aerial Photography, Remote Sensing, and Gis/Gps, George Washington's Birthplace National Monument, Virginia" (2002). Master's Theses. 2843.
DOI: 10.58809/UMRQ4730
Available at: https://scholars.fhsu.edu/theses/2843

Rights

© The Author(s)

Comments

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