National Shoreline Change—A GIS compilation of vector shorelines and associated shoreline change data from the 1800s to the 2010s for the coast of Long Island Sound, New York and Connecticut

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) maintains shoreline positions for the United States coasts from various historical sources, such as aerial photographs or topographic surveys, and contemporary sources, such as lidar-point clouds and digital elevation models. Shorelines are compiled in a GIS and analyzed in the USGS Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) software to calculate rates of change. Keeping a record of historical shoreline positions is an effective method to monitor change over time, enabling scientists to identify areas most susceptible to erosion or accretion. These data can help coastal managers understand which areas of the coast are vulnerable to change. This data release, and other associated products, represents an expansion of the USGS national-scale shoreline database to include the inland coastal areas of Long Island Sound, New York and Connecticut. The shoreline positions and shoreline change rates provide actionable information to homeowners, coastal communities, and managers of public and private properties to improve resiliency for coastal hazards in Long Island Sound.