CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECTS
*Adding dynamic information to resiliency planning: wetland mitigation and open space
opportunities
Principal Investigators: Liz Kramer, University of Georgia; Craig Landry, University of Georgia;
Shana Jones, University of Georgia
The objective of this project is to identify and prioritize the best sites for wetland protection, mitigation,
restoration and migration along the Georgia Coast, taking account of potential future land use change
and the impacts of sea level rise. Recognizing that local government financing of infrastructure has a
30-year life cycle, we will identify and prioritize wetland sites that could be restored, created or
protected based upon their location and condition 30 years from now.
Black Gill Disease in Georgia Shrimp: Causes, Distribution, and Transmission
Principal Investigators: Marc Frischer, Skidaway Institute of Oceanography; Richard Lee, Skidaway
Institute of Oceanography
The objectives of this project are to identify the cause of Black Gill in Georgia shrimp, to develop tools
to identify the source of Black Gill and to conduct studies useful for the purpose of forecasting and
managing Black Gill in coastal Georgia. Through collaboration with the Georgia Department of
Natural Resources and Georgia shrimpers, the results of this research will be utilized to guide the
management of Georgia’s shrimp fishery.
Can the local food movement be an opportunity for Georgia seafood producers to participate in
the inland seafood market?
Principal Investigators: Tracy Yandle, Emory University; Peggy Bartlett, Emory University
This study’s objective is to answer the broad question: “How can Georgia seafood producers use the
burgeoning local food movement to increase their participation in the inland market and make
sustainable, local fish available to a larger segment of the Georgia population?” We will assess the
potential of three innovative ways to bring Georgia seafood into the local food market (Community
Supported Fisheries, placement in existing farmers markets and greater presence at farm-to-table
restaurants). Recommendations of how each market could be developed will be provided, and the most
economically advantageous option will be piloted.
*^Closing the water budget for the Satilla Basin, Georgia
Principal Investigators: Marc Stieglitz, Georgia Institute of Technology; Elizabeth Kramer, University
of Georgia
The goal of this project is to show proof of concept for being able to model the water budget for
ungauged portions of the coastal zone. Prior to examining the effect of land use change and
management on the timing and magnitude of freshwater to the coastal estuary, it is necessary to prove
that it’s possible to determine the water budget, especially prove that evapotranspiration (ET) can be
modeled accurately. Once ET can be calculated then so too can water surplus and runoff as the
difference between precipitation and ET. The core questions posed in this work are: 1) do coastal
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rivers accurately reflect the sum total of water exiting the terrestrial landscape or 2) are there flow
paths that bypass the river system and that deliver significant freshwater directly into the estuary-ocean
environment? The goal of this pilot study proposal is: 1) to find independent means to accurately
determine monthly values of ET for the St. Marys watershed, a large coastal catchment in Georgia.
The results of this study would provide a better understanding for development of a more targeted
wetland restoration program, thereby enhancing the resiliency of estuary fisheries through the
restoration of the timing of delivery of freshwater inputs.
Coastal Georgia Regional Wastewater Planning
Principal Investigators: Laurie Fowler, University of Georgia; Katie Sheehan, University of Georgia
With supervision and support from the Coastal Regional Commission, this project aims to develop a
regional wastewater plan that will provide the framework for sustainable wastewater infrastructure
decisions on Georgia’s coast. We will convene groups of experts and stakeholders, construct a
framework for the plan, educate our constituents and analyze regional wastewater infrastructure
alternatives according to a set of parameters chosen by our coastal stakeholders.
Connecting Scientists to Better Serve Resource Management
Principal Investigator: Merryl Alber, University of Georgia
The Georgia Coastal Research Conference (GCRC) was established in 2002 as a forum for the
integration of science and management in the state of Georgia. Georgia Sea Grant and the Coastal
Resources Division (CRD) of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) share baseline
support for the program, with project-specific support coming from the Georgia Coastal Ecosystems
Long Term Ecological Research Program and other agencies. The GCRC’s primary goals are to
facilitate interactions between scientists and managers, synthesize technical information and conduct
research on emerging coastal resource issues.
*Creating a Model System for Sustainable Development: Striking a Balance Between the
Ecological, Economic, and Social Needs of Jekyll Island State Park
Principal Investigator: Kimberly Andrews, University of Georgia; Katie Mascovich, University of
Georgia; Tracey Tuberville, University of Georgia
As one of Georgia’s four barrier islands accessible by car, Jekyll Island is in a unique position to serve
as a model for sustainable development. In order to balance maintaining a healthy beach ecosystem
while developing Jekyll’s beachfront, this project focuses on accomplishing the following goals:
monitor the response of the federally protected loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) to the
developing and changing beach habitat; create a habitat change model that can be used in the
development of Jekyll Island’s beach management plan; work with Jekyll Island stakeholders to
promote sustainable development; and increase the environmental literacy of Jekyll Island’s guests and
residents such that they become better beach stewards.
Estuarine Response to Land and Water Use Changes and Development at the Georgia Coast
Principal Investigators: Renato Castelao, University of Georgia; Daniela Di Iorio, University of
Georgia
Georgia’s coastal population is increasing dramatically, and so is pressure on the environment. The
challenge in the years to come will be to develop the Georgia coast in a way that causes minimum
disruption to estuaries. The objective of this study is to identify regions along the estuaries that are
more susceptible to anthropogenic pressures and then generate vulnerability maps identifying the
varying sensitivities among these regions to land and water use change.
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Evaluation of a turtle excluder device (TED) design for use in the cannonball jellyfish fishery
operating in Georgia’s territorial waters
Principal Investigators: David Stasek, College of Coastal Georgia; James Page, Georgia Department
of Natural Resources; Todd Mathes, Georgia Department of Natural Resources; Patrick Geer,
Georgia Department of Natural Resources; Lisa Liguori, University of Georgia
The practice of harvesting jellyfish for human use is a relatively new endeavor in Georgia. Since
fishing efforts began, several fishers have expressed concerns over the negative impact of the
mandated use of the TED on jellyball catches. Gear-related concerns in this fishery need to be
addressed. This study will develop and evaluate new TED designs to potentially increase jellyball
retention in nets while still promoting sea turtle exclusion.
*Increased Tidal Flooding in Coastal Georgia: Assessing the Barriers and Value of Acquiring
and Relocating Property
Principal Investigators: Scott Pippin, University of Georgia; Shana Jones, University of Georgia
A strong need exists in Georgia to develop tools and information for local decision-makers so that they
understand the growing risk posed by sea level rise—including inundation and increased tidal
flooding—and identify where acquisition and relocation might be an appropriate response. Where a
risk analysis indicates that an acquisition program will be beneficial, local officials need information to
help them overcome identified barriers to establishing such a program, in order to improve local
resilience to flood risks. This project will calculate, using Tybee Island, a city in Chatham County, as a
study area, 1) the up-front and long-term costs to the local government, and 2) the benefits of
generating Community Rating System (CRS) credits and reducing flood insurance rates with respect to
acquiring the most at-risk properties currently subject to repeated flooding. We will also examine the
most common legal and policy barriers to property acquisition and analyze existing studies that
demonstrate how greenspace increases property values and promotes community continuity.
Natural Hazards, Amenities, and Land Use: A Participatory Approach for Visualizing Resilient
Coastal Communities
Principal Investigators: Warren Kriesel, University of Georgia; Elizabeth Kramer, University of
Georgia; Susana Ferreira, University of Georgia
An earlier study demonstrated that homebuyers prefer subdivisions with higher housing densities if
they also gain more open space, implying that developers have a market incentive to adopt this aspect
of low-impact housing. Building upon this base, this additional real estate market analysis will
consider flooding hazards and whether the market incentives have been affected by the prolonged
economic recession. GIS can facilitate planning that will help identify where development can
optimize market demand and use existing natural resources to reduce risk due to hazards, such as
flooding and other natural occurrences which are affected by climate change.
Paleotempestology of Coastal Georgia: A Study of Spatial and Temporal Variability of
Hurricane Activity along the Coast of Georgia
Principal Investigator: Lawrence Kiage, Georgia State University
The vulnerability of U.S. coastal environments (including coastal Georgia) to hurricane impacts
continues to increase due to population migration and the accompanying economic investments. In
view of this, a question of practical and scientific significance is: how likely is a coastal city such as
Savannah or Brunswick to be directly hit by a category 4 or 5 hurricane? This project will answer that
important question by producing the first comprehensive paleotempestological record from coastal
Georgia. This data will, in turn, provide information on the return period of intense hurricanes on
Georgia’s coast.
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Planning for Competitive Port Expansion on the U.S. Eastern Seaboard: The Case of the
Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP)
Principal Investigator: Stephen Ramos, University of Georgia
This project will analyze the geographic coastal impacts of port competition and look at the unique
circumstances of the Greater Savannah Metropolitan Region in planning for future growth of its port.
The project will incorporate GIS to generate thematic maps, exploring issues directly related port
expansion and river deepening, namely: a regional impact analysis of the transportation and land use
changes, impact analysis on local ecologies and government capacity in area surrounding the port, and
job creation and economic development generated by the port.
Reconstructing Georgia’s Hurricane Record: A 260-year GIS Database of Coastal Impact
Principal Investigators: Brian Bossack, Georgia Southern University; Mark Welford, Georgia
Southern University; Ethan Gibney, independent contractor
There is a clearly defined need for better characterization of the risk of hurricane landfalls along the
Georgia coast. In recent decades, direct landfalls on the Georgia coast have been rare. However, a
cursory examination of hurricane records suggests that this pattern has not held throughout time.
Landfalls from the 18th and 19th centuries are largely excluded from return period calculations for
Georgia hurricanes, suggesting that such calculations may be artificially low due to a temporally
limited data set. Moreover, there is a need to better resolve weaker storms in the historical record
which, although less of a wind hazard than stronger storms, may still pose significant flooding/storm
surge hazards to residents living along the coast.
Spatio-Temporal Assessment of Tidal Inlet and Stream Movements and their Influence on
Coastal Vulnerability
Principal Investigators: Chester W. Jackson Jr., Georgia Southern University; Clark R. Alexander,
Skidaway Institute of Oceanography
The movements of tidal streams and inlets have the capacity to promote substantial changes to adjacent
shorelines and coastal environments. Deficiencies exist in the studies of tidal stream migration and
inlet morphodynamics along coastal Georgia and their impacts on shoreline erosion and vulnerability.
Data from this study will assist scientists and managers with assessing coastal vulnerability and
managing shoreline erosion associated with tidal stream and inlet dynamics.
Understanding social attitudes and prioritizing geo-spatial risks for climate adaptation outreach
in coastal Georgia
Principal Investigators: Jason Evans, University of Georgia; Matthew Hauer, University of Georgia;
Margaret Myszewski, University of Georgia
The communities of coastal Georgia are highly vulnerable to sea level rise. This project is intended to
provide both detailed geospatial information into the societal risks from sea level rise and initiate
alternative modes of framing sea-level rise adaptation that may appeal more broadly to local officials,
regional planners, the development community and the general public.
* New projects starting in fall 2014.
^Program Development Project
Georgia Sea Grant research is conducted in partnership with:
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