Community Impacts Report

COMMUNITY

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This publication was supported by the NOAA Regional Coastal Suggested Citation: Gulf of Mexico Alliance and Mississippi- Resilience Grant (Award NAS16NOS4730008) awarded to the Gulf Alabama Sea Grant Consortium. Community Impacts: Gulf of Mexico Alliance. The views expressed herein do not necessarily Coast Communities Taking Action for a Better Tomorrow. reflect the views of GOMA, NOAA, Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant (2020). Publication number # MASGP-20-015. Consortium, or any of its subagencies. IMPACTS Gulf Coast Communities: Taking Action for a Better Tomorrow

Recognizing that coastal communities are at risk to parent organization. These groups included neighborhood natural, economic, and technological disasters, the Gulf of associations, school organizations, churches, museums, Mexico Alliance (GOMA) and its partners have provided zoos, and wildlife centers. small grants for communities through a series of different Third, GOMA partnered with the Climate and Resilience funding opportunities. Community of Practice (CoP) to build capacity in local First, GOMA’s Habitat and Resilience Teams, along with communities to prepare for and adapt to changing climate the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, received conditions, to lessen the impacts of localized flooding and a Regional Coastal Resilience Grant (RCRG) award from effects of saltwater intrusion, and to communicate a clear NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management. One of the goals and science-informed message to aid in future decision of this funding was to conduct a small grant program to making. This capacity building grant was awarded help communities address their vulnerabilities to future through the National Academy of Sciences Gulf Research storms. While significant funding may be available to Program and expanded the reach of the CoP and its communities aftera disaster, there are not many existing individual members to facilitate closing the gap between funding opportunities for communities that want to take current science and application. It broadened the scope proactive measures to become more resilient before the of membership to include additional Gulf communities, next storm. This small grant program filled a real need local businesses, and members from the Gulf of Mexico for eight communities, as well as provided a series of Alliance Resilience and Habitat Teams. Specifically, each “demonstration projects” at the local level that GOMA of the implementation projects with local communities and partners can learn from and share with communities resulted in best management practices that can be shared around the Gulf. across the region. Second, in response to Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Finally, two community grants have been awarded Maria (2017), GOMA solicited for small grants to through Gulf Star, GOMA’s public-private partnership. applicants affected by the hurricanes in Texas and Florida. Gulf Star partners are agencies, businesses, private organi- Supported by private and public funds, these eight grants zations, and citizens that provide funding for projects that went to non-traditional audiences who did not qualify are tied directly to Gulf economies, such as sustainable for the larger federal assistance. Recipients included seafood, loss of critical habitats, coastal resilience, water non-governmental organizations and small community resources, living marine resources, and monitoring. groups who were not eligible to receive funds from a larger

This report summarizes the community work that has been supported by GOMA and its partners across the Gulf of Mexico. It highlights the impacts these small grants have made in improving resilience, supporting business continuity, increasing capacity, enhancing habitat, and expanding best practices. Living Shoreline Stabilization to BRADENTON, FL for future disturbances. In addition to Increase Resiliency increasing resiliency, this project also in- Issue of Concern: creased the availability of critical shoreline De Soto National Memorial (Bradenton, Project Lead: Coastal habitat for fishes and other wildlife species FL) is an important location where both Conservation Association, and improved water quality by reducing Native Americans and De Soto’s army De Soto National Memorial Park erosion and re-establishing oysters and of soldiers once lived. The University of plants for water filtration. University of Project Location: De Soto Central Florida (UCF) Department of Biol- Central Florida and the National Park National Memorial Park, Manatee ogy has worked closely with the National Service collaborated on the stabilization County, Bradenton, FL Park Service to understand how to best and monitoring as they have considerable stabilize this shoreline through the use of Demographics: success implementing the use of living living shoreline techniques combined with • Population (53,654) shoreline techniques adjacent to Native long-term natural recruitment. Stabilizing • Median age (42.9) American shell middens. De Soto’s shoreline is essential to decrease • Median household income erosion and shoreline loss to protect the Key Accomplishments and ($42,902) park’s cultural and natural resources, es- Deliverables: • Poverty rate (17.2%) pecially numerous historically significant Restoration included ongoing replacement shell middens. Through pre-restoration planting of mangroves, repair/replacement monitoring, it was determined that of damaged shell bags, and stabilization high-energy boat wakes were limiting of an additional 207 feet on the northeast natural mangrove recruitment. Lack of shoreline. New (not replacement) deploy- retention of propagules (young mangrove ments included 78 mangroves, 200 smooth plants) led to destabilized, highly eroding, cordgrass plugs (Spartina alterniflora) and bare shorelines. placement of 400 oyster shell bags along De Soto National the shoreline. Thirty-five volunteers partic- Memorial Park To begin the recovery process, partners ipated, donating 281 hours of their time. A planted native vegetation and installed total of 145 mangroves have survived from oyster shell bags seaward of the 4-year old the 290 planted during Phase 1, a 50% mangroves to reduce wave energy, trap survival rate. The SE site showed an overall sediment and new propagules, and provide 2.5 cm of accretion along restored sites habitat for native species. One month after 1 year. LESSONS LEARNED: after restoration, Hurricane Irma hit the park. The park suffered extensive damage Monitoring of natural mangrove propa- A goal of shoreline stabiliza- throughout with all shorelines covered gule recruitment was also performed at tion was to reduce the rate with wood and dock debris. Many plants these sites. The ability of mangrove plants of sediment erosion while and shell bags (now with attached live to self-sustain is an important component increasing sediment accretion. oysters) were damaged. of shoreline resiliency. Monitoring results Measuring success at the NW found that mangrove propagule retention Taking Action: shoreline site was not possible along the living shoreline sites was due to the repeated loss of Project partners were able to repair the comparable to natural sites; both were near erosion stakes along the damaged living shoreline materials, zero. Additional structural topography shoreline. The missing erosion continue their monitoring, and deploy (larger plants and associated root struc- stakes may have eroded away an additional 200 feet of living shoreline tures) is needed for natural recruitment to themselves or, more likely, between December and August of 2018. be successful. park visitors removed them. Funding from GOMA enabled them to continue the successful restoration efforts to stabilize the shoreline damaged by Hurricane Irma and increase its resilience

COMMUNITY IMPACTS 2 Gulf Coast Communities: Taking Action for a Better Tomorrow Evaluating the

GALVESTON, TEXAS surveys was entered into the Finbase Impacts of Issue of Concern: Photo-ID Database. Data analyses consisted Hurricane Harvey of 1) estimating dolphin encounter rates In 2017, Hurricane Harvey severely on Dolphins (including mother/calf pairs) to determine impacted the entire Galveston Bay system, if and when dolphins returned to Upper Project Lead: Dr. Vanessa primarily by causing drastic changes in Galveston Bay after Harvey, 2) calculating Mintzer, Galveston Bay Founda- freshwater inflows, and consequently the prevalence and extent of skin lesions in tion, Galveston Bay, Texas affected many of Galveston Bay Founda- the same population, and 3) evaluating the tion’s initiatives. One program in need of progression of skin lesions on individual Project Location: Galveston Bay, assistance was the Galveston Bay Dolphin dolphins. Galveston, Texas Research and Conservation Program (GDRCP). The GDRCP has been studying Key Accomplishments Demographics: the Galveston Bay bottlenose dolphin (Tur- and Deliverables: • Population (49,706) siops truncatus) population since 2013 by Results evaluating the short-term effects of • Median age (38.5) conducting boat-based surveys. The influx Harvey were prepared into a manuscript • Median household income of freshwater not only changed the salinity and submitted for publication in the journal ($42,486) of Galveston Bay, but likely contaminated Estuaries and Coasts. • Poverty rate (22.6%) Galveston Bay with waterborne pathogens • Peer-reviewed Publication and chemicals from toxic run off. Galveston Fazioli, K; Mintzer, VJ; Guillen, G. Bay dolphins are vulnerable to these chang- Short-term effects of Hurricane Harvey es. After large rain events prior to Harvey, on bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops researchers observed severe skin lesions on truncatus) in upper Galveston Bay, TX. some dolphins. Therefore, the most pressing • Conference Presentation issues surrounding the dolphins’ health Mintzer, V; Fazioli, K; Guillen, G. and ecology is their ability to tolerate low The short-term effects of Hurricane Galveston Bay salinity, exposure to contaminants, and Harvey on dolphins in upper Galveston th Foundation changes in prey availability. Bay, TX. 9 National Summit on Coastal and Estuarine Restoration and Taking Action: Management. Long Beach, CA. During the year following Hurricane Har- vey, the GDRCP was able to closely track the dolphin population in Upper Galveston Bay (UGB). The grant funds from GOMA were utilized to complete boat-based field LESSONS LEARNED: work and related analyses. Prior to Harvey, “The long-term monitoring of the bottlenose dolphins inhabiting Upper Galveston Bay the GDRCP’s normal protocol included 2 allowed the comparison of encounter rates, skin lesions prevalence, and skin lesion extent days of field work (boat-based surveying) before, during, and after Hurricane Harvey. These three parameters changed considerably per month, and the grant funding allowed during the three time-periods, suggesting that Harvey had important population-wide them to increase these efforts to better effects. Encounter rates showed that most dolphins were displaced from their Upper Bay monitor the population and individuals. habitat for weeks following the storm, and the individuals that stayed developed skin Between September 2017 and September lesions that may be indicative of underlying health issues. Information gained from this 2018, the GDRCP conducted 44 pho- rare event could inform management and conservation efforts of coastal populations of to-identification surveys in Galveston Bay. dolphins around the world. With a predicted increase in the intensity of storms causing The surveys totaled over 276 hours and heavy precipitation and flood events associated with global climate change (Easterling 3326 km of survey effort and resulted in et al. 2000; Knutson et al. 2010), research on the effects of hurricanes and flooding is the observation of 243 sightings/groups imperative to manage and maintain healthy coastal dolphin populations.” with over 2,400 dolphins. Data from these Concluding paragraph from Fazioli et al.

COMMUNITY IMPACTS Gulf Coast Communities: Taking Action for a Better Tomorrow 3 Rebuilding Critical Infrastructure LAKE JACKSON, TEXAS staff and contract biologists would spend for Supporting Issue of Concern: countless hours on the road, prolonging the time needed to complete work and Shorebird Hurricane Harvey hit the Gulf Coast Bird increasing costs in salaries, fees, and Monitoring Observatory (GCBO) in Lake Jackson, mileage. Texas hard in 2017. Their grounds were Project Lead: Martin Hagne, submerged underwater for a week. Taking Action: Executive Director Gulf Coast The main building sustained rather The field house building was gutted down Bird Observatory light damage, but their field house was to the interior studs and completely submerged under 10 inches of water and rebuilt. With help from a core group of Project Location: Brazoria County had to be totally gutted in order to rebuild dedicated volunteers, GCBO was able Lake Jackson, Texas it. The cost of repairing flood damages was to rebuild in just six months, saving Demographics: estimated at $12,000 in materials, such thousands of dollars in labor costs. GOMA • Population (27,317) as sheetrock, insulation, paint, cabinetry, funds were used for material goods (sheet • Median age (36) carpet, tile, furniture, and appliances. All rock, flooring, paint, insulation, cabinets, • Median household income the clean-up, tear down, and rebuilding and other supplies). A year after Harvey, ($77,739) work was done by staff and a group of loyal the fully refurbished field house is func- • Poverty rate (8.49%) volunteers, saving an estimated $10,000. tioning and providing shelter for interns Gulf Coast Bird Observatory’s field work, and staff. Additionally, GCBO was able especially their shorebird conservation to resurrect their RV volunteer program, work, relies on staff and contracted field offering RV hook-ups, fully functioning biologists living near the work sites, as kitchen, and bathrooms to accommodate the Upper Texas Coast is a big area. The hard-working volunteers who assume so field house on their headquarter property many of the day-to-day chores necessary in Lake Jackson, Texas, can house several in maintaining the 34-acre headquarters. Brazoria County, biologists, stores equipment, and includes Key Accomplishments Lake Jackson, TX a garage and workshop for maintenance and Deliverables: and repair work on the property. Without Fully functioning volunteer program and the field house, the GCBO would incur rebuilt field house. ongoing hotel or rental costs, and their

COMMUNITY IMPACTS 4 Gulf Coast Communities: Taking Action for a Better Tomorrow Clean-up of Largo Sound Park and KEY LARGO, FLORIDA Taking Action: John Pennekamp Issue of Concern: Largo Sound Park and the surrounding Largo Sound Park Club is on the northern area received major damage and a lot Waters border of John Pennekamp Coral Reef of debris along their water line and Park in Key Largo, Florida. When Hurri- beach area from Hurricane Irma. Their Project Lead: cane Irma blew in, the fragile ecosystem volunteers not only donated hours of time Lisa Dykes surrounding the park was devastated. but their own money to repair and get the Largo Sound Park Club Manmade debris (e.g. destroyed boats, damage and litter cleaned from the park Project Location: plastics, glass, tiles, pieces of hotels, elec- and surrounding area. GOMA funding Monroe County tronics) crashed onto the beach and park. helped them to hire a company to remove Key Largo, Florida The seagrass they had been working to the major portion of the debris, remove maintain, suffered greatly as a result of the and replace a concrete apron that was Demographics: storm. The amount of “small litter” (e.g. damaged due to water erosion, and repair • Population (10,071) smashed ceramic tiles, bottles, fishing line, fencing. Additional expenses included • Median age (51.9) pieces of surrounding houses) was forced painting, plumbing repair, and tree • Median household income onto the beach in bulk during the storm. trimming. ($61,650) The park received significant damage to Key Accomplishments • Poverty rate (17.3%) the beach, the concrete dock/boat launch, and Deliverables: community grounds/playground for The Largo Sound Park Club was able children, public bathrooms, fencing, and to complete clean-up and repairs. They native plants that help with beach erosion. formed a kayak club that removes debris The impact of the ecosystem damage done from the surrounding mangroves three in part by the storm—and part by man— times a month. created a significant risk to the ocean life and bird life.

Largo Sound Park and John Pennekamp Waters

COMMUNITY IMPACTS Gulf Coast Communities: Taking Action for a Better Tomorrow 5 Matagorda Bay PALACIOS, TEXAS Matagorda and Calhoun 4-H, Texas Master Oyster Reef Issue of Concern: Naturalists, and local fishing clubs. Enhancement Storm surge and flooding from Hurricane The second project is located a few miles Harvey caused significant damage to to the west adjacent to the new Palacios Coastal Education Pavilion on Matagorda Project Lead: William Balboa, waterfront infrastructure, shorelines, Bay. This project also used cultch in sacks Matagorda Bay Foundation wetlands, and oyster habitats in the Matagorda Bay Ecosystem. Matagorda Bay to enhance existing oyster habitat and Project Location: Matagorda and is a productive ecosystem and home to a supplement oyster recovery in the area Calhoun Counties, Palacios, Texas significant population of Eastern oysters, and protect an adjacent sandy shoreline which provide habitat and ecosystem and wetland. Enhanced and restored Demographics: services and sustain a commercial oyster reef habitat will be a focal point of future • Population (4,647) fishery. Rainfall from Harvey caused education activities and demonstrate living • Median age (37.5) catastrophic flooding in local watersheds shorelines concepts. The adjacent wetland, • Median household income that resulted in drastic reductions in bay protected by the living shoreline project, ($40,690) salinity and extensive oyster mortality. was also enhanced and planted with native • Poverty rate (19%) The Matagorda Bay Foundation (MBF), wetland species sourced from a nearby state Palacios Pavilion Committee, Port Alto of Texas hatchery. Home Owners Association, and Matagorda Key Accomplishments 4-H identified two projects with direct ties and Deliverables: to Harvey-induced damages to important • Palacios Pavilion Oyster Garden/ habitats in the Matagorda Bay ecosystem. Living Shoreline The projects introduced residents and local Matagorda Bay Foundation staff and leadership to the concepts and value of volunteers filled approximately 350 sacks living shorelines and the use of oyster shell of oyster shell (cultch sacks). A community as an alternative to sheet pile, rip-rap, and effort to kick-start spat set and colonization of cultch was initiated and employed high Matagorda Bay bulkheads for shoreline protection. school students and 4-H youth volunteers. Oyster Reef Taking Action: The students also participated in wetlands enhancement plantings of Spartina The first project used oyster shell in alterniflora along a bulkhead wetland LESSONS LEARNED: cultch sacks to plug a storm breached area at the project site. Hurricane Harvey had direct of shoreline that separates Salt Lake, a A diverse group of adult and youth impacts on many acres of wetlands semi-enclosed, highly productive tertiary volunteers formed a “living conveyor” and oyster reefs in the Matagorda bay, from Matagorda Bay. Storm surge and and transported ~200 cultch sacks to the Bay area. These impacts generated wind driven waves from Harvey eroded surveyed site during an extreme low tide a new local public awareness a small wash-over into a deep channel event. About 75 Spartina alterniflora plugs of the importance of healthy and connected Salt Lake to high-energy were sourced from a nearby hatchery and ecosystems to protect against planted along a 100 foot stretch of bulkhead waves generated across the 15 mile fetch of storm effects and for fisheries and in an adjacent wetland pond. Matagorda Bay. The Salt Lake ecosystem resilience and sustainability. is being impacted by increased tidal flow • Redfish and Salt Lake Living Shoreline These projects allowed citizens Matagorda Bay Foundation staff distributed through the cut, rapid loss of shoreline, and to participate in hurricane 175 sacks of cultch to volunteers and water- recovery efforts, capitalized loss of shallow water oyster reef habitat. front property owners in and near the Port upon the situation and educated The emergent oyster reef communities in Alto, Texas area. This effort had a two-fold citizens and community leaders Salt Lake are frequently used by wading purpose 1) to educate and engage the public in rural coastal Texas about the birds, Black Skimmers and American in coastal issues and restoration techniques, connection between conservation Oystercatchers. The project protected and, 2) to allow spat and encrusting organ- ism propagation on the cutch. The sacks were and coastal protection practices nearly 675 acres of oyster reef, sea grass, distributed with the understanding that staff (living shorelines) to protect vital wetland marsh and shallow bay habitat will retrieve the sacks for placement at the infrastructure, improve resilience, and employed the use of volunteers from project site in the future. and benefit coastal ecology. the Port Alto Home Owners Association,

COMMUNITY IMPACTS 6 Gulf Coast Communities: Taking Action for a Better Tomorrow Improving Water Quality by Utilizing SARASOTA COUNTY, FLORIDA four floating islands of aquatic plants Issue of Concern in the lakes, which are very efficient in Floating Wetlands removing chemical toxins and enhancing Mira Lago is a community of 183 homes water purity. They placed two of the Project Lead: Carol Auricchio, located on Palmer Ranch in Sarasota smaller floating islands (160 sq. ft. each) Mira Lago Community Association County. The four lakes in this community in the largest lake, which is shaped connect to Eligraw Bayou, which empties like a horseshoe; another (160 sq. ft.) Project Location: Sarasota County, into Sarasota Bay, and the bay is directly in a smaller lake; and another larger Sarasota, Florida connected to the Gulf of Mexico. The one (224 sq. ft.) in a slightly larger lake community is only about 2 miles east of Demographics: that is uniform in shape. The lakes in Sarasota Bay. • Population (426,718) the Mira Lago community empty into • Median age (56.5) The Mira Lago Community Association Eligraw Bayou, which empties directly • Median household income has recently increased the lake plants and into Sarasota Bay about 2 miles away. The ($61,683) also allowed the grass along the perimeter goal for installing the floating islands • Poverty rate (10.5%) to grow to a height of 12 inches to 18 was to improve the water quality in the inches to create a buffer zone. However, lakes. This is important because during during Hurricane Irma (2017), tree a hurricane with copious rainfall, large branches fell into the lake due to the amounts of runoff from the lakes enter high winds, and a great deal of run-off Sarasota Bay. That runoff could contain entered the lakes due to the abundant contaminants from the lakes. rain. The additional organic matter plus Key Accomplishments the chemicals in the run-off started an and Deliverables: algae bloom. This occurred even though they did not fertilize any lawns in the The Mira Lago Community Association Sarasota County, FL community from June through October. anticipates better water quality and being able to reduce the need to apply chemicals Taking Action in the lakes, thereby reducing contami- Funds from GOMA allowed the Mira nants passed on into Sarasota Bay. Lago Community Association to place

LESSONS LEARNED: The community was challenged in implementing the installation of aquatic plants (floating islands). This heightened their awareness of the operating environmental issues. One of their partners cautioned against the installation of the islands during the winter months because the cold temperatures would likely kill the young plants. Once things warmed up in March, they were ready to go.

COMMUNITY IMPACTS Gulf Coast Communities: Taking Action for a Better Tomorrow 7 Replacing Animal Care Equipment ISLAMORADA, FLORIDA other injuries. For example, the animal Issue of Concern park makes weights by hand for one of Project Lead: Bevery Osborne, its turtles with this disorder and custom Theater of the Sea sustained much damage Curator, Theater of the Sea Marine orders a special life jacket for another. in the wake of Hurricane Irma. The park Animal Park Other staples in the animal care routine sits at ocean level and the storm surge include refrigerators and an ice machine Project Location: Monroe County, flooded almost every area of the 17-acre for keeping fish and produce fresh for all Islamorada, Florida property, some areas as high as 5 feet. the animals. Some of the more advanced Debris from fallen trees also impacted Demographics: medical equipment, such as the endoscopy some of the structures. The structures sit • Population (6,488) machine, medical refrigerators, and at ground level with open air systems so • Median age (56.1) freezers, was also lost. there was not much protection from the • Median household income storm, and most of the equipment used for Key accomplishments and ($63,882) animal care operations was ruined. deliverables: • Poverty rate (10.5%) Taking Action The Theatre of the Sea purchased equipment that was destroyed as a result of The goal of this project was to replace Hurricane Irma including: a condensing the animal care equipment that was lost unit for walk-in fish food freezer, during Hurricane Irma. These items are replacement aerators and aerator parts for essential with animals that are geriatric or fish tanks, and a new variable speed sea have special needs, such as several rescued water pump. turtles that have buoyancy disorders and

Islamorada, FL

COMMUNITY IMPACTS 8 Gulf Coast Communities: Taking Action for a Better Tomorrow Hurricane Harvey Sea Turtle Hospital CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS Acquisition of a 6-foot diameter hospital Issue of Concern pool with associated filtration aided in Pool Project increasing hospital space. The filtration The Texas Sealife Center provides medical capabilities improved with the addition Project Lead: Tim Tristan, and surgical care for wildlife and nearby of UV sterilizers, ozone generators, and a Texas Sealife Center wildlife facilities in Corpus Christi and protein fractionator. Heaters for the hospi- the Coastal Bend region including tal pools assisted in preparation for winter Project Location: Corpus Christi, the Amos Rehabilitation Keep (ARK). temperatures and future cold stunning Texas Hurricane Harvey resulted in catastrophic events. These cold stunned turtles present damage in Port Aransas including the Demographics: during freezing weather annually and are ARK at University of Texas Marine • Population (326,566) admitted to both the Texas Sealife Center Science Institute (UTMSI) where over 60 • Median age (35.3) and the ARK. Because of the damage in sea turtles were being housed. After the • Median household income Port Aransas there was a need to prepare hurricane, 30 sea turtles were released, but ($56,602) to house more sea turtles at the Sealife 30 needed medical treatment and surgery. • Poverty rate (16.2%) Center. They were transported to the Texas Sealife Center where they continue to receive Key Accomplishments medical care and surgery. In addition, and Deliverables: this also included sea turtles that are The overall project aided in the rescue, permanent residents of the ARK. rehabilitation, and ultimate release of Taking Action wildlife, specifically sea turtles that were stranded in the Coastal Bend and Because of the increase in sea turtles that surrounding regions. The small grant were housed at the Texas Sealife Center, Texas Sealife helped by improving water quality for the the focus of this project was on increasing Center increased number of turtles being housed and improving the center’s holding at the Texas Sealife Center and by increas- capacity, filtration, and water quality for ing their capacity to house more animals those animals under their care and those in the event of a cold stunning event. continuing to come in after the hurricane.

LESSONS LEARNED: Hurricane damage can be extensive and result in the need to relocate resources, in this case to other wildlife centers. When hurricane damage is widespread, it can be difficult to find holding capacity for injured wildlife.

COMMUNITY IMPACTS Gulf Coast Communities: Taking Action for a Better Tomorrow 9 Assessing Whole

Community MORGAN CITY, LOUISIANA Key Accomplishments Resilience Issue of Concern: and Deliverables: Morgan City and St. Mary’s Parish saw the Project partners facilitated the completion Project Lead: Niki Pace, need to understand community resilience of the Ports Resilience Index with the Port Louisiana Sea Grant more holistically and identify potential of Morgan City, the Tourism Resilience Index with the St. Mary’s Chamber of Project Location: St. Mary’s areas of common concern that could Commerce and Cajun Coast Visitors and Parish, Louisiana (Morgan City, LA) maximize resilience across their inter-connected ports, tourism, and fisheries sectors. Convention Center, and the Fisheries Demographics: Resilience Index with Vermillion Bay Taking Action: • Population (52,578) Seafood. This was the first time multiple • Median age (38) This project used multiple Resilience Resilience Indices had been strategically • Median household income Indices (Ports Resilience Index, Tourism completed for one community and the first ($41,345) Resilience Index, and Fisheries Resilience time the Tourism Resilience Index and • Poverty rate (19.5%) Index) within the St. Mary’s Parish, Loui- Fisheries Resilience Index were used in siana, community to develop a cross-sector Louisiana. evaluation of overall community resilience.

LESSONS LEARNED: Communities and small businesses have limited capacity and flexibility to schedule and participate in assessment activities. Unforeseen events that put an extra burden on local government or businesses can create circumstances where capacity is no longer available for planning and assessment projects. Even under normal operations, it can be especially difficult for small businesses to fit time into their schedule for an assessment; some businesses have a hard time seeing the direct benefit of future planning compared to other immediate items in their busy schedules. The project team suggests a certificate of Morgan City, completion or other incentives for participation in the future. Louisiana

COMMUNITY IMPACTS 10 Gulf Coast Communities: Taking Action for a Better Tomorrow Saving Culturally Important Plant POINTE-AU-CHIEN, LOUISIANA The second project provided enhancements Issue of Concern: to a boat launch/dock area used regularly Species and Building by the Tribe to access the water for fishing The way of life for Pointe-au-Chien Economic Resilience and education/outreach activities with community residents is tied closely to the members of the community and outside Project Lead: Theresa Dardar, land and Tribe members have historically groups. The Tribe considers access to the Pointe-Au-Chien Tribe/First People’s made a living as farmers, fishermen, and water an essential component of their eco- Conservation Council; Matt Bethel hunters. However, this way of life and the nomic resilience. An eroding shoreline has and Melissa Daigle, Louisiana Sea long-term survival of the community have been stabilized, invasive plants removed, Grant; Kristina Peterson, Lowlander been compromised by sea-level rise and and the boat launch has been expanded to Center storms; these hazards cause significant improve access and safety. coastal land loss and saltwater intrusion. Project Location: Key Accomplishments Culturally significant habitats and commu- Pointe-Au-Chien, Louisiana nity infrastructure have been threatened in and Deliverables: recent years. • Completion of the Coastal Commu- Demographics: • Population (1,992) Taking Action: nity Resilience Index self-assessment, construction of a greenhouse for • Median age (29.7) This project assisted in performing a native and culturally important plants, • Median household income community self-assessment to identify stabilization of eroding shoreline, and ($28,413) vulnerabilities and prioritized projects improved access to the water. • Poverty rate (35.1%) focused on habitat and economic resilience. A greenhouse for native and culturally • Development of a Tribal version of important plant species was constructed the Coastal Community Resilience to support the sustainability of cultural Index is a leveraged accomplishment heritage for the Pointe-Au-Chien and from this project. As a result of the other neighboring Tribes. The greenhouse partnership and process of working was constructed adjacent to the Tribe’s with the community the need for a community center and incorporates a wind Tribe-specific resilience index was turbine and other “green” features into the identified. overall design. The features will increase • The Tribe received the 2019 Spirit of the resilience of this vital community Community Award for their efforts to infrastructure. improve resilience and plan for future Pointe-Au-Chien, Louisiana conditions in their community.

LESSONS LEARNED: Working with Tribal communities requires building trust, respecting their availability to participate in activities, and allowing a longer timeline for project implementation. In our experience, Tribe members are deeply involved in their community and are often directly involved in the execution of projects; allowing additional time for project work supports the Tribe’s direct involvement and fosters true collaborative relationships. At the beginning of this project, the Pointe-Au-Chien Tribe shared a “Declaration of Principles” that included best practices for working with the Tribe. It included openness and honesty, clear communication, commitment against harm to the community, valuing of local knowledge and input, inclusion of the entire community, flexibility by project partners to conduct work on their schedule, and sharing of collaborative work. This declaration set the tone and collaborative framework for work among all partners throughout the project.

COMMUNITY IMPACTS Gulf Coast Communities: Taking Action for a Better Tomorrow 11 Community Flood Preparation and COVINGTON, LOUISIANA appropriate flash flood response so they Planning Issue of Concern: could be prepared in the future. The community has experienced several Taking Action: Project Lead: The City of storm-related disasters in the past. For The city compiled all data from the March Covington, Chris Brown, example, during Hurricane Katrina (2005) 2016 flood event into an appropriate GIS Building Official and Floodplain wind gusts in the area were over 130 database that is accessible by various Administrator mph. While the community is prepared city departments. They drafted a Flood Partners: St. Tammany Parish for tropical storm events, on March 11, Preparation and Response Plan so that Emergency Operations Center, 2016, a rainfall event to the north of the city is prepared to respond to flash Louisiana Sea Grant, Flood Loss the town triggered unprecedented flash flood events in the future. The city led Outreach and Awareness Taskforce flooding throughout the area. Covington and completed an emergency response (FLOAT), Gulf of Mexico Alliance only received 6 inches of rain; however, exercise using the plan to test and practice Resilience Team, The Water Washington Parish, to the north, and the response techniques decided upon. Institute of the Gulf northwestern St. Tammany Parish They also provided education materials received over 20 inches. The following day, to residents and business owners, which Project Location: City of as the water moved downstream, areas in the community tied into its Community Covington, located on the north Covington that had never experienced this Rating System program. Finally, the city shore of Lake Pontchartrain in St. type of flooding were inundated. The flood shared the process and lessons learned Tammany Parish, Louisiana waters remained in the community for with neighboring communities through about 8 hours, with over 300 buildings, 57 a free workshop for surrounding local Demographics: streets, and 7 sewer lift stations impacted. governments and other interested indi- • Population (9,925) Multiple subdivisions to the east of Collins viduals. They also made all deliverables • Median age (36.5) Boulevard had to be evacuated by the and publications available online and gave • Median household income police and fire departments, with 103 presentations at the Louisiana Chapter ($57,438) individuals and 7 pets needing evacuation of the Association of State Floodplain • Poverty rate (13%) assistance. The flooding caught the com- Managers. munity off guard. In some areas, the sun Key Accomplishments was shining while the waters were rising. and Deliverables: Therefore, the city identified the need to more accurately and efficiently notify City of Covington Flood Response Plan, impacted residents of the impending flash Flood Response Newsletter, City of flood. In addition, they determined it Covington Situation Overview, Video was imperative to educate residents about Case Study

Covington, LA LESSONS LEARNED: Hurricanes and storm surge are not the only flooding threat to coastal communities. The unexpected flooding from flash flood events can place people, property, and the environment at risk. Preparing city staff and residents for these events will increase a community’s resilience.

COMMUNITY IMPACTS 12 Gulf Coast Communities: Taking Action for a Better Tomorrow Planning for Business Continuity OCEAN SPRINGS, MISSISSIPPI The city then held a lunch-n-learn to Issue of Concern: gain interest from local businesses and Project Lead: The City of Ocean share the importance of continuity Springs, Carolyn Martin, Planning Ocean Springs is a forward-thinking planning. A template was created that and Grant Manager community whose citizens can point to included: (1) Assessing the threats, risk, over 300 years of successful adaptation and vulnerabilities to the business, (2) Partners: Mississippi-Alabama Sea to their coastal environment. Today, the Analyzing impacts to people, property, Grant Consortium, Ocean Springs city’s leaders are investing in planning, finances, and reputation, (3) Developing Chamber of Commerce, Northern research, and infrastructure to adapt to a a strategy for preparedness and response Gulf of Mexico Sentinel Site Coop- number of climate challenges, including and how to implement the plan, (4) erative, Jackson County Economic predicted sea level rise. The city completed Test and maintain the continuity plan Development Corporation, Ocean the Coastal Community Resilience Index including preparing updates and training Springs Ministerial Alliance (CRI), a vulnerability assessment aimed employees. The city then held a workshop at identifying potential risk, high priority Project Location: Small businesses in and invited interested businesses to come needs, and possible mitigation solutions the city of Ocean Springs, Mississippi and begin the process of filling out the to future storms. One of the main needs template with the goal of each business Demographics: identified by the city was local business leaving with a draft Business Continuity • Population (17,514) continuity planning. This was also a high Plan. The project strengthened the city’s • Median age (39) priority for the city’s Comprehensive economic and social resilience by working • Median household income Plan and Hazard Mitigation Plan. The with business leaders to identify overall ($55,935) purpose of business continuity planning needs, as well as by offering to help local • Poverty rate (9.37%) is to ensure critical services can resume as businesses prepare their own Business soon as possible after a natural or man- Continuity Plans. made disaster. Key Accomplishments Taking Action: and Deliverables: The city worked with the local Chamber Fillable pdf template for local businesses of Commerce to identify standards for in Ocean Springs and workshops to business continuity plans and offered assist businesses in the development of a competitive grants to local businesses Business Continuity Plan. to share the cost of preparing the plans.

Ocean Springs, MS

LESSONS LEARNED: A survey conducted by the city found that the majority of businesses in Ocean Springs had no Business Continuity Plan or even a written business plan. Although many businesses were interested in completing their own Business Continuity Plan (BCP), finding a time when they could meet to work with the city was a challenge. Small businesses cannot always afford to close for an afternoon or even early on any given day. Sharing BCPs between local businesses and city government is a valuable step in preparing for future storm events. This project found the process of working together to develop BCPs can assist with identifying resources that may be needed immediately following a storm, help to stage resources and/or services (e.g. medical services, equipment such as generators), and build relationships necessary to communicate effectively after a disaster.

COMMUNITY IMPACTS Gulf Coast Communities: Taking Action for a Better Tomorrow 13 Stormwater Plan for Tatumville FAIRHOPE, ALABAMA Taking Action: Gully Watershed Issue of Concern: The project improved stormwater man- The City of Fairhope is situated on the agement infrastructure using low-impact Project Lead: The City of Fair- eastern shore of Mobile Bay in Baldwin engineering that protects, enhances, and hope, Jessica Walker, Economic & County, in southwest Alabama. Fairhope’s improves the natural coastal resources, as Community Development Director rainfall averages more than 69 inches per well as increases the sustainability, resiliency and preparedness of the city. Fairhope Partners: Mobile Bay National year. Sustainable development continues Estuary Program, Mott MacDonald to be a priority in preserving Fairhope’s secured the engineering services of Mott Engineers natural resources. Fairhope is frequently McDonald Engineers to locate and place the affected by severe storms, flooding, stormwater infrastructure for the watershed Project Location: Fairhope, hurricanes, and tornadoes. All have a high into the city’s GIS system with elevation and Alabama probability of occurring, and the city has size data, and generate hydrologic/hydraulic models necessary to evaluate and predict Demographics: been significantly impacted by numerous stormwater flows/levels, using current • Population (19,561) federally declared disasters. conditions as a baseline. The Stormwater • Median age (45) The 2012 Stormwater Study, Annual Study made recommendations for offsetting • Median household income MS4 Storm Sewer Inventory, and the stormwater discharges by increasing pipe ($66,074) city’s Community Resilience Index size, installing new ponds to provide greater • Poverty rate (8.9%) assessments each identified the storage volume, and modeled low areas as Tatumville Gully watershed as a particu- possible detention for upstream ponds. larly vulnerable area. The Gully is expe- riencing many threats including erosion, Key Accomplishments flooding/fast moving water, invasive and Deliverables: species, and many older homes Concurrent with the Stormwater Study, the on low-lying parcels. In addition, it is city conducted the South Fairhope Commu- located in a historic black community nity Action Plan. The city has begun work located along the Bay which has the to improve the Young Street Community highest concentration of low-income Park as well as meet the needs of elderly and vulnerable residents in the city. citizens in the area as identified in the plan.

Tatumville Gully Watershed

LESSONS LEARNED: While stormwater management continues to be one of the most pressing issues in the Tatumville Gully Watershed area, the vulnerable population that live within this area have additional unmet needs that Location Map - Tatumville Gully were unknown to the city.

COMMUNITY IMPACTS 14 Gulf Coast Communities: Taking Action for a Better Tomorrow Using the Coastal Resilience Index to ARANSAS COUNTY TEXAS self-assessment, the county decided to Issue of Concern: apply for funding to (1) join the CRS Inform and Guide and (2) strengthen the communication Aransas County experiences frequent Community Rating protocols for alerts and action notices for flash flooding (5 events in 2015 alone). System Initiatives the county. The project was temporarily In addition, the county’s vulnerable delayed due to Hurricane Harvey, location along the Gulf Coast puts it at Project Lead: Aransas County, which landed on August 25, 2017. After risk for hurricanes and associated storm David Reid and Diana Espinosa recovery, the county submitted their surges. Storm surge has caused flooding CRS Application and CRS Quick Check Partners: City of Rockport, in the county seven times since 1919. If Form to FEMA and their state NFIP LIA Engineering, Inc. the frequency and severity of hurricanes Coordinator. increases, the area could be impacted Project Location: Aransas County, more frequently in the future. Flooding Key Accomplishments Texas has been an ongoing hazard to the county and Deliverables: Demographics: with recent changes in precipitation The county developed a comprehensive • Population (24,832) regime moving from drought conditions, website with a library of resources, • Median age (46.6) and these events could become more including elevation certificates, Letter • Median household income frequent and severe. of Map Amendment (LOMA), Flood ($44,601) Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), ArcGIS Taking Action: • Poverty rate (17.8%) maps, and resources for floodplain Aransas County’s effort to develop a protection and the permitting process Floodplain Management Plan highlighted for development within the county. the value in participating in the Federal The county is now prepared for its Emergency Management Agency’s’ Community Assistance Visit (CAV) National Flood Insurance Program and the CRS verification process (NFIP) Community Rating System required by FEMA. The county also (CRS). The county has a track record developed a Hurricane Harvey/Flood of exceptional dedication to exceeding Response Recovery Plan that includes a the minimum NFIP standards, and communications protocol. These efforts the county wanted citizens to be able have resulted in greater preparedness to to benefit from the discount in flood storm events and increased capacity to Aransas County insurance rates due to their participation respond and adapt to changes in weather in the CRS. After completing the Coastal patterns, climate, and storm events. Community Resilience Index (CRI)

LESSONS LEARNED: Aransas County saw the need to help their residents become more aware of how important it is to have regulations in place for building. If individuals undertaking new construction are aware of the county’s regulations and reasons for their existence, the county can avoid having to issue penalties, or in difficult cases, having to take cases to court. In addition, participation in the Community Rating System has economic benefits to county residents in addition to helping them become more resilient as a community.

COMMUNITY IMPACTS Gulf Coast Communities: Taking Action for a Better Tomorrow 15 Oyster Bed Coastal Protection and TERREBONNE AND LAFOURCHE the Environmental Assessment Team to Restoration PARISHES, LA. finalize the Environmental Assessment Issue of Concern: (EA) and secure permits for coastal use Project Lead: Deb Abibou, from Louisiana’s Department of Natural Coastal Louisiana parishes are on the Restoration Programs Director, Resources and a Programmatic General front lines of coastal erosion and relative Coalition to Restore Coastal Permit from the U.S. Army Corps of sea level rise. The area has experienced Louisiana (CRCL) Engineers. CRCL worked closely with the a presidentially declared disaster from a Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe to coor- Partners: Terrebonne Parish hurricane or tropical storm an average dinate dates that worked for the tribal Consolidated Government, of every three years. These natural forces community and to recruit boat captains Lafourche Parish, Pointe-au-Chien are exacerbated by canals dug for oil and local volunteers. They coordinated Tribe, ConocoPhillips, Shell and land exploration, timber, and fur with Louisiana Department of Wildlife industries. Tribes have continued to Project Location: Terrebonne & Fisheries to secure a no-cost staging be negatively effected by the massive and Lafourche Parishes, Louisiana area at a nearby Wildlife Management amount of land loss. The project site is Area to hold the shell and host the on the corner of a natural bayou and a volunteers. CRCL recruited volunteers to manmade canal. The tribe identified a work at their shell storage site in Buras, sacred mound at risk of washing away Louisiana, to wrap pallets of oyster incrementally with the tides or en masse shell so that they could be transported during the next storm event. by the truckload to Pointe-au-Chien. Taking Action: The recycled shell was transported and The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisi- deployed on separate dates. ana (CRCL) worked with the Terrebonne Key Accomplishments and Lafourche Parish governments, and Deliverables: as well as the Point-au-Chien Tribe, Approximately 612 volunteers contrib- to restore eroding wetland with an uted to creating over 8,800 shell bags, oyster shell living shoreline to prevent wrapping 250 pallets, and deploying 200 Terrebonne and culturally important artifacts from being tons of shell into the water to create the Lafourche Parishes, LA lost to rising seas. They coordinated with living shoreline.

LESSONS LEARNED: The Oyster Bed Surge Protection System benefits both the built environment and the existing shoreline. The installations protect the shoreline and provide wave attenuation to significantly reduce erosion. Due to the location, the retention of the existing marsh continues to provide wave and storm surge protection and delays the erosion of the mound and channels. Habitat benefits include oyster cultch development, as well as observations of fishery support and bird populations. Water quality is also expected to benefit from the filtering capacity of the oysters potentially increasing water clarity and nitrogen cycling.

COMMUNITY IMPACTS 16 Gulf Coast Communities: Taking Action for a Better Tomorrow NEW PORT RICHEY, FLORIDA utilizing a new stormwater pump, reas- Stormwater Division Issue of Concern: suring residents and business owners. The new pump was able to free up the existing Portable Pump City staff recognized the need to replace small pumps to quickly answer the call Addition aging stormwater management equipment of residents with smaller flooding issues after heavy storms in 2016, including while at the same time making sure the Project Lead: Barret Doe, Public Hurricane Hermine, flooded the city and larger retention areas remained functional Works Department, City of New damaged roads. New Port Richey had in order to protect the neighborhoods and Port Richey never experienced such severe flooding and community. people had to use boats or kayaks to move Partner: Thompson Pump and Key Accomplishments around. As Hurricane Irma approached Manufacturing Company, Inc. in September 2017, residents were again and Deliverables: worried about flooding. Residents, business owners, and city staff in Project Location: New Port Richey, Florida Taking Action: New Port Richey, Florida, now have peace of mind that heavy rains and storms will The city was able to reduce water levels Demographics: not cause damage or cut off local roadways, in flood-prone areas by purchasing and • Population (15,674) thanks to new stormwater equipment. • Median age (47.3) • Median household income ($33,995) • Poverty rate (20.3%)

New Port Richey, FL

LESSONS LEARNED: The city identified a strong need to protect the city from future flood events. The small grant helped the city to purchase equipment that diverts water to and from large retention areas, helping residents and businesses with flooding issues.

COMMUNITY IMPACTS Gulf Coast Communities: Taking Action for a Better Tomorrow 17 Mapping Coastal High Hazard Area ISLAMORADA VILLAGE OF ISLANDS Adequately addressing these issues is Issue of Concern: vital to the longevity and prosperity of Project Lead: South Florida South Florida’s communities. By building Regional Planning Council Hurricanes pose a substantial threat to on existing vulnerability assessments, Florida’s coastal communities. Sea-level Partners: Islamorada Village of continuing to draw from academic rise will increase storm surge height Islands, Monroe County research, and utilizing the best available (likelihood of risk), and development Southeast Florida Regional Climate datasets and models, progress can be made increases in high-risk areas will intensify Compact, Florida Department of to advance resilience with local actions storm surge exposure (consequences Environmental Protection aligning at the regional level. of risk). Mitigating and adapting to Project Location: Islamorada these growing coastal hazards requires Taking Action: Village of Islands, Florida incorporation of resilience into all aspects This project focused on Islamorada in the Demographics: of local government, from land use Florida Keys, a community that identified • Population (6,488) planning to infrastructure improvements. a need for high-resolution data to evaluate • Median age (56.1) Sea-level rise in South Florida manifests potential storm surge and sea-level rise • Median household income itself prominently via extreme tides, impacts. The Principal Investigators used ($63,882) elevated storm surge, and the water tables LIDAR and storm surge data to redefine • Poverty rate (10.5%) exceeding ground elevations in low-lying the Coastal High Hazard Area (CHHA) areas. These impacts cause transportation for a Category 1 storm at current sea levels delays, compromised drainage, property and two future sea-level scenarios. This damage, erosion, complications to regional information was used to identify assets water supplies, habitat degradation, and an under current and future risk within array of other costs and inconveniences. the CHHA. The South Florida Regional

Bud N’ Mary’s Marina is an iconic marina utilized by countless tourists as a central location to hire and board charter boats for watersport activities. Following Hurricane Irma, the roughly 45 fishing guides and offshore captains who operate out of Bud N’ Mary’s were out of work until the marina docks and moorings had been rebuilt and debris removed.

COMMUNITY IMPACTS 18 Gulf Coast Communities: Taking Action for a Better Tomorrow Islamorada Village of Islands

Planning Council completed the data for their own region. The online story aggregation, GIS modeling, and drafting mapping platform lends itself to being LESSONS LEARNED: of GIS maps displaying storm surge hosted on partners’ websites and shared Hurricane Irma’s impact provid- under various sea-level rise scenarios for via social media. Viewing the data and ed insight into the validity and Monroe County. Analysis results were resultant analysis does not require special applicability of SFRPC’s analysis. presented in the form of an interactive software or licenses of any kind, which Adjacent residential complexes map using ESRI’s Story Map platform. The significantly increases access to audiences. received damage during the maps allow viewers to easily assess how This project also interviewed a large cross the CHHA will likely change spatially in storm, from catastrophic to section of the community and found the coming decades. Additionally, important minor. A 10-unit condo complex, most frequently mentioned adaptation differences between the Atlantic and located within the coastal high option was mandating that building codes Gulf coasts (e.g. bathymetry and storm require building elevations greater than 1 hazard area (CHHA), was mostly surge) are noted. A comprehensive set foot above base flood elevation, followed leveled. Its neighbors received of recommendations to address local by actions taken by private homeowners. minimal damage—based on the sea-level rise impacts was provided with Both hardening infrastructure (e.g. SFRPC analysis, these parcels are the maps. retrofitting critical infrastructure) largely or entirely outside of the and green infrastructure options (e.g. Key Accomplishments current CHHA. Using the time- and Deliverables: living shorelines, beach renourishment) lapse feature of the mapping were discussed as valuable adaptation The goal of this project was not only to opportunities. By and large, participants tool, planners and local officials provide a valuable resource to Monroe were unwilling to consider eventual retreat can visualize the changing CHHA County and Islamorada, but to anyone else from the Florida Keys as a viable option. and increasing vulnerability. interested in conducting a similar analysis

COMMUNITY IMPACTS Gulf Coast Communities: Taking Action for a Better Tomorrow 19 Creating a Shoreline Master Plan SOUTH PADRE ISLAND The Shoreline Master Plan promotes the re- Project Lead: City of South Padre Issue of Concern: siliency of South Padre Island by preserving Island, Texas adjacent aquatic habitats, such as wetlands, The community of South Padre Island has algal and mud flats, mangroves, and other Partners: Chamber of Commerce a long history of confronting strong storms features that serve to attenuate water level and Economic Development, and responding to their impacts. Over rise and storm surge. Maintaining this vital Corporation of South Padre Island, the last 50 years, four major hurricanes storm buffer minimizes damage to hard Cameron County Commissioners have impacted the small, low-lying barrier structures and lessens the flood risks to the Court, Texas Parks and Wildlife, island community, exacting moderate to upland areas of the island. Storm buffering Boys and Girls Club of Laguna severe damage from the Gulf shoreline helps ecosystems withstand natural and Madre, South Padre Island Birding to the Laguna Madre. Hurricane Beulah anthropogenic disturbances. Additionally, and Nature Center, South Texas (1967) generated a 20-foot storm surge that the conservation of ecologically important Chapter of the Surfrider Founda- completely inundated South Padre Island lands will ensure that future development tion, South Padre Island’s Property and cut 31 Gulf-to-bay blowouts. Subse- will take place in more resilient locations. Owners Who Care, Ocean Trust quent storms, notably Hurricanes Ike (2008) Foundation and Dolly (2008), also greatly impacted Key Accomplishments South Padre Island, causing structural and and Deliverables: Project Location: South Padre environmental damage and weakening the Island, Texas The Shoreline Master Plan sets a path seasonal beach-tourism economy upon toward improving the community and Demographics: which the community relies. visitor experience as it relates to the • Population (2,856) shoreline, creating a more resilient coastline • Median age (59) Taking Action: and preserving the Island’s natural • Median household income The City of South Padre Island revised its resources. Plan development used the best ($45,060) Comprehensive Plan to include a Shoreline available information to identify key action • Poverty rate (10.8%) Master Plan, providing a list of broad, items and made engagement of current interrelated goals that enhance or support stakeholders and the community a priority existing education, tourism, conservation, in the planning process, as they will have and public access projects. Each goal is ac- the most direct impact on the success of companied by recommendations that build each goal. Actions that directly enhance upon commitments from the city’s previous environmental education, shoreline planning documents and the knowledge tourism, conversation, and public access gained from the results of a public planning within the city are identified in the plan. meeting. Feedback on the plan was also It is important to note that the amount of obtained using a Master Plan Survey, direct effort required per strategy will vary; some conversations with citizens in one-on-one are being accomplished while others will South Padre interviews, and at a Comprehensive Plan require innovation and greater resources. Island Open House.

LESSONS LEARNED: Master Plan. Informing the public of their role in creating a resil- South Padre Island anticipates 4.3 million visitors annually, ient community encourages the public to personally connect with concentrated from March to September each year. Securing and the environment, giving them an intrinsic reason and motivation expanding new public access and recreational opportunities on to protect and preserve it for future generations. Preservation of the island will encourage tourism during the off-peak season and seagrass, mangroves, wetlands, marshes, and intertidal flats will promote the more stable, year-round economy that the commu- enhance ecological resilience, providing essential habitat to the nity needs. Identifying key projects that allow visitors the oppor- residential birds, fish, and terrestrial wildlife that depend on them. tunity to access the unique ecotourism features of the island will In addition, the preservation of habitats preserves biodiversity only help grow this expanded tourism season. Public education is with ecological significance, enhancing their ecotourism value. a central and evolving aspect to the overall goal of The Shoreline

COMMUNITY IMPACTS 20 Gulf Coast Communities: Taking Action for a Better Tomorrow19 Drainage System Maintenance COVINGTON, LOUISIANA The first video provides an overview of Issue of Concern: the drainage system (e.g., how ditches, streams, and channels are connected), and Project Leads: Chris Brown, Covington is a relatively small city on emphasizes the importance of keeping all Building Official and CRS Coor- the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain in components of the system clear of debris. dinator, City of Covington and St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana. With a The video conveys the importance of Monica Farris, Director, University population of approximately 9,925, the protecting the drainage system so it will of New Orleans, Center for Coastal community covers 6.1 square miles and reduce potential flood damage and protect Hazards Assessment Response and is home to several schools, hospitals, natural resources throughout the city. Technology (UNO-CHART) and other critical facilities. The city has experienced extreme flooding events and The second video is being used to train the Partners: Gulf of Mexico Climate needed to update their Flood Damage City of Covington Public Works staff. It and Resilience Community of Reduction Activities (Activity 540) under provides details on policies and procedures Practice the Community Rating System (CRS), an of the city’s inspection and maintenance Project Location: Covington, incentive program the Federal Emergency program. The video gives staff directions Louisiana Management Agency (FEMA) offers to on how to correctly complete a work order lower flood insurance premiums. The goal when removing debris from a waterway so Demographics: of this project was to improve drainage that the information can be used to keep • Population (9,925) system maintenance efforts to reduce flood track of debris clearing. • Median age (36.5) losses to existing development and improve Key Accomplishments • Median household income related CRS scores for the City and Deliverables: ($57,438) of Covington. • Poverty rate (13%) The project team provided draft language Taking Action: to add to the city’s annual outreach project The City of Covington, Louisiana, in- (flyer) and use in other public information creased its drainage system maintenance to efforts. Recommended standard operating existing development to reduce flood losses. procedures, drainage system map and The work is intended to improve their related inventory, and outreach and Community Rating System (CRS) score, ordinance language were approved by the which will decrease the flood insurance Community Rating Specialist who oversees premiums for their residents. The project the CRS scoring. The project team provided guidance for all elements of Activity 540 team consisted of representatives from Covington, LA the City of Covington, University of New focusing on the city’s Standard Operating Orleans, and Louisiana Sea Grant. The Procedures for Drainage Maintenance Team developed two videos to increase the (including problem sites and natural and public’s understanding of the community’s scenic rivers), the city’s drainage system drainage system: one for public education map and inventory, an annual outreach and outreach and the second for internal flyer, and a stream dumping regulation training purposes. ordinance.

LESSONS LEARNED: Chris Brown, Covington’s Building Official and CRS Coordinator, said the work completed as part of the project will help the city gain CRS points in three areas: channel debris removal, problem site maintenance, and stream dumping regulations. The city was also able to add language to the litter ordinance to address the dumping of trash, landscape debris, and other materials in rivers, creeks, canals, ditches, or storage basins. The language was approved and adopted by the city council.

COMMUNITY IMPACTS Gulf Coast Communities: Taking Action for a Better Tomorrow 21 Community

Resilience CITY OF ORANGE BEACH Communicating clearly about the risks of Working Group Issue of Concern: coastal flooding and notifying residents of approaching disasters is an essential Due to its proximity to the coast and high responsibility of local government. Proper Project Leads: Mississippi-Ala- annual rainfall, the City of Orange Beach flood communication is not merely about bama Sea Grant Legal Program, can regularly experience flooding. The reaching as many people as possible, good University of Mississippi low terrain within the city (the highest flood communication should build upon Partners: City of Orange Beach, elevations within the city are around 30 other plans and procedures the city has Alabama, Gulf of Mexico Climate feet), is another factor that contributes to guard against flood hazards. The city and Resilience Community of to flooding hazards. These flood hazards developed a Program for Public Infor- Practice, Louisiana Sea Grant, include seasonal rainfall, coastal storms, mation (PPI) to accomplish these goals Smart Home America, Northern and storm surge. Continual flooding is by providing for continual evaluation Gulf of Mexico Sentinel Site associated with erosion which destroys and monitoring of the communication Cooperative the shoreline and can lead to damage of process. Project Location: Orange Beach, built infrastructure (e.g. roads, pipes, Taking Action: Alabama buildings) as well as green infrastructure (e.g. marshes, wetlands). The erosion Demographics: The City of Orange Beach developed a of beaches and wetlands can result in • Population (5,826) Community Resilience Working Group a number of consequences, including • Median age (53.9) (CRWG) to initiate the development of a economic loss from decreased tourism, • Median household income Program for Public Information (PPI) to property damage, lost revenue to the city, ($69,388) enhance education and outreach efforts and risk to coastal residents. • Poverty rate (7.55%) and increase the city’s Community Rating

COMMUNITY IMPACTS 22 Gulf Coast Communities: Taking Action for a Better Tomorrow System (CRS) score under the National Community Rating System (CRS) score Flood Insurance Program. The Missis- under the National Flood Insurance sippi-Alabama Sea Grant Legal Program Program (an incentive program that provided group facilitation and project will lower flood insurance rates for their management services to support the work residents). of the CRWG. The PPI Committee and Orange Beach During the PPI process, the City of staff will disseminate flood messaging and Orange Beach selected seven topics to outreach through two primary methods serve as the core of its PPI outreach of information conveyance: online web activities. Six of the seven are designated resources and the permitting process. Orange Beach, AL as priority topics under the CRS program: It is the opinion of the PPI Committee (1) Know your flood hazard, (2) Insure and city staff that online resources have your property against flood hazard, (3) the greatest capacity to reach the largest Protect people from the flood hazard, number of people in a short period of LESSONS LEARNED: (4) Protect your property from flood time. With that in mind, the city has Half of the housing units within hazard, (5) Build responsibly, and (6) taken a number of steps to improve its Protect natural floodplain functions. online communication capacity. One the city of Orange Beach are After subsequent discussion with city staff example of this is the city’s Facebook Live classified as properties for and the PPI committee, it was decided to account. By using Facebook Live, the city seasonal use. Given the high include one additional topic in the Orange can convey critical flood information and fluctuations in seasonal use Beach PPI program: (7) Be prepared for stream drone footage, which will be used the city experiences, especially hurricanes. to indicate the level of damage in Orange in the summer months, the Beach neighborhoods. The city also Key Accomplishments city’s ability to devise a robust and Deliverables: uses its website to share valuable online resources for public information. Visitors flood response will depend on The creation of the Program for Public can download the city’s Emergency whether flooding occurs during Information will enhance education and Operation Plan and review debris removal a peak visitation period or not. outreach efforts and increase the city’s procedures in the event of a disaster.

COMMUNITY IMPACTS Gulf Coast Communities: Taking Action for a Better Tomorrow 23 Enhanced Stormwater TANGIPAHOA PARISH assessing relevant codes, ordinances, rules, and Floodplain Issue of Concern: and regulations to coordinate legal and policy implementation mechanisms. Then, Management Tangipahoa Parish is located in southeast- they updated the Stormwater Management ern Louisiana, with its southern border Project Lead: Plan enforcement protocols and docu- on Lake Pontchartrain and its northern Louisiana State University mentation to meet state requirements, border on the Mississippi state line. The Coastal Sustainability Studio and created staff education materials for Tangipahoa River and its tributaries are Partners: Tangipahoa Parish Government, as well as the parish’s primary surface water bodies. Tangipahoa Parish trained them on the new procedures. Next, There are no major flood control structures Louisiana Sea Grant they developed model ordinance language in the parish, which means it is prone to to implement best practices for flood Project Location: Tangipahoa both storm surge flooding from tropical reduction and water quality in relevant Parish, Louisiana storms and riverine flooding from extreme codes, ordinances, rules, and regulations. rain events. There have been seven major Demographics: Finally, they provided planning and best • Population (128,850) disaster declarations in the parish since practice guidance and recommendations • Median age (34.9) 2005, including two in 2016 that impacted to support the hydraulics and hydrology • Median household income nearly 16,000 structures. Flooding in study conducted by the parish. ($45,901) March and August of 2016 was due to the • Poverty rate (21.9%) swelling of the Tangipahoa River and its Key Accomplishments tributaries backing up and overflowing and Deliverables: during and after substantial rains. Water Completed a review of relevant land and quality and impaired waterways are also floodplain management ordinances for a consideration, with rapid development Tangipahoa Parish. Completed a Storm- in the southern portions of the parish and Tangipahoa water Management Policy Gap Analysis, hydrologic alterations and agricultural Parish, LA assessing relevant codes, ordinances, runoff concerns in the northern reaches. rules, and regulations and identified There is currently a lack of funding and implementation challenges from the parish capacity to address the parish’s needs relat- perspective. Translated best practices to ed to updating and coordinating existing community-specific recommendations. development management regulations, Identified best practices, model language, identifying implementation mechanisms and opportunities for future updates of key ordinances. Identified planning and best LESSONS LEARNED: for new flood and stormwater management approaches, and updating implementation practice guidance and recommendations Development of staff education and enforcement protocols. in support of preliminary hydrology materials, training workshops, and hydraulics studies and priorities for Taking Action: and ordinance updates is still watershed management in the parish. in progress. This is in large part The goal of this project was to support because the parish wants to enhanced floodplain and stormwater present a comprehensive list management in Tangipahoa Parish, LA, of changes to their stormwater through policy gap analysis, updated management strategies. To enforcement and best practice protocols, date, they have made piecemeal and coordination between partners to changes that are generally further the recovery process and reduce not serving the parish well, as vulnerability as outlined in the Tangipa- there are contradictions and hoa Parish Community Recovery Plan. additional confusion at times First, project partners conducted a Storm- rather than resolution. water Management Policy Gap Analysis,

COMMUNITY IMPACTS 24 Gulf Coast Communities: Taking Action for a Better Tomorrow COMMUNITY

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