Persistent Identifier
|
doi:10.7910/DVN/CZTITY |
Publication Date
|
2025-01-15 |
Title
| NCCOS Assessment: Community Vulnerability Assessment to Flood Hazard in the United States Virgin Islands, 2023-01-01 to 2024-08-30 |
Alternative URL
| https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/project/assessing-community-risk-in-relation-to-flood-hazard-in-the-u-s-virgin-islands/ |
Other Identifier
| NOAA InPort: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/74317 |
Author
| Fleming, ChloeCSS, Inc., under contract to NOAA NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean ScienceORCID0000-0001-7406-9105
Regan, Seann D.CSS, Inc., under contract to NOAA NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean ScienceORCID0000-0002-1034-0282
Freitag, AmyUS DOC; NOAA; NOS; National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS)ORCID0009-0001-1764-1213
Aslam, UzmaCSS, Inc., under contract to NOAA NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science
Burkart, HeidiCSS, Inc., under contract to NOAA NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean ScienceORCID0000-0003-1819-1792 |
Point of Contact
|
Use email button above to contact.
Fleming, Chloe (CSS, Inc., under contract to NOAA NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science)
NCCOS Data Manager (US DOC; NOAA; NOS; National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS)) |
Description
| This dataset includes estate level component scores of various indices from the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) Community Assessment to Flood Hazard in the United States Virgin Islands (USVI). Indices include social vulnerability, structural vulnerability (and sub-indices), structural exposure (and sub-indices), nearshore environment protection benefits, compounded flood hazard, waterborne toxins and contaminants, vegetation, and potential walkability. Each component score is aggregated to the estate level geography provided by the U.S. Census Bureau. Additionally, intermediary raster-based datasets on stormwater flooding potential, compounded flooding (both near-term-moderate and projected-high), orbital velocity data, a Shannon land use diversity index, and a Visible Atmospherically Resistant Index (VARI) are included. This assessment used a geospatial, indicator-driven approach to integrate data from a variety of sources related to community vulnerability in the USVI. These data included measures of social and structural vulnerability and exposure, the nearshore environment, flood hazards, waterborne toxins and contaminants, vegetation, and potential walkability. These indicators were based on territorial needs, existing research, local stakeholder feedback, and data feasibility checks. Each component was analyzed using publicly available data, renormalized using a min-max normalization method, and aggregated to estate-level geographies. These were then categorized into statistical quantile breaks to show relative rankings across the territory. This integrative approach supports bivariate choropleth mapping for highlighting areas of co-occurrence and prioritization and also highlights estate-level hazard and vulnerability. Additionally, several raster based indices were created in this assessment. For full dataset methods please see the NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS 334 at https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/66566. |
Subject
| Social Sciences |
Keyword
| USVI https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/about/ (NCCOS Discovery Keywords) https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/about/
Climate Vulnerability https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/about/ (NCCOS Discovery Keywords) https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/about/
Caribbean https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/about/ (NCCOS Discovery Keywords) https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/about/
Social Science https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/about/ (NCCOS Discovery Keywords) https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/about/
Assessing vulnerability and resilience https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/about/ (NCCOS Discovery Keywords) https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/about/
Caribbean Sea https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/about/ (NCCOS Discovery Keywords) https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/about/
U.S. Virgin Islands https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/about/ (NCCOS Discovery Keywords) https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/about/
Geospatial https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/about/ (NCCOS Discovery Keywords) https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/about/ |
Related Publication
| Fleming, Chloe S. et al. (2024). A community vulnerability assessment to flood hazard in the U.S. Virgin Islands. NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS 344. https://doi.org/10.25923/mej9-p181. doi https://doi.org/10.25923/mej9-p181 |
Notes
| The U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) are particularly vulnerable to natural hazards such as erosion, hurricanes, and flooding. These risks are exacerbated by climatic events that contribute to increased storm intensity and extreme weather patterns, including droughts and heavy rainfall. While climate change is a global crisis, its impacts on the USVI are especially severe due to the territory’s small size, geographic isolation, and reliance on imported goods. Social determinants of vulnerability—such as economic disparities, limited access to resources, and historical inequities—further compound these challenges. Underserved and historically marginalized communities across the territory often face heightened risks and reduced capacity to prepare for or recover from such hazards. To address these critical issues, the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) conducted a place-based, integrated community vulnerability assessment at the estate level to support communities in the USVI. |
Language
| English |
Producer
| National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (US DOC; NOAA; NOS) (NCCOS) https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/about/ |
Contributor
| Researcher: Gregory Guannel, University of the Virgin Islands
Researcher: Hilary Lohmann, U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources
Data Curator: Joe Dwyer, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Adaptation Partnerships Program
Researcher: Klaus Huebert, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science
Project Member: Philip Parker, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 2
Project Member: Zeno Bain, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 2
Project Member: Arielle Benjamin, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 2
Project Member: Valerie Askinazi, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 2
Researcher: Shay Viehman, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science
Researcher: Leslie Henderson, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program |
Funding Information
| US DOC; NOAA; NOS; National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS): https://ror.org/05ba43f71 |
Distributor
| NCCOS Data Manager (US DOC; NOAA; NOS; NCCOS) |
Depositor
| Alva, Amanda |
Deposit Date
| 2024-12-18 |
Date of Collection
| Start Date: 2023-01-01; End Date: 2024-08-30 |
Data Type
| Community Vulnerability |
Software
| ESRI ArcGIS |
Data Source
| Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. (2024, February 23). CDC/ATSDR social vulnerability index. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved 16 April 2024 from https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/placeandhealth/svi/index.html; ArcGIS Living Atlas. (2024). 2022 Department of Planning & Natural Resources land use zoning layer. https://services3.arcgis.com/UfiM23HwAqZRk1vw/arcgis/rest/services/USVI_ZONING/FeatureServer; CARICOOS. (2022). swan/SWAN_Aggregation_best [data set]. http://52.55.122.42/thredds/dodsC/swan/SWAN_Aggregation_best. ncd.html; Environmental Protection Agency. (2023a, Nov 29). Sources and solutions: Wastewater treatment plants. https://www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution/sources-and-solutions-wastewater; Environmental Protection Agency. (2023b). Water system search results, primacy agency (VI), safe drinking water information system (SDWIS) federal reporting services. https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/safe-drinking-water-information-systemsdwis-federal-reporting; Environmental Protection Agency. (2024a, April 2). EJScreen: EPA’s environmental justice screening and mapping tool. Retrieved 16 April 2024 from https://www.epa.gov/ejscreen; Environmental Protection Agency. (2024b, February 2). Refinery on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved 21 March 2024 from https://www.epa.gov/vi/refinery-st-croix-us-virgin-islands; Environmental Protection Agency. (2024c). Safe drinking water information system (SDWIS) federal reporting services. https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/safe-drinking-water-information-system-sdwis-federal-reporting; Environmental Protection Agency Facility Registry Service. (2023). Geospatial data download service: ESRI geodatabase (version October 2023) [database]. https://www.epa.gov/frs/geospatial-data-download-service; Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2024, March 4). National risk index for natural hazards. Retrieved 16 April 2024 from https://www.fema.gov/flood-maps/products-tools/national-risk-index; Federal Highway Administration. (2023). National bridge inventory [data set]. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/nbi/ascii.cfm; Kazakis, N., Kougias, I., and Patsialis, T. (2015). Assessment of flood hazard areas at a regional scale using an index-based approach and Analytical Hierarchy Process: Application in Rhodope-Evros region, Greece. Science of the Total Environment, 538, 555–563. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.08.055; National Resources Conservation Service Soil Survey Staff. (2023). Web soil survey. https://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/ NOAA CoastWatch. (n.d.). ERDDAP [data server]. National Ocean Service. Retrieved 30 Apr 2024 from https://eastcoast.coastwatch. noaa.gov/cw_tools_erddap.php; NOAA ERDDAP. (2024). 7-day cumulative USF AFAI fields (USF AFAI 7D AOML) (USFAFAI7D) [data set]. Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. Retrieved 12 Mar 2024 from https://cwcgom.aoml.noaa.gov/erddap/griddap/noaa_aoml_atlantic_oceanwatch_AFAI_7D.graph?AFAI%5b(2024-03-12T12:00:00Z)%5d%5b(17.52230556652191):(18.58744571654165)%5d%5b(-65.225):(-64.16)%5d&.draw=surface&.vars=longitude%7Clatitude%7CAFAI&. colorBar=%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C&.bgColor=0xffccccf; NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science. (n.d.). U.S. Virgin Islands coral reef prioritization digital atlas. Retrieved 16 May 2024 from https://noaa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=3832758b3e4044c79079845e2c2487eb; NOAA National Geophysical Data Center. (2010). 2010 U.S. Virgin Islands coastal digital elevation model https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/metadata/geoportal/rest/metadata/item/gov.noaa.ngdc.mgg.dem:412/html%23&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1718281641140044&usg=AOvVaw0cDIrbajNInz8-BxFncfOb; NOAA National Hurricane Center. (n.d.-a). Hurricanes in history. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 16 April 2024 from https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/outreach/history/#hugo; NOAA National Hurricane Center. (n.d.-b). Sea, lake, and overland surges from hurricanes (SLOSH). https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/surge/ slosh.php; NOAA National Hurricane Center. (n.d.-c). Storm Surge maximum of the maximum (MOM). https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/surge/ momOverview.php; NOAA Office for Coastal Management. (2015). C-CAP land cover files for US Virgin Islands (2012) https://coast.noaa.gov/htdata/ raster1/landcover/bulkdownload/hires/usvi/; NOAA Office for Coastal Management. (2023, June). Sea level rise viewer: View by scenario. Retrieved 2 May 2024 from https://coast.noaa.gov/slr/#/layer/sce/2/-7251054.14172995/2071958.3929361678/9/satellite/77/0.8/2050/interHigh/midAccretion; NOAA Office for Coastal Management. (2024, March 13). Sea level rise data download. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Ocean Service. https://coast.noaa.gov/slrdata/; NOAA Office for Coastal Management Partners. (2024). 2021–2023 Puerto Rico and USVI NAIP 4-band 8 bit imagery [data set]. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/69789; U.S. Census Bureau. (2023a). 2020 Decennial Census of island areas, Table H19: Housing Unit Density. https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDHCVI2020.H19?q=H19&g=040XX00US78$1600000&y=2020; U.S. Census Bureau. (2023b). 2020 Decennial Census of island areas, Table HBG7: Tenure by occupants per room. https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDHCVI2020.HBG7?q=HBG7&g=040XX00US78$1600000&y=2020; U.S. Census Bureau. (2023c). 2020 Decennial Census of island areas, Table HBG16: Units in structure. https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDHCVI2020.HBG16?q=HBG16&g=040XX00US78$1600000&y=2020; U.S. Census Bureau. (2023d). 2020 Decennial Census of island areas, Table HBG19: Median year structure built. https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDHCVI2020.HBG19?q=HBG19&g=040XX00US78$1600000&y=2020; U.S. Census Bureau. (2023e). 2020 Decennial Census of island areas, Table HBG30: Tenure by plumbing facilities. https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDHCVI2020.HBG19?q=HBG30&g=040XX00US78$1600000&y=2020; U.S. Census Bureau. (2023f). 2020 Decennial Census of island areas, Table HBG39: Tenure by kitchen facilities. https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDHCVI2020.HBG39?q=HBG39&g=040XX00US78$1600000&y=2020; U.S. Census Bureau. (2023g). 2020 Decennial Census of island areas, Table HBG42: Presence and type of internet subscriptions in household. https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDHCVI2020.HBG42?q=HBG42&g=040XX00US78$1600000&y=2020; U.S. Census Bureau. (2023h). 2020 Decennial Census of island areas, Table HBG65: Aggregate value (dollars) by mortgage status. https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDHCVI2020.HBG65?q=HBG65&g=040XX00US78$1600000&y=2020; U.S. Census Bureau. (2023i). 2022 U.S. trade with Puerto Rico and U.S. possessions FT895/22. https://www2.census.gov/library/ publications/2023/economics/ft895-22.pdf; U.S. Census Bureau. (2023j). 2020 U.S. Decennial Census of island areas, Table DP1: General demographic characteristics. https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDPVI2020.DP1?q=DP1&g=040XX00US78$1600000&y=2020; U.S. Department of Homeland Security. (2023). Homeland infrastructure foundation-level data (HIFLD). https://hifld-geoplatform.hub. arcgis.com/; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. (2020). HUD aggregated USPS administrative data on address vacancies. https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/usps.html; U.S. Department of Transportation. (2023). Docks (version 16 June 2023). https://geodata.bts.gov/datasets/docks/explore?location=2 3.132268%2C0.406500%2C2.95; U.S. Geological Survey. (2018). The 100-year flood. https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/100-year-flood; USGS National Hydrography. (2010). Access national hydrography products: National hydrology dataset flowline data. U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 15 September 2023 from https://www.usgs.gov/national-hydrography/access-national-hydrography-products; USVI Department of Public Works. (2021). 2021 pavement assessment. (Shared via personal communications, J. McClean, 11 December 2023).; USVI Department of Public Works. (2023). About VITRAN. Accessed 15 November 2023. https://dpw.vi.gov/about-vitran/; USVI Hazard Mitigation and Resilience Plan. (2023a). Dewberry 100 year rainfall. (resilientvi.org, shared via personal communications, 13 July 2023).; USVI Hazard Mitigation and Resilience Plan. (2023b). USVI critical infrastructure and assets layer (resilientvi.org, shared via personal communications, 24 July 2023).; VInow. (n.d.). Virgin Islands: Marinas & Anchorage Sites. Retrieved July 2023 from https://www.vinow.com/travel/marinas-anchoragesites/; Wiberg, P. L., and Sherwood, C. R. (2008). Calculating wave-generated bottom orbital velocities from surface-wave parameters. Computers & Geosciences, 34(10), 1243-–1262. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cageo.2008.02.010 |
Documentation and Access to Sources
| Use Limitation: NOAA makes no warranty, expressed or implied, regarding these data, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NOAA cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in these data. Data License: These data were produced by NOAA and are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. NOAA waives any potential copyright and related rights in these data worldwide through the Creative Commons Zero 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication (CC0 1.0). |