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USGS · 70273159

Texas coastal wetland surface elevation static survey campaign report

Brett Patton·Colt R. Sanspree·Jena A. Moon·Sierra R. Moran
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Abstract

Surface elevation data along the Texas Coast is limited, despite having some of the highest rates of relative sea-level rise in the country (Sweet et al., 2022). To narrow these knowledge and data gaps, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) established the first landscape-scale rod surface elevation table (RSET) monitoring project aimed at examining surface elevation dynamics of coastal marshes in Texas (Moon et al., 2022). The project, conducted cooperatively between the USFWS and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), has focused on 14 coastal marsh sites located within five National Wildlife Refuges (Figure 1). The main objective of this project’s RSET data collection is to quantify the impacts of sea-level rise on coastal properties owned by the USFWS and similar surrounding areas. Data from RSETs will be used to determine areas that are at the greatest risk for potential habitat loss and degradation by examining subsidence and accretion rates. However, for the RSET data to be tied into the national vertical datum of 1988 (NAVD88) and, therefore, linked to the relative sea-level change calculations, it is necessary to establish primary vertical control at each study site through highly accurate and precise global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) surveys. Having a clear methodology for standardization is important for quality data. This report focuses on the methods, with particular emphasis on post-processing, used to survey benchmarks for the RSET data collection along the Texas Coast for the USFWS. Furthermore, this report serves as a general reference guide on the technical aspects of performing and processing GNSS surveys within the Texas coastal refuges to maintain quality and consistency.

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90° N90° S · 180° W ← longitude → 180° E
Source-reported bounding extent: 28° to 30° latitude; -97° to -94° longitude. This indicates report coverage, not an exact sampling location. View area on OpenStreetMap.

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Brett Patton, Colt R. Sanspree, Jena A. Moon, Sierra R. Moran. 2025. Texas coastal wetland surface elevation static survey campaign report. https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/70273159

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