Funding Opportunity: Engaging Communities to Design Nature-based Solutions to Mitigate Climate-related Hazards

Community Ownership Model for the Design of Nature-Based Solutions Along the North Claiborne Corridor

Project Director: Dr. Angela Chalk, Healthy Community Services
Project Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Award Amount: $1,000,000
Project Team:

Cheryl Austin, Greater Treme Consortium
Gaynell Brady, Lower 9^th Ward Homeownership Association
Kimberley Doley, Water Wise Gulf South
Katherine Prevost, Upper 9^th Ward Bunny Friend Neighborhood Association
Jeffrey Supak, Water Wise Gulf South

Overview: This project convenes community-based organizations and a network of engaged residents in at-risk communities, partners across local government agencies, and technical experts in the fields of engineering, landscape architecture, and valuation. Its purpose is to develop a replicable, scalable, community ownership model of envisioning, designing and implementing nature-based solutions (NBS) along the North Claiborne Avenue Corridor. This area includes under-resourced communities connected along the corridor and is an economic, social, historical, and cultural thoroughfare. It is also a major hurricane evacuation route for Orleans, St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes. Rainstorm events often lead to flooding for communities along this corridor and negatively impact the quality of life for its community members. This collective of four community organizations has established a connection with a network of engaged residents educated about NBS who are experts in identifying the effects of climate hazards in their neighborhoods. By collaborating with community organizations in the Water Wise Collective, these residents have envisioned 120 NBS priority projects that seek to alleviate flooding, reduce urban heat island effect, and beautify their communities. By securing technical experts, they will determine which priority projects will be the most impactful by using hydrologic and hydraulic models, scaling up as necessary, and prepare those projects to be shovel-ready by generating designs and construction documents. Additionally, because many of these identified priority projects are located on government-owned land, they will continue to build bridges and partnerships with government stakeholders and agencies to secure funding for the implementation of the NBS priority projects.

Resources

Final Report Recipient Summary
Community Ownership Model for the Design of Nature-Based Solutions Along the North Claiborne Corridor

A Living Shoreline Design Approach Supporting the Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe’s Climate Adaptation Efforts

Project Director: Dr. Matthew Bethel, Louisiana Sea Grant
Project Location: Lower Terrebonne & Lafourche Parishes, Louisiana
Award Amount: $780,308
Project Team:

Niki Pace, Louisiana Sea Grant
Melissa Daigle, Louisiana Sea Grant
Francisca Santana, University of Washington
Georgie Ferguson, Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe
Patty Ferguson-Bohnee, Arizona State University
Earl Melancon, Louisiana Sea Grant
Wei Wu, University of Southern Mississippi
Chris Boyd, Troy University
Xutong Niu, Troy University
Darrah Bach, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana
Haley Gambill, Louisiana Sea Grant

Overview: The traditional lands of the Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe (“PACIT” or “Tribe”), in Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes in southeastern Louisiana, include diverse ecological and cultural resources, such as birds, plants, animals, fish, cemeteries, and sacred sites. Historically, Tribe members were fishers, hunters, and farmers. While many Tribal members continue to fish as a livelihood, climate-related hazards threaten their continued existence in the region and ability to thrive. Adaptation measures taken by Tribal members have not been sufficient to withstand increased tropical storm impacts because of the loss of much of their traditional lands to open water, exposing the community to greater storm surge and more frequent flooding. Following Hurricane Ida’s devastating impacts in August 2021, the Tribe is developing a comprehensive community-based strategy to prepare for future storms called the Pointe-au-Chien “Resilient Rebuilding Plan.” Living shorelines are an NBS that can support the PACIT in achieving critical aspects of its vision to sustainably rebuild and adapt to increasingly severe climate-related hazards. A deliberate and coordinated approach is necessary to siting such projects so the sum creates enhanced benefit beyond what individual projects may provide. This project presents an opportunity to design a network of coordinated living shoreline structures or “Living Shorelines Network.” This concept is a key strategy for protecting the community from future storm impacts and flooding that honors the Tribe’s cultural heritage and priorities. They expect this process will inform the design of similar measures in other coastal communities most at risk.

Resources

Final Report Recipient Summary
A Living Shoreline Design Approach Supporting the Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe’s Climate Adaptation Efforts

Community-Based Design Using Nature-Based Solutions to Meet Climate Change Challenges Along Urban Hillsborough River, Tampa

Project Director: Dr. Ping Wang, University of South Florida
Project Location: Tampa, Florida
Award Amount: $990,008
Project Team:

Richard Mbatu, University of South Florida
Kamal Alsharif, University of South Florida
Tomas Crisman, University of South Florida
Allan Feldman, University of South Florida
Taryn Sabia, University of South Florida
Kendall Jackson, University of South Florida
Margaret Winter, University of South Florida
Whit Remer, City of Tampa
Rebecca Young, City of Tampa
Heather Maggio, City of Tampa
Elie Araj, Applied Sciences Consulting Inc.
Brian Cook, Applied Sciences Consulting Inc.
Oona Johnsen, Oona Johnsen Landscape Architecture

Overview: Three sites along the urbanized Hillsborough River in Tampa, Florida are selected for the design of NBS to meet pressing climate-change challenges. All three sites are popular Tampa city parks serving large at-risk and under-resourced communities. A multi-disciplinary team composed of University of South Florida researchers, City of Tampa staff, and consultants is assembled to design the NBS. The three sites are exposed to different climate-related hazards. Site 1 is low-lying and highly vulnerable to submergence by sea-level rise and storm surge, along with shoreline erosion by wind- and boat-generated waves. Site 2 is suffering from aggressive riverbank erosion due to strong flow, along with large un-treated stormwater discharge. Site 3 is directly downdrift of the river dam with deteriorating stormwater structure, in addition to riverbank erosion and flooding related to water release at the dam. Three corresponding general NBS approaches including artificial reef plus wetlands for Site 1, constructed wetlands plus pond/stream and shoreline stabilization for Site 2, and stream daylighting and wetlands for Site 3 will be introduced to the community. They will conduct lived experience engagement with the communities through opinion survey, focused group discussion, and workshops with discussion. The goal of this project is to design the NBS based on the above three concepts through constructive and iterative community engagement. The final NBS design will embody community acceptance and ownership. In addition, the consultants will ensure that the NBS design has adequate technical drawings and accurate cost estimate to seek implementation funding.

Resources

Final Report Recipient Summary
Community-Based Design Using Nature-Based Solutions to Meet Climate Change Challenges Along Urban Hillsborough River, Tampa

Cedar Key ShOREs (Shoreline Options for Resilience and Equity)

Project Director: Dr. Savanna Barry, University of Florida
Project Location: Cedar Key, Florida
Award Amount: $988,944
Project Team:

Eban Bean, University of Florida
Carla Brisotto, University of Florida
Jessica Bruso, Ferguson Waterworks LLC
Mark Clark, University of Florida
Jiayang Li, University of Florida
Thomas Ruppert, University of Florida
Jason von Meding, University of Florida
Xiao Yu, University of Florida

Overview: This project will leverage previous community engagement to design NBS around key public infrastructure. Recent collaborations on living shorelines between Cedar Key stakeholders and University of Florida generated interest in further application of NBS for vulnerable public infrastructure threatened by sea level rise, frequent storms, and chronic erosion. Cedar Key is particularly vulnerable to storm surges and rising seas, and recent hurricanes have caused extensive damage to shorelines and the community. Of particular concern is the highly exposed G and 1st Street neighborhood and low-lying adjacent neighborhoods. This focus area encompasses critical routes for emergency services, a popular shore fishing spot, and a public school in addition to private homes, local businesses, and failing stormwater infrastructure. Multiple groups interact with the focus area and must be continually engaged to ensure an equitable solution is achieved. This project will build on Phase I outcomes to assist Cedar Key with the highly technical project design, advancing concepts toward permitting while incorporating input from the community. In Phase I, they deployed stakeholder-driven workshops and survey processes, conducted site visits to inform design possibilities, and integrated technical expertise with local preferences, equity considerations, and infrastructure needs.

Resources

Final Report Recipient Summary
Cedar Key ShOREs (Shoreline Options for Resilience and Equity)

Community Ownership Model for the Design of Nature-Based Solutions Along the North Claiborne Corridor

Project Director (PD): Angela Chalk
PD Organization: Healthy Community Services
Project Location: North Claiborne Corridor, New Orleans, Louisiana
Award Amount: $100,000
Project Team:

Cheryl Austin, Greater Treme Consortium
Katherine Prevost, Upper 8th Ward Bunny Friend Neighborhood Association
Gaynell Brady, Lower 9th Ward Homeownership Association
Jeffrey Supak, Water Wise Gulf South
Kim Doley, Water Wise Gulf South
Raymond Sweet, Greater Treme Consortium
Amy Lessen, Dillard University

Overview: Our project proposes to convene community-based organizations in at-risk communities and partners across local government agencies to develop a replicable, scalable community-led model of envisioning and designing nature-based solutions (NBS) along the North Claiborne Avenue Corridor. Our chosen area includes the under-resourced communities that are connected by North Claiborne Avenue. We have begun building a network of engaged residents educated about NBS, creating a solid foundation for further catalyzing partnerships. The area is an economic, social, historical, and cultural thoroughfare, and heavy floods there often negatively impact the daily life of community members. This corridor is a major hurricane evacuation route for residents of Orleans, St. Bernard, and Plaquemines parishes. Through collaborating with our community organizations in our Water Wise Collective, we have created neighborhood networks to envision designs to alleviate flooding, reduce the urban heat island effect, and implement highly beneficial nature-based projects. We plan to expand our efforts and broaden our vision, networks, and access to resources by educating and engaging new community organizations in the targeted area and government stakeholder partners. Through hosting a community-led summit, we will facilitate a process for sharing our collective’s community visions and broadening the vision through collecting, compiling, and synthesizing data from community members and partners. Additionally, we intend to craft a proposal and identify a team to support Phase 2. We are ready to scale our efforts to recruit a diverse team to collectively address a widespread issue that plagues communities and government centering the community in the process.

Resources

Final Report Recipient Summary
Community Ownership Model for the Design of Nature-Based Solutions Along the North Claiborne Corridor

Planning for a nature-based solutions approach to the Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe’s climate change adaptation efforts

Project Director (PD): Matthew Bethel
PD Organization: Louisiana Sea Grant
Project Location: Pointe-au-Chien, Lower Terrebonne & Lafourche Parishes, Louisiana
Award Amount: $99,999
Project Team:

Niki Pace, Louisiana Sea Grant
Melissa Daigle, Louisiana Sea Grant
Francisca Santana, Stanford University
Georgie Ferguson, Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe
Patty Ferguson-Bohnee, Arizona State University
Earl Melancon, Louisiana Sea Grant
Wei Wu, University of Southern Mississippi

Overview: The Pointe-au-Chien Indian Community is one of oldest inhabited communities in the United States and is a historical Chitimacha community. The Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe (“PACIT” or “Tribe”) territory is in Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes in South Louisiana and includes diverse resources, including birds, plants, animals, fish, cemeteries, sacred sites, and village sites. Historically, Tribal members were fishermen, hunters, and farmers. While Pointe-au-Chien continues to be a fishing community, climate-related hazards threaten its continued existence and ability to thrive. Adaptation measures taken by Tribal members have not been sufficient to withstand increased tropical storm impacts because of the loss of much of their traditional lands to open water, exposing the community to greater storm surge and more frequent flooding. Following Hurricane Ida’s devastating impacts in August 2021, the Tribe is developing a comprehensive community-based strategy to become more resilient to future storms. Living shorelines are a nature-based solution (NBS) option that can support the PACIT in achieving critical aspects of its vision to rebuild in a more sustainable way. This project presents an opportunity to consider a ‘network of living shorelines’ concept as a key strategy in protecting the community from future storm impacts while also providing ecosystem-based co-benefits. The overall goal is to leverage the climate hazard-reducing potential of NBS in a way that also honors the cultural heritage and priorities of the PACIT community, and through this process inform the design and implementation of similar measures in other coastal communities most at-risk.

Resources

Final Report Recipient Summary
Planning for a nature-based solutions approach to the Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe’s climate change adaptation efforts

Cedar Key ShOREs (Shoreline Options for Resilience and Equity)

Project Director (PD): Savanna Barry
PD Organization: University of Florida
Project Location: Cedar Key, Florida
Award Amount: $99,954
Project Team:

Michael Allen, University of Florida
Mark Clark, University of Florida
Jason von Meding, University of Florida
Xiao Yu, University of Florida
Thomas Ruppert, University of Florida

Overview: We will leverage previous community engagement on living shorelines to build capacity for a nature-based solution around key public infrastructure. Recent collaborations on living shorelines between Cedar Key (CK) stakeholders and UF generated interest in further application of nature-based solutions for vulnerable public infrastructure systems threatened by sea level rise, frequent storms, and chronic erosion. This community is particularly vulnerable to storm surge and rising sea levels, and recent hurricanes have caused extensive damage to shorelines. Of particular local concern is the highly exposed corner of G and 1st Streets. The area is a critical route for emergency/fire services and a popular shore-fishing spot, but also includes private homes, a hotel, and failing stormwater infrastructure. CK alone lacks the capacity to address climate hazards at this location due to the complexity of the situation, let alone to integrate nature-based features. At the same time, multiple groups interact with the shoreline area of interest, and must be engaged from the beginning to ensure an equitable solution is achieved. We propose to build on past collaborations to assist CK with the highly technical project design and permitting process while integrating input from shoreline users of all types. In Phase I (Planning), we will (a) deploy stakeholder-driven workshop and survey processes, (b) conduct site visits to inform design possibilities, and (c) integrate technical expertise with local preferences, equity considerations, and infrastructure function needs defined in (a) to prepare a full proposal detailing the design activities we will conduct in Phase II.

Resources

Final Report Recipient Summary
Cedar Key ShOREs (Shoreline Options for Resilience and Equity)

Engaging a coastal community to collaboratively design nature-based solutions for climate resilience in Coastal Alabama

Project Director (PD): Judy Haner
PD Organization: The Nature Conservancy
Project Location: Mobile County (S38/T8S/R3W), Bayou la Batre, Mississippi Sound, Alabama
Award Amount: $99,751
Project Team:

Eric Sparks, Mississippi State University Extension
Steven Scyphers, Northeastern University

Overview: This project proposes to work with the community of Bayou la Batre and rural Mobile County to develop an awareness and understanding of nature-based infrastructure designs that will inform protection of their communities. Specifically, these conversations will target local municipalities and coastal waterfront landowners who through this effort can work together to develop a plan to protect their respective shorelines and the County maintained road that provides access and serves as an evacuation route. The broader community will be engaged to raise awareness of nature-based solutions and to understand their needs, concerns, and challenges with climate related hazards, including storm surge, sea level rise, increasing storm frequency and intensity, and flooding impacts. Understanding how climate related hazards may potentially impact their safety, property and livelihoods and relaying information on potential solutions will build awareness and knowledge to empower this community to make informed decisions for their future.

Resources

Final Report Recipient Summary
Engaging a coastal community to collaboratively design nature-based solutions for climate resilience in Coastal Alabama

Co-developing Nature-based Solutions for Climate Adaptation in Rural Coastal Communities: Case of Refugio County, Texas

Project Director (PD): Arsum Pathak
PD Organization: National Wildlife Federation
Project Location: Refugio County, Texas
Award Amount: $100,000
Project Team:

Amanda Fuller, National Wildlife Federation
Kateryna (Katya) Wowk, Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies
Christine (Chris) Hale, Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies
Diana del Angel, Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies

Overview: Refugio County serves as a case for coastal rural counties across the Gulf Coast that are facing higher than average threats to climate-induced sea level rise, further exacerbated by their demographic challenges: a declining population with higher rates of older and unemployed residents, high immigrant Hispanic population, and a natural-resource-dependent economy. The natural features of Refugio County play a dual role of supporting local fishing and tourism-based economy while reducing vulnerability due to their protective benefits, it is important to preserve them. The potential nature-based solutions (NBS) in the county can help balance climate vulnerabilities, strengthen natural features to withstand these impacts, support long-term development goals, and most importantly, meet the needs of socially vulnerable and marginalized groups. As the county develops its coastline, an NBS project will be a sound and timely investment to embed nature-based considerations among various stakeholders and ensure new developments and infrastructure do not exacerbate existing climate risks through inappropriate siting and land use decisions. National Wildlife Federation (NWF) will leverage its topical NBS expertise and build upon its local climate adaptation efforts in the Texas Mid-Coast to co-develop an NBS project in Refugio County. Through partnerships with Harte Research Institute and the Refugio County Judge, NWF will bring together multiple and diverse stakeholders to create a scientifically sound and community-driven project. This project aligns with NWF’s core values of environmental justice and equity and will ensure communities of color and low-income groups are at the forefront of this work.

Co-Development of Nature-Based Solutions for Resilience Planning on a Gulf Coast Barrier Island

Project Director (PD): Ryan Bare
PD Organization: Houston Advanced Research Center
Project Location: City of Galveston, Texas
Award Amount: $98,293
Project Team:

Margaret Cook, Houston Advanced Research Center
Erin Kinney, Houston Advanced Research Center
Michelle Bright, Asakura Robinson
Tony Pathyil, Vision Galveston
Hugo Colón, Asakura Robinson
Stephanie Glenn, Houston Advanced Research Center
Keiji Asakura, Asakura Robinson

Overview: The City of Galveston, Texas is a barrier island community, located on the Gulf of Mexico, that is susceptible to impacts resulting from extreme heat and precipitation-driven flooding. The North Broadway area community is disproportionately impacted because it contains the most socially vulnerable residents on Galveston Island, has increasing risk to the climate-related hazards, and has potential for elevated exposure from nearby industrial activity. The goal of this project is to engage community stakeholders in development of a planning prospectus to design a NBS project capable of increasing the North Broadway area’s social and ecological resilience. This project will use inclusive engagement approaches to align planning outcomes with a community driven vision for an equitable NBS project. A holistic systems approach is intended to advance contributions of the NBS plan to resilience and social equity aims within the community and align co-benefits with the most at-risk residents.

Resources

Final Report Recipient Summary
Co-Development of Nature-Based Solutions for Resilience Planning on a Gulf Coast Barrier Island

Exploring Innovative Nature-Based Approaches to Regional Stormwater Management in Ocean Springs, MS

Project Director (PD): Nina Woodard
PD Organization: Mississippi State University
Project Location: Ocean Springs, Mississippi & unincorporated Jackson County, Mississippi
Award Amount: $99,790
Project Team:

Eric Sparks, Mississippi State University/Sea Grant
Nazanin Morshedlo, Mississippi State University

Overview: Like many other cities, Ocean Springs, MS has a large need for housing that is accessible and affordable for working class and lower middle-class families. As the pressure for housing increases, developers are developing tracts of land that are low lying with very little elevation change, increasing pressure on existing stormwater conveyances – green and gray. Meeting the need for more housing in this area is putting existing and future homeowners at greater risk of flooding, which is being further exacerbated by climate change. This project will work to assess the physical environment, resident perspectives and needs, and municipal planning and outlook to determine the feasibility of proactively enhancing and expanding stormwater management in Ocean Springs using innovative nature-based solutions. The focus area is in Ocean Springs and unincorporated Jackson County around large residential subdivisions that have either recently developed or are in various phases of planning and face substantial increases in flood threats exacerbated by climate change if regional stormwater capacity is not considered and addressed. In conducting the project, we will combine physical assessments of the landscape with local resident knowledge on flood patterns and hazards for a holistic understanding of the current challenges and opportunities. Additionally, residents from Jackson County and Ocean Springs will be asked to provide input on desired recreational activities and nature access that can further inform the nature-based solutions considered for addressing stormwater management. This information will be used to generate a feasible, resident-supported plan for addressing stormwater challenges in this area.

Resources

Final Report Recipient Summary
Exploring Innovative Nature-Based Approaches to Regional Stormwater Management in Ocean Springs, MS

Mitigating flood risks on the Mississippi Gulf Coast using equity-based and stakeholder-informed multi-scale nature-based solutions

Project Director (PD): Wei Wu
PD Organization: The University of Southern Mississippi
Project Location: City of Moss Point, Mississippi
Award Amount: $100,000
Project Team:

Patrick Biber, The University of Southern Mississippi
Daniel Petrolia, Mississippi State University
Stephen Deal, Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant
Margo Posten, Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
Dennis McGrury, Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve

Overview: Flooding is the most destructive natural hazard in the US. Nature-based solutions (NBS) provide an effective way to mitigate flood risks while maintaining integrity of ecosystem services and generating co-benefits (i.e., human health). However, research on existing urban NBS projects show that they often cause gentrification and displacement. We argue that vulnerable communities can take advantage of NBS and simultaneously promote social equity through carefully designed multi-scale projects that improve the connections between NBS and community development. The goal is to co-identify feasible NBS at multiple spatial scales (household/site, coastal area) for one underrepresented city on the Mississippi Gulf Coast (Moss Point) to mitigate flood risks and adapt to climate change while promoting discounts in flood insurance premiums to the entire community. We will co-produce a Phase II proposal that focuses on project design of NBS options identified by the resident stakeholders. We have three specific objectives: 1) Building strong partnerships with city leaders and diverse stakeholders to co-identify the candidate NBS; 2) Evaluating NBS candidates using modeling and literature survey; 3) Co-ranking NBS candidates to determine the highest overall benefit to cost project sites. We will implement a multi-disciplinary approach that involves mapping, hydrological modeling, competency group engagement, surveys, and outreach activities. We will leverage the community’s capacity building in an ongoing green infrastructure project in the City of Moss Point led by CoI Posten and McGrury. We will further share the information at the regional Climate and Resilience Community of Practice meeting, facilitated by Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant.

Resources

Final Report Recipient Summary
Mitigating flood risks on the Mississippi Gulf Coast using equity-based and stakeholder-informed multi-scale nature-based solutions

Nature Based Solutions to Mitigate Climate Change Impacts in Port St Joe, Florida

Project Director (PD): Michael Volk
PD Organization: University of Florida
Project Location: Port St Joe, Florida
Award Amount: $100,000
Project Team:

Jeff Carney, University of Florida
Bill O’Dell, University of Florida
Lisa Platt, University of Florida
Matt Deitch, University of Florida
Maria Watson, University of Florida
John Hendry, Pioneer Bay Community Development Corporation
Dannie Bolden, Pioneer Bay Community Development Corporation

Overview: This project will assist the City of Port St Joe and North Port St. Joe community (NPSJ) , to improve community wellbeing through nature-based solutions (NBS) to mitigate current and future environmental risks. Phase 1 will: 1) assemble community stakeholders, agency staff, and advocates for affordable housing, community health, accessible recreation, and water quality in the St Joseph Bay; 2) assist this coalition to identify future climate/environmental hazards and impacts on community health and resilience; and 3) evaluate potential NBS’s for the community and their relationship to health, housing, equity, and future implementation and identify 1-2 focal projects. Phase 2 will result in a NBS master plan for the community, and fully designed NBS for 1-2 focal projects. This plan will provide a system blueprint for future NBS, and will leverage other ongoing collaborative efforts around development rights, housing buyout policies, and ongoing research related to residential health assessments. NPSJ is a historically black community, separated by rail and underutilized industrial land from the rest of the city. Generations of neglect have left the neighborhood at significant risk from environmental and climate-related hazards. In recent years the community has built a strong foundation for greater resilience through community-based leadership, strategic partnerships, and the commitment of stakeholders. This project will provide needed cohesion to the community’s initiatives. The NBS plan and projects will reduce flood risk, provide solutions to environmental pollution, and spur equitable regeneration, while also improving ecological outcomes related to water quality, supply, and habitat provision.

Resources

Planning for Community-engaged Design of Climate-resilient Nature-based Solutions along Vulnerable Hillsborough River, Tampa, Florida

Project Director (PD): Ping Wang
PD Organization: University of South Florida
Project Location: City of Tampa, Florida
Award Amount: $99,736
Project Team:

Kamal Alsharif, University of South Florida
Mauricio Arias, University of South Florida
Thomas Crisman, University of South Florida
Richard Mbatu, University of South Florida
Taryn Sabia, University of South Florida

Overview: This planning proposal, developed in close collaboration with the City of Tampa, aims at engaging vulnerable and diverse communities along the lower Hillsborough River toward the design of nature-based solutions (NBS) to improve resilience against sea-level rise and storm impact. The low-lying project area is identified by the City as a crucial area highly vulnerable to sea-level rise. The Tampa metropolitan area has not experienced a direct hurricane hit with a significant storm surge in over 100 years, although the region has a high exposure to tropical storms. The project team will work closely with the City to engage at-risk communities. The project area includes the entire 17-km stretch of the tidally influenced Hillsborough River downstream of the reservoir dam, which meanders through most of the City. Initial field investigation indicates that nearly the entire stretch of the river is armored with poorly designed and disorganized seawalls and ripraps. Most infrastructures were constructed at a lower sea level and have not been tested by a major storm. This planning study included three consecutive stages. Stage 1 will be devoted to literature research on the communities and infrastructures. Stage 2 will identify three at-risk communities. Stage 3 will focus on building trust with the communities, understanding their resiliency needs, communicating potential impacts of sea-level rise and storm surge, and discussing benefits of NBS. All three stages will be conducted in close coordination with the City. The product of this project is a full proposal for a community-engaged phase-2 design of NBS.

Resources

Final Report Recipient Summary
Planning for Community-engaged Design of Climate-resilient Nature-based Solutions along Vulnerable Hillsborough River, Tampa, Florida

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Funding Opportunity: Engaging Communities to Design Nature-based Solutions to Mitigate Climate-related Hazards

2023

Resources

Awarded Projects

2022

Resources

Awarded Projects

My Academies

Funding Opportunity: Engaging Communities to Design Nature-based Solutions to Mitigate Climate-related Hazards

2023

Resources

Awarded Projects

2022

Resources

Awarded Projects