Access coastal change science and data organized into three coastal change hazard themes:

1. Extreme storms—Through processes like dune erosion, overwash, and inundation, storms reshape the coastline. Real-time and scenario-based predictions of storm-induced coastal change, as well as the supporting data, are provided to support management of coastal infrastructure, resources, and safety.
2. Shoreline change—Historical shoreline positions and rates of change along ocean shorelines of the United States.
3. Sea level rise—Three methods describe the vulnerability of a coastal region to sea level rise: the probability of observing either a static or dynamic coastal response, a Coastal Vulnerability Index, and a probabilistic assessment of shoreline change that uses a Bayesian network approach.

The Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI)—available under the sea level rise theme—seeks to objectively determine the relative risks due to future sea level rise for the U.S. Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf of Mexico coasts. The CVI shows a quantified relative risk that physical changes will occur as sea level rises based on tidal range, wave height, coastal slope, shoreline change, geomorphology, and historical rate of relative sea level rise. This approach combines a coastal system's susceptibility to change with its natural ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions, and yields a relative measure of the system's natural vulnerability to the effects of sea level rise. 

The tool fulfills critical immediate and ongoing needs for scientifically credible and actionable information to increase resilience to storms and climate change. This information can support emergency preparedness, ecocystem restoration, and where and how to develop coastal areas.

No sophisticated technology is required. The tool runs on web browsers, tablets, and smartphones. It is designed for a wide range of audiences, from federal and state agencies to non-governmental organizations, public entities, and private citizens. One key component of the portal is the ability to explore coastal hazard risks at varied scales, from a local area of interest to a national perspective. This location-specific capability is extremely valuable for planning and preparedness and for making decisions to build coastal resilience.