March 2021 - CoastSnap App
Photo by Michael O. Snyder
Shoreline change monitoring is critical for safe and effective coastal management, particularly before and after a coastal storm. However, scientists and coastal managers are limited in their capacity to document shoreline change and therefore lack important temporal and spatial sampling.
CoastSnap DE is a local program that is part of a larger global community science project to capture our changing coastlines. With three sites in Delaware to chose from, if you have a smartphone and an interest in the coast, we welcome you to participate!
CoastSnap relies on repeat photos at the same location to track how the coast is changing over time due to processes such as storms, rising sea levels, human activities and other factors. Using a specialized technique known as photogrammetry, CoastSnap turns your photos into valuable coastal data that is used by coastal scientists to understand and forecast how coastlines might change in the coming decades. .
To learn more and download the app, visit our CoastSnap page.
Note: CoastSnap is a community beach monitoring collaboration between University of Delaware oceanographer Art Trembanis, Delaware Sea Grant, and the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) as part of the international CoastSnap Program.
Notable Dates in March
March 3 — In the second reading in the series Sea Story Time: Marine Science Through Storybooks, UD associate professor Danielle Dixson will read her book “How the Tiny Gobies Saved their Coral Home.” Click here to learn more and to register.
March 8 — International Women’s Day. Students at the University of Delaware College of Earth, Ocean and Environment’s School of Marine Science and Policy have started one of 17 chapters of the Society for Women in Marine Science (SWMS) around the world.
March 20 — First Day of Spring . The start of the season is marked by the Spring Equinox, when day and night are equal lengths. At the link, the National Weather Service explains, “The ‘nearly’ equal hours of day and night is due to refraction of sunlight. or a bending of the light's rays that causes the sun to appear above the horizon when the actual position of the sun is below the horizon.”
March 22 — World Water Day. World Water Day is about the need for everyone to have access to safe drinking water. At Sea Grant, we believe protecting people and protecting the environment are two sides of one goal: sustainable stewardship of natural resources. Click here to learn more.