The USGS Hurricane-Induced Coastal Erosion Hazards site is a great way to get a rough idea of some of the other hazards Gulf of Mexico communities face during hurricanes. The image here is of Corpus Christi (because we had this summer’s Gulf of Mexico Alliance meeting there). The different bands show where the waves will […]
Author Archive | Wesley Shaw
NOAA’s Coastal and Waterfront Smart Growth Site Updated with More Examples
Posted on August 7, 2012
Been a while since you checked out NOAA’s Coastal and Waterfront Smart Growth site? They’ve updated it with new case studies: see what’s updated via their Getting Started page.
New Hurricane Science Outreach Materials
Posted on August 1, 2012
We noted the release of the Hurricanes: Science and Society website back in 2010, but they’ve added some new material that’s worth another look if you’re doing outreach work. In particular, check out their Resources section, where you can find a slew of stuff for teachers, as well as downloadable webinar presentations, both for adults […]
Final Version of Coastal Best Development Practices Manual Released
Posted on July 23, 2012
This winter we mentioned an earlier draft of the Best Practices Manual for Development in Coastal Louisiana, but the final version is out now, and it looks great. You can find it on the project’s website. Even if you’re not in Louisiana, it’s worth a look.
New Tool to Easily View Future Sea Levels
Posted on July 16, 2012
The United State Army Corps of Engineers has released a handy tool for calculating future sea levels based on models or rates that you pick. The process couldn’t be easier. Head over to their Comprehensive Evaluation of Projects with Respect to Sea-Level Change page. Either enter the rates you’d like to use, or select from […]
NFIP Extended for 5 Years with Changes
Posted on July 10, 2012
Last Friday the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform and Modernization Act of 2012 was signed into law. The law extends the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) for five years and makes reforms to the program. One of the biggest changes for hurricane-prone areas is the cleverly named “Consumer Option for an Alternative System to Allocate Losses” […]
Mid to North Atlantic SLR “like a car on a highway jamming on the accelerator”
Posted on July 2, 2012
A new article finds that sea level rise is happening faster, and sometimes far faster, in the middle to northern stretches of the US Atlantic Coast than in the ocean basin as a whole. How much faster? The currently accelerated rate could add nearly an extra foot of sea level rise by the end of […]
Mississippi to Pilot Disaster Preparadness Program in School Curriculum
Posted on June 25, 2012
Good news: MEMA [Mississippi Emergency Management Agency] would like to begin a pilot program in several schools that would weave the teaching of disaster preparedness into the normal curriculum. For example, the program could be similar to the fire services successful campaign about fire prevention, Latham said. “There’s probably not a child in this country […]
Climate Outreach for Business and Industry
Posted on June 12, 2012
Need to do climate outreach to your local businesses? A newly released guide covers climate threats to the agriculture, food and beverage, apparel, electric, insurance, mining, oil and gas, and tourism sectors. The guide provides detailed checklists that companies should use to assess, manage and disclose physical risks they face from climate change. Sound useful? […]
Gulf of Mexico Shoreline Is Vulnerable to Extreme Erosion During Even the Weakest Hurricanes
Posted on June 1, 2012
Not news you wanted on the first day of the hurricane season, but USGS research finds that most of the Gulf of Mexico coast could be severely eroded from a decidedly mediocre storm. How at risk is your favorite beach? Visit the project’s interactive map here to find out. Read the USGS press release here.