GIS Data: 2024 Shoreline Management Model - Poquoson County
Document Type
Data
Department/Program
Virginia Institute of Marine Science
VIMS Department/Program
Center for Coastal Resources Management (CCRM)
Publication Date
9-30-2024
Spatial Information
See embedded metadata within geodatabase for full spatial information
Abstract
In 2011, the Virginia General Assembly adopted a policy into law that specifies living shorelines as the preferred management practice for erosion control in Virginia waters. The Center for Coastal Resources Management (CCRM) at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) has been developing tools for many years to guide local governments in shoreline management. In particular, they have focused on the use of ecologically preferred alternatives for erosion control and have conducted research into refining the appropriate uses for a large suite of possible treatments based on existing shoreline conditions. A series of Decision Trees were developed to determine shoreline best management practices (BMPs) when conducting onsite inspections. These were developed to support integrated guidance at the management and regulatory level. This body of work has been expanded and re-developed as a GIS spatial model known as the Shoreline Management Model (SMM) to determine appropriate shoreline BMPs from the desktop using available spatial data and the decision tree logic. The assessment is conducted at a parcel level scale, but the output represents a reach-based or cumulative approach to shoreline management.
In 2023, CCRM began an update of the SMM. Version 6.0 continues to use fetch, nearshore bathymetry, bank height, marsh presence, beach presence, presence of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), roads and permanent structures within the riparian zone, and existing shoreline erosion control structures. To enhance the model’s capabilities for evaluating best management practices and determining where erosion control practices may impact ecologically sensitive areas, version 6.0 adds wave energy, federal navigation channels, presence of RTE species via predicted suitable habitat, bank slope, and narrow creeks.
Most appropriate for desktop reviews, regulatory compliance, and comprehensive planning, the recommendations derived from the SMM may be altered due to lot size, shoreline length along a single parcel, proximity of primary buildings to the shoreline, type of existing erosion control structures, land use practices, and local biota.
The SMM v.6.0 also includes a module that identifies suitable areas for oyster structure placement, which can provide erosion control and habitat enhancement benefits
Description
Geodatabase: Poquoson_SMMv6WithOysterSuitability_2024_FileGDB
Feature classes.
- Poquoson_SMMv6_ShorelineBMPs _2024 - a polyline feature class containing best management practices recommendations.
- Poquoson_SMMv6_OysterSuitabilityModule_2024 - a polygon feature class containing suitable areas for oyster structure placement.
The metadata file is embedded in the geodatabase feature classes and defines attribute accuracy, data development, and any use restrictions that pertain to data.
Keywords
Shoreline Management Model, Best Management Practices, Living Shorelines, Oyster Structures.
Associated Publications
GIS Data: 2024 Poquoson County, Virginia - Shoreline Inventory, Coastal Natural Buffers, & Marsh Migration Corridors: https://doi.org/10.25773/g2n4-cm14
Publication Statement
Disclaimer: The Center for Coastal Resources Management (CCRM) provides these data with the understanding that they are not guaranteed to be correct or complete, and conclusions drawn from the data set are the sole responsibility of the user. Every attempt has been made to ensure that these data and the documentation are reliable and accurate. CCRM, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program (VA-DEQ -VCZMP) assume no liability for any damages caused by inaccuracies in the data or documentation; and make no warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, or utility of this information, nor does the fact of distribution constitute a warranty. CCRM, VIMS, and VA-DEQ -VCZMP endorse trade names or recommend the use of commercial products mentioned in this dataset.
Funding
This project was funded in part by the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program at the Department of Environmental Quality through Grant # NA23NOS4190255 of the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Recommended Citation
Nunez, K., Rudnicky, T., Hendricks, J., Duning, C., Hill, E., Graulich, J., Lv, M. (2024). GIS Data – 2024 Shoreline Management Model – Poquoson County. Center for Coastal Resources Management, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary.
