Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP)

Efforts

Efforts describe the work of workgroups

Involved Workgroups:
NOAA
USDA

• Knowledge Creation
  • Adaptive Management
  • Arts and Crafts
  • Lessons
  • Monitoring
  • Research
• Protection
  • Acquisition
  • Green Infrastructure
  • Regulation
• Restoration
  • Beach Nourishment
  • Engineered Log Jams
  • Fish Passage
  • Revegetation
• Social Change
  • Advocacy
  • Coordination
  • Education
  • Funding
  • Integrated Ecosystem Management
  • Legislation
  • Planning

Effort References

• RCO's PRISM Project Search
• Salmon Recovery Portal
• Ecology's Administration of Grants and Loans
• USACE Regulatory In-lieu Fee and Bank information Tracking System

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The NOAA Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) is a nationwide initiative managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It provides high-resolution land cover and land change data for coastal regions of the United States. Established in the 1990s, C-CAP uses satellite imagery to track habitat changes, urbanization, and environmental shifts over time. The program supports coastal resource management, climate resilience planning, and disaster response by offering accurate and standardized data. C-CAP helps policymakers, scientists, and communities understand and manage coastal ecosystems, ensuring sustainable development and conservation of critical coastal areas.

https://coast.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/tools/lca.html

Notes

• National Geospatial Asset, providing consistent data over time at a national scale.
• Updates National Land Cover Dataset which is around 75% identical.
• Still produces 30m at 5 year intervals, with 1996 - 2021 in Washington using Landsat.
• Phase 1 (initial schema) high resolution products include Impervious, Canopy and Water for all coastal areas delivered as three 1m raster products, with US coastal coverage in 2024, based on 2020-2022 imagery. Developed in partnership with Ecopia AI (using a suite of deep learning tools).
• The product cannot be used as a source for training AI per a negotiated agreement with Ecopia.
• The Phase 2 (full schema) program is working (2025) to develop a full national layer of land cover, that corresponds with traditional C-CAP land use categories.
• Does not include canopy height like WDFWs High Resolution Aerial Imagery Change Detection