Cascadia CoPes Hub / RCN Monthly Seminar Series

Abstract: Dr. Barnard will discuss the development and application of the Coastal Storm Modeling System (CoSMoS), a numerical modeling system that produces maps of future coastal flooding, erosion, and groundwater hazards due to sea level rise and storms and is currently being built out for the Pacific Northwest. CoSMoS integrates observations, global climate models, and a series of state-of-the-art oceanographic models for tides, waves, and storm surge to assess coastal hazard exposure for the 21st century in support of community-scale climate adaption planning and resilience. The approach has been deployed in a number of regions across the country, directly supporting over 200 agencies.

Bio: Dr. Patrick Barnard has been a Research Geologist with the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center in Santa Cruz since 2003, the Project Chief for the Coastal Climate Impacts Project for the last decade, and Co-Developer of the Coastal Storm Modeling System (CoSMoS). His research focuses on coastal hazards driven by storms and sea level rise across U.S. beaches and estuaries. Patrick’s serves on numerous regional, national, and international scientific review panels related to climate change and coastal hazards and has advised members of the U.S. Congress and Cabinet. He is currently a co-author on the Coastal Effects Chapter of the 5th National Climate Assessment and co-chair for the Task Force to update California’s sea level rise guidance.