QSCAT (QGIS Shoreline Change Analysis Tool) is an open-source shoreline change analysis (SCA) tool for QGIS that builds upon the foundations set by DSAS. It prioritizes speed, user-friendliness, and resource efficiency, making it a top choice for SCA research.

QSCAT was initially developed by UP-MSI CoastER team for a government-funded initiative to establish coastal erosion trends in Region 1, Philippines. The team originally utilized DSAS for analysis but transitioned to QSCAT due to its enhanced features and capabilities. While we have yet to test QSCAT extensively in other regions, its design suggests potential applicability to various coastal areas.

Warning

QSCAT is currently unstable, so please expect for potential bugs and issues. In the meantime, we kindly request your assistance in reporting any problems you encounter at QSCAT GitHub Issues (https://github.com/qscat/qscat/issues). Thank you for your cooperation!

QGIS versions compatibility

Name	Status
test coverage (ongoing)
3.22.16
3.34.5
3.36.1

Features

QSCAT offers the following features:

Feature	Description
Shoreline Change	Computes shoreline change statistics: shoreline change envelope (SCE), net shoreline movement (NSM), end-point rate (EPR), linear regression rate (LRR), and weighted linear regression rate (WLR).
Area Change	Calculates length and area of accreting, stable, and eroding coastal segments.
Forecasting	Predicts future shoreline positions including uncertainty areas.
Automator	Automates manual repetitive tasks.
Visualization	Visualizes shoreline and area change, forecasting results in the map for easy interpretation.
Summary Report	Generates a comprehensive summary report of the results.

Installation

Plugins Repository

Instructions

1. Open QGIS, Plugins ‣ Manage and Install Plugins… ‣ Settings.

2. Check Show also experimental plugins. Go to All.

3. Search QGIS Shoreline Change Analysis Tool.

4. Click Install Plugin.

5. Go to Installed. The QGIS Shoreline Change Analysis Tool should now appear in the list if the plugin is installed succesfuly. Check the checkbox to enable the plugin (if not checked).

6. Once enabled, the icon will appear in the toolbar.

ZIP file

Instructions

The latest QSCAT plugin is available as a ZIP file for installation. The steps to install the plugin on any operating system (Windows, Linux, Mac OS) are as follows:

1. Download the latest qscat.zip file from the following link: https://github.com/qscat/qscat/releases/latest. OR qscat-x.y-z.zip from https://plugins.qgis.org/plugins/qscat/.

2. Open QGIS, Plugins ‣ Manage and Install Plugins… ‣ Install from ZIP.

3. Click …, find the downloaded qscat.zip, then click Install Plugin. Finally, proceed with the warning if asked.

4. Go to Installed. The QGIS Shoreline Change Analysis Tool should now appear in the list if the plugin is installed succesfuly. Check the checkbox to enable the plugin (if not checked).

5. Once enabled, the icon will appear in the toolbar.

See QSCAT User Manual - Sample Workflow for sample usage.

Resources

• QSCAT Website
• QSCAT Documentation
• QSCAT Documentation
• QSCAT Facebook
• QSCAT Facebook Group
• QSCAT Twitter

Contributing

• We welcome contributions to QSCAT! Given that the plugin is in its initial stage, bug reports are our top priority as they help us identify and address issues to improve the stability and functionality of QSCAT. Whether it's code improvements, bug fixes, documentation enhancements, or translations, every contribution helps make QSCAT better for everyone. Please see our Contribution Guide for more details on how to get involved.

License

• GPL License 3.0: The QSCAT plugin is licensed under GPL 3.0, per QGIS' Open Source Software principles. This decision aligns with the requirement for plugins to comply with GPL version 2 or greater for distribution through the QGIS plugin system.