BIO 130 · Interactive Lab

Coastal Vulnerability Explorer

Investigate how physical, biological, and socioeconomic factors combine to determine which coastlines face the greatest risk from sea level rise — and what that risk looks like in real communities.

📊 Calculate Coastal Vulnerability Index scores 🗺️ Compare 8 real U.S. locations 🌊 Simulate flood inundation

Background: What Makes a Coast Vulnerable?

Not all coastlines face the same risk from sea level rise. A rocky cliff in Maine behaves very differently from a barrier island in North Carolina — even if global sea level rises by the same amount. Coastal vulnerability is determined by a combination of physical, geological, and biological factors that either amplify or buffer the impact of rising seas.

The Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to quantify how susceptible a stretch of coastline is to long-term sea level rise. It combines six measurable variables into a single risk score. Higher scores = greater vulnerability.

The six CVI variables are:

Geomorphology — Is the coast rocky and resistant, or sandy and easily eroded?
Coastal slope — Gentle slopes flood over wide areas; steep slopes confine flooding
Rate of sea level change — How fast is relative sea level rising at this location? (Includes land subsidence)
Shoreline erosion/accretion rate — Is the shore gaining or losing land?
Mean tidal range — Large tidal ranges can buffer storm surge; small ranges concentrate energy
Mean wave height — Higher waves drive more erosion and storm surge penetration

The CVI formula multiplies all six ranked variables (each scored 1–5) and takes the square root: CVI = √(V1 × V2 × V3 × V4 × V5 × V6) ÷ 6

Final scores range from very low (1–8) to very high (>31).

Select a Coastal Location

Click a location to load its vulnerability profile. You will investigate all 8 locations across the lab — start with whichever interests you.

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Location Data

🎚️ Adjust the CVI Variables

These sliders use real starting values for this location. Try changing them to explore how each factor affects overall vulnerability. The score below updates live.

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CVI Score

Vulnerability Scale

Very LowLowModerateHighVery High

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🌊

Sea Level Rise Flood Simulation

What does inundation look like at this location?

Use the slider to simulate sea level rise scenarios from 0 to 6 feet above current mean high water. Watch how different community features become flooded at each increment.

Sea Level Rise Scenario

+0.0feet

0 ftCurrent

+2 ftModerate

+4 ftHigh

+6 ftExtreme

Move the slider to simulate sea level rise at this location.

📍 Ground: 0 ft above MHW 🌊 Rise: 0.0 ft

6 ft 4 ft 2 ft 0 ft

ℹ️ At current sea level, this location experiences tidal flooding dynamics typical of this coastal type.

Compare All 8 Locations

After investigating at least 4 locations, use this table to record your CVI scores for comparison. This is where the big patterns emerge.

Location	CVI Score	Risk Level	Highest-Risk Factor	1-ft flood impact
Select locations above to populate this table