EXPERIENCE:
Keil Schmid has 20 years’ experience working in the geological, engineering, mapping, and remote sensing fields and is the owner of Geoscience Consultants. He has worked for, and with, government agencies and private firms. He led the coastal geology program for the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality and the Coastal Elevation Mapping program for IM Systems Group at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Coastal Services Center. He was also a Project Engineer with Ocean and Coastal Consultants were he provided a wide-range of Geo-technical expertise.
Keil has over 20 years direct experience with lidar topographic/bathymetric data, and its use in coastal applications, modeling, and creation of Digital Elevation Models. His ability to incorporate remote sensing data with traditional field data provides a cost-effective option to increase the breadth of findings, while limiting resource intensive tasks. In short, Keil’s combined geologic/engineering technical background and government/private industry management background helps him provide clients a broad understanding of both the technical and cultural aspects of coastal restoration and development projects.
Example Projects:
Military Installation Resilience Review – Beaufort County, SC Keil worked with Sherwood Engineers to map and define yearly flooding risks (% chance during a year) for several different coastal and pluvial flooding scenarios including sunny-day, hurricane, and rainstorm induced flooding.
Measurement of Floodplain Value for Downstream Flood Reduction, Conway, SC. Defined a technique to calculate building damage reduction value from floodplains on a yearly basis for The Nature Conservancy. See project report
Watershed Management Plan, Lower Savannah River, SC. Modeled non-point-source (NPS) pollution using multiple models (BASINS, NSPECT, STEPL) to define best management practices. This included assessing and tracing human caused bacteria in multiple watersheds. The watershed is situated adjacent to a major water source for Beaufort County. See project report
Coupled Coastal and Riverine Risk Modeling, SC. Provided two counties with future and present risks from coupled riverine and coastal flooding sources to help define potential green-infrastructure project locations for The Nature Conservancy’s North Coast project. See project here
SLR and Infrastructure Risk Assessment, SC. Employed a unique set of models to define at-risk and critical infrastructure for several different planning scenarios and timelines to help maintain DOD facilities in Beaufort County, SC. See project here
SLR Uncertainty Mapping, National. Developed a unique technique to portray mapping uncertainty in ‘bath-tub’ type SLR models.
USACE Section 408 Analysis, MS. Examination of potential sediment transport, beach erosion, storm surge, and infrastructure damage from a planned harbor expansion.
Marsh Evolution and Sea Level Rise, National. Led data acquisition and modeling using Sea Level Affecting Marsh Model (SLAMM); co-authored “Marshes on the Move” and "Make Way for Marshes" to document salient aspects of coastal habitat modeling.
Alternate Shoreline Protection Schemes, SC. Collaborated with a local engineering firm to perform a review of past shoreline/littoral changes, examine existing geomorphology, physical conditions, and littoral transport patterns, and assess potential shoreline stabilization techniques at a local waterfront park.
SLR Mapping, National. Oversaw and lead development of Coastal Digital Elevation Models from LiDAR over the entire Continental US, Hawaii, US Virgin Islands, and Pacific Territories for use in NOAA's SLR and Inundation Viewer.
Lidar Application and Limitations in Coastal Systems. Demonstrated lidar elevation limitations in marshes and developed techniques to improve performance and confidence in use of data for high resolution applications.
Development of Crystal Information System, Crystal Systems Inc. Developed a GIS for analysis of crystal growth and product inventory.
Conceptual Design of Innovative Coastal Structures, Gulf of Mexico and Southeast US. Integration of historic and contemporary coastal and oceanographic data in the conceptual design of semi-soft structures for private clients.
FEMA Coastal Flood Mapping, Coastal MA. Lead GIS Analyst for data collection and integration with engineering studies. Worked extensively to integrate topographic and field data into flood studies.
Dredge Material Management, NY and NJ. Lead geologist on several projects designed to economically handle both clean and contaminated dredge material. These projects placed a premium on effective sampling and analysis of subsurface data in regards to stated project goals.
Low Profile Groin Performance, Charlotte County, FL. Project Consultant for an innovative shoreline stabilization project being funded by the State of Florida and Charlotte County; responsible for spatial analysis of data and assistance in preliminary design, placement of structures, and monitoring of the innovative groin field.
Deer Island Shoreline Stabilization, Biloxi, MS. Project Manager of study to assess the physical processes occurring at the site and to use the past evolution trends to design a low-impact shoreline stabilization scheme.
Huntington Beach Coastal Management, Huntington, NY. Project Engineer for a coastal management planning project. Primarily responsible for field data collection, integration of results with previous works using GIS techniques, and reporting.
Neversink Island Flood Restoration, Upstate NY. Helped design a mechanically stabilized earth-wall (MSE) to control future flood erosion and protect residence. Final 3-D construction surface was created to define future topography and compare to present elevation for wall design and material specifications.
Renourished Beach Monitoring and Assessments, MS. Periodic "State of the Beach" reports to citizens and governments.
Fate of Renourished Sediments and Effects of Nearshore Borrow Pits, MS. Historic evaluation of renourished sediment fate and local controls.
Legal Tideland Determinations, MS. Re-creation of legal shoreline location and history of deposition (fill) in highly modified areas.
Sediment Pollution in Man-Made Lakes in MS. Provide timing and source recognition for sediment pollution in lakes.
Wetland Loss and Geologic/Geomorphic Controls, MS. Historic and recent wetland loss trends and controlling geologic, geomorphic, and physical processes.
Offshore Sand Resource Exploration, Sitting, and Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis, MS. Sand resource studies to delineate and establish renourishment-quality sediment.
Historic Barrier Island Evolution and Storm Response/Recovery, MS. Examination of rapid, but intrinsic post storm evolution.
Offshore Sediment Dynamics and Artificial Reef Sitting, MS. Substrate/habitat analysis for the placement of artificial offshore reefs.
Dredging and Beneficial Use Studies, MS. Sitting and technical design criteria based on geologic evolution of habitat.
HGM Wetland A -Team: Primary geologic member of team to develop HGM technique for tidal fringe wetlands in Mississippi.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS & ABSTRACTS:
Gorleski, Edward and Keil Schmid, 2005. Habitat loss analysis of a sedge island in Little Egg Harbor, NJ: Proc. 4th Biennial Coastal Geotools Conf., Myrtle Beach, SC. March 7-10.
Harwood, J. Heath, Keil Schmid, and Dave F. Ufnar, 2004, Evaluating the performance of a recently nourished estuarine beach, the Mississippi Sound, Hancock County, Mississippi, Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Program, Denver, CO, Nov 7-10.
Harwood, J. Heath, Keil Schmid, and Dave F. Ufnar, 2005, Evaluating the performance of a recently nourished estuarine beach, the Mississippi Sound, Hancock County, Mississippi, Mississippi Academy of Sciences, Vol 50, N. 1, p 72.
Moody, J. and K. Schmid, 2003, Hurricane season 2002- Hancock County beaches [abs]: Mississippi Academy of Sciences, v. 48, 1, p. 45.
Renaud, P. E., S. Riggs, W. G. Ambrose, K. Schmid, and S. W. Snyder, 1997, Biological-Geological interactions: storm effects on macroalgal communities mediated by sediment distribution patterns: Continental Shelf Research, v. 17, p. 37-56.
Riggs, S., R., K. Schmid, and S. W. Snyder, 1994, Holocene mid-shelf sedimentation: complex interactions of storms, benthic organisms and Cenozoic hardbottoms [abs]: Geological Society of America (SE) Abstracts with Programs, v. 26, 4, p. 49.
Shafer, Deborah J, Thomas H. Roberts, Mark S. Peterson, and Keil Schmid, 2007, “A Regional Guidebook for Applying the Hydrogeomorphic Approach to Assessing the Functions of Tidal Fringe Wetlands Along the Mississippi and Alabama Gulf Coast”: U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Environmental Laboratory. ERDC/EL TR-07-2, April, 2007.
Schmid, K., and S. Riggs, R., 1994, Relationship of Holocene sediments to morphology and composition of hardbottom features of the continental shelf, North Carolina: Geological Society of America (SE) Abstracts with Programs, v. 26, 4, p. 49.
Schmid, K., and B. Yassin, 1999, Ship Island, Mississippi: an example of rapid hurricane-driven evolution [abs]: The Impact of Hurricane Camille: A Storm Impact Symposium to Mark the 30th Anniversary, New Orleans, LA.
Schmid, K., B. Yassin, and J. Lana, 1999, Geo-Forensic applications for coastal resource inventory: Biloxi, Mississippi [abs]: Coastal Geo-Tools 99, Charleston, S.C.
Schmid, K., 1999, Geomorphic expression of erosion on the Mississippi Gulf Coast islands caused by Hurricane Georges [abs]: Journal of the Mississippi Academy of Science, Abstract with Programs, v. 44, 1.
Schmid, K., 2000, Biennial Report of Sand Beaches; Hancock County, 1999: Mississippi Office of Geology, Department of Environmental Quality, Open File Report, 17 p.
Schmid, K., 2000, Biennial Report of Sand Beaches; Harrison County, 1999: Mississippi Office of Geology, Department of Environmental Quality, Open File Report, 16 p.
Schmid, K., 2000, Effects of culverts on Mississippi's renourished beaches [abs]: Journal of the Mississippi Academy of Science, v. 45, 1, p. 42.
Schmid, K., 2000, Historical evolution of Mississippi's barrier islands: Mississippi Environment, v. January/February, 2000.
Schmid, K., 2001, Cat Island evolution, morphology, and hurricane response – 1995 to 2000: Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, Office of Geology, Open File Report, 32 p.
Schmid, K., 2001, Determining artificial vs. natural Holocene sedimentation, Hancock County, Mississippi [abs]: Mississippi Academy of Sciences, v. 46, 1, p. 40.
Schmid, K., 2001, Using vibracore and profile data to quantify volumes of renourished sediments, Holocene thickness, and sedimentation patterns: Hancock County, Mississippi: Mississippi Office of Geology, Open File Report, 33 p.
Schmid, K., 2001, West Ship Island evolution, morphology, and hurricane response - 1995 to 2000: Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, Office of Geology, Open File Report, 36 p.
Schmid, K., 2001, Longterm nearshore sedimentation on a renourished beach: Hancock County, Mississippi [Abs]: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Boston, MA, v. 33, 6, p. 340.
Schmid, K., 2002, Bar morphology and relationship to shoreline change on a renourished beach: Harrison County, Mississippi [abs]: Mississippi Academy of Sciences, v. 47, 1, p. 40.
Schmid, K., 2002, Biennial Report of Sand Beaches; Harrison County, 2001: Mississippi Office of Geology, Department of Environmental Quality, Open File Report, OF- 111B, 33 p.
Schmid, K., 2002, Biennial Report of Sand Beaches: Hancock County, 2001: Mississippi Office of Geology, Department of Environmental Quality, OFR-110B, 33p.
Schmid, K., 2003, East Ship Island evolution, morphology, and hurricane response - 1994 to 2000: Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, Office of Geology, Open File Report, 49 p.
Schmid, K., 2003, Nearshore bar morphology with relationship to shoreline change on a renourished beach: Harrison County, MS: Proceedings Coastal Sediments '03, May 18-23, Clearwater Beach, FL, CD-ROM
Schmid, K and E.O. Otvos, 2003, Deer Island, Coastal Mississippi - a geological and historical story [abs]: Mississippi Academy of Sciences, v. 48, 1, p. 45.
Schmid, K. and B. Yassin, 2004, Mississippi coastal data node and value added GIS data products [abs]: Mississippi Academy of Sciences, v. 49, 1, p. 59.
Schmid, K., Marie Horgan-Garret, and Michael Bruno, 2008, Analysis of the Very Low Profile Groin CEMS© System at Stump Pass State Park, Englewood, Florida [abs]: American Shore and Beach Preservation Association National Coastal Conference, October, 2008, Galveston, TX.
Schmid, K., B. Hadley, R. Mataosky, R. Mcguinn, and R. Love, 2009, Processing and accuracy of topographic lidar data in coastal marshes and use in sea level rise studies [abs]: Coastal Geotools ’09 abstracts with program, March 2-5, Myrtle Beach, SC.
Schmid, Keil A.; Hadley, Brian C.; Wijekoon, Nishanthi , 2011, Vertical Accuracy and Use of Topographic LIDAR Data in Coastal Marshes. Journal of Coastal Research, Vol. 27 Issue 6, p116
Keil Schmid, Brian Hadley, and Kirk Waters, 2014, Mapping and Portraying Inundation Uncertainty of Bathtub-Type Models. Journal of Coastal Research, Vol 30 Issue 3.
Sloan, S.D., and K. Schmid, 2003, Deer Island, Evolution and morphology [abs]: Mississippi Academy of Sciences, v. 48, 1, p. 45.
Yassin, B., and K. Schmid, 1999, The impact of Hurricane Georges on the Mississippi Barrier Islands [abs]: Coastal Geo-Tools 99, Charleston, S.C.
Yassin, B. and K. Schmid, 2004, Making historic Mississippi coastal T-sheets accessible on the internet [abs]: Mississippi Academy of Sciences, v. 49, 1, p. 59.