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Donna Milligan

Associate Research Scientist

Email: [[milligan]]
Phone: (804) 684-7596
Office: Brown House 204
Section: Coastal & Ocean Processes
Unit: Shoreline Studies Program

Education

  • B.S.,Marine Science, Coastal Carolina University, Conway, South Carolina

  • M.A., in Marine Science, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary

Research Interests

Professional faculty researcher and program administrator for the Shoreline Studies Program, Coastal and Ocean Processes Section with extensive experience in research-based analyses of coastal geomorphology and physical forces in order to create effective shoreline management. Transdisciplinary research topics include wave mechanics and sediment transport, beach surveying and analysis, numerical modelling of hydrodynamic processes, shoreline change and its impact on infrastructure and marine resources, and living shoreline design and performance.

Current Projects

  • Monitoring Protocol Implementation at Sandbridge Beach, Virginia

  • Shoreline Monitoring at Sandbridge, Virginia using Real-Time Kinematic GPS and an all terrain vehicle.

  • Chesapeake Bay Breakwater Database and Monitoring Project

  • Chesapeake Bay Dune Systems: Shore Evolution through GIS for select Jurisdictional Dune Localities.

  • Chesapeake Bay Beach Identification outside the Dune Act's Jurisdictional Localities

  • Shoreline Management Plan for the National Park Service's York River Shoreline

  • Public Beach Monitoring: Yorktown Public Beach

  • Public Beach Monitoring: Central and Castlewood Beaches

Selected Publications
  • Milligan, D.A, Hardaway, Jr., C.S., Wilcox, C. A., & Green, C.W. (2023). Naval Weapons Station Yorktown and Cheatham Annex Shoreline Management and Coastal Resiliency Plan. Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary.
  • Green, C.W., D.A. Milligan, C.S. Hardaway, and C.A. Wilcox, 2022. Machicomoco State Park Shoreline Management Plan. VIMS, W&M, Gloucester Point, VA. https://scholarworks.wm.edu/reports/2850/
  • Milligan, D.A., C.S. Hardaway, C.A. Wilcox, and N.J. DiNapoli, 2021. Living Shoreline Sea-Level Resiliency: Performance and Adaptive Management of Existing Sites, Year 3 Summary Report. VIMS, W&M, Gloucester Point, VA.  https://scholarworks.wm.edu/reports/2487/
  • Hardaway, C.S., D.A. Milligan, and K. Duhring, 2021. Living Shoreline Design Guidelines for Shore Protection in Virginia’s Estuarine Environment. Special Report in Applied Marine Science and Ocean Engineering #473. VIMS, W&M, Gloucester Point, VA. https://scholarworks.wm.edu/reports/2863/
  • Milligan, D.A., Hardaway, Jr., C.S., Wilcox, C.A., & DiNapoli, N.J., 2021. Dredging Implementation Prioritization and Management for Middle Peninsula Shallow Draft Channels. Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary, Gloucester Point, VA.  https://scholarworks.wm.edu/reports/2532/
  • Hardaway, C.S., D.A. Milligan, C.A. Wilcox and R. Herzick, PE, 2020. Penniman Spit, Living Shoreline and Oyster Restoration Project. Design and permitting. Shoreline Studies Program, VIMS, W&M, Gloucester Point, VA. For Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, York County, VA.
  • Hardaway, Jr. C.S., Milligan, D.A., Wilcox, C., & DiNapoli, N.J., 2020. Hog Island Shore Protection and Habitat Restoration Living Shoreline Project. Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary, Gloucester Point, VA.  https://scholarworks.wm.edu/reports/2316/
  • Milligan, D. A., Hardaway, C., & Wilcox, C. A., 2019. Pamunkey Indian Reservation Shoreline Management Plan. Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary. https://doi.org/10.25773/fsaf-rz10
  • Milligan, D. A., Priest, W. I., & Hardaway, C., 2019. Leesylvania State Park Living Shoreline Project Monitoring Protocol. Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary. https://doi.org/10.25773/znwn-qd37
  • Milligan, D.A., Hardaway, Jr., C.S, and Wilcox, C., 2018. Oyster Bag Sill Construction and Monitoring at Two Sites in Chesapeake Bay. Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA.
  • Milligan, D.A., Hardaway, Jr., C.S, and Wilcox, C., 2017. Shore Zone Management Planning for Middle Peninsula Chesapeake Bay Public Access Authority Properties. Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA. https://scholarworks.wm.edu/reports/1835/
  • Milligan, D.A., Hardaway, Jr., C.S, and Wilcox, C., 2016. Captain Sinclair’s Recreational Area Shoreline Management Plan. Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA.  https://scholarworks.wm.edu/reports/584/
Shoreline Studies Program
Donna has been working for VIMS since 1994 and performs research on geological and physical factors influencing shorezone systems and applies that knowledge to effective shoreline management. Her research with the Shoreline Studies Program includes coastal geomorphology, wave mechanics and sediment transport, beach survey analysis, numerical modeling of hydrodynamic processes and shoreline change, and breakwater and beach nourishment performance.