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INSTRUCTORS:
Aryan Sunil. Adhau
Catherine C. Jackson
Taylor Asher, Ph.D.
Shohei Ohata
Course Length: 1 hour
Purpose and Background
These presentations were recorded at the International Conference on Coastal Engineering 2026.
Influence of Shelf Bathymetry on Total Water Levels Along the United States Coastlines (14 minutes)
This presentation explores how shelf bathymetry and coastal morphology influence total water levels through their effects on wave transformation and wave runup processes. Participants will learn how NOAA's Coastal Ocean Reanalysis (CORA) dataset was used to develop a high-resolution coastal water level database spanning more than four decades. The session examines the contributions of tides, storm surge, wave runup, sea-level anomalies, and seasonal variability to coastal water levels. Special attention is given to differences between the Atlantic and Gulf coasts and how wide or narrow continental shelves affect extreme events. Attendees will gain insight into regional and site-specific factors controlling coastal flood hazards and the importance of accurately representing nearshore wave conditions.
Storm Drivers, Seasonality, and Tides in Extreme Coastal Water Levels (13 minutes)
This presentation introduces a novel methodology that separates storm-driven water levels by storm type and season to improve hazard characterization. Participants will learn how statistical approaches can be used to estimate return levels and better quantify flood risks. The session examines differences between tropical cyclone-dominated coastlines and locations affected by multiple storm mechanisms. Attendees will discover how synthetic storm tide records are generated using tidal sampling techniques and probabilistic methods. The presentation also highlights regional variations in seasonal flood occurrence patterns across the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Engineers and scientists will gain a deeper understanding of coastal hazard analysis and flood frequency estimation methods.
The NOAA CORA Reanalysis of Coastal Water Levels & Waves (15 minutes)
This presentation explains the development of the CORA dataset using coupled ADCIRC-SWAN models and advanced data assimilation techniques. Participants will learn how numerical model outputs are improved through integration with NOAA tide gauge observations. The session discusses sources of uncertainty in coastal water level modeling and methods used to account for unresolved processes such as sea-level rise, steric effects, rainfall, and ocean current variability. Attendees will explore model validation results and applications in flood hazard analysis, historical storm assessment, and water-level forecasting. The presentation also demonstrates how openly available CORA products can support research, engineering design, and resilience planning.
Evaluation of Modeled Storm Tides and Waves in Texas for Long-Term Hindcast (15 minutes)
This presentation evaluates multiple wind-input approaches used to simulate storm tides and waves along the Texas coast. Participants will learn how parametric wind models compare with ERA5 reanalysis data when reproducing historical hurricane impacts. The session examines model performance using observations from tide gauges, wave buoys, FEMA high-water marks, and historical storm records. Attendees will explore how different assumptions regarding radius of maximum winds and wind-field structure influence storm surge predictions. The presentation also introduces approaches for improving hindcast accuracy through hybrid wind field techniques. Engineers involved in coastal risk assessment and flood mapping will gain practical insights into long-term hindcast model development and validation.
Benefits and Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Explain how shelf bathymetry and coastal morphology influence total water levels and coastal flooding hazards.
- Discuss how storm type, seasonality, and tidal interactions affect estimates of extreme coastal water level hazards.
- Describe how data assimilation improves long-term coastal water level and wave reanalysis products.
- Identify the strengths and limitations of different wind-field modeling approaches used for storm surge and wave hindcasts.
Assessment of Learning Outcomes
Students' achievement of the learning outcomes will be assessed via a short post-test assessment (true-false, multiple choice, and/or fill in the blank questions).
Who Should Attend?
- Coastal Engineer
- Civil Engineer
- Coastal Scientist
- Coastal Resilience Program Manager
- Government Coastal Zone Manager
- University Student or Researcher
How to Earn your CEUs/PDHs and Receive Your Certificate of Completion
To receive your certificate of completion, you will need to complete a short on-line post-test and receive a passing score of 70% or higher within 365 days of the course purchase.
How do I convert CEUs to PDHs?
1.0 CEU = 10 PDHs [Example: 0.1 CEU = 1 PDH]