Louisiana’s Comprehensive
Master Plan for a Sustainable
Coast: 2012 Update
Governor’s Advisory Commission on
Coastal Protection and Restoration
Kirk Rhinehart - OCPR
January 6, 2011
Overview of 2012 Master
Plan Update
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Coastal Louisiana is Facing a Crisis
Builds on Other Efforts
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Uses Original 2007 Master Plan
based Objectives as Foundation
Science-
1. Reduce economic losses
from storm-based flooding
2. Promote a sustainable
coastal ecosystem by
harnessing natural system
processes
3. Provide habitats suitable to
support an array of
commercial and recreational
activities coast-wide
4. Sustain Louisiana’s unique
heritage and culture
More than Concepts and Broad Strategies –
An Implementation Plan with Expected
Outcomes
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Elements of 2012 Master Plan with Building
Blocks for Other Efforts
Key Components of 2012 Update
• Specific & Realistic Goals & Objectives
• Prioritized Project List
• Map showing the selected projects and what they
provide:
• Levels of protection
• Levels of ecosystem services across the coast
• Extent and character of future landscape
• Detailed Implementation plan with:
• Schedule, Costs, Expected sources of funding
• An Adaptive Management plan to guide implementation
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Project Team &
Collaborative Effort
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Master Plan Delivery Team
Coastal Scientists
Planners
Engineers
Social Scientists
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Review and Coordination
CPRA
Coastal Protection and
Restoration Authority
Master Plan Delivery Team
Prioritization Tool
Technical
Advisory
Committee
Project Effects
Models
Technical
Advisory
Committee
Cultural Heritage
Technical Advisory
Committee
Technical Advisory Committee Members
Project-Effects Models
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•
•
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Steve Ashby, USACE Eng. Res. Dev. Center
John Callaway, University of San Francisco
Fred Sklar, South Florida Water Mgmt. District
Si Simenstad, University of Washington
Prioritization Tool TAC
• John Boland, John Hopkins
• Ben Hobbs, John Hopkins
• Len Shabman, Virginia Tech
Cultural Heritage TAC
• Don Davis, Louisiana State University
• Carl Brasseaux, University of Louisiana Lafayette
• Maida Owens, LA Dept. of Cultural, Recreation, Tourism
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Review and Coordination
CPRA
Coastal Protection and
Restoration Authority
Master Plan Delivery Team
Prioritization Tool
Technical
Advisory
Committee
Project Effects
Models
Technical
Advisory
Committee
Cultural Heritage
Technical Advisory
Committee
Modeling
Workgroups
Project - Effects Models Team Members
Project - Effects Models
Team Leader
Eco-hydrology
Dr. Ehab Meselhe, ULL + 9 members
Vegetation
Dr. Jenneke Visser, ULL + 8 members
Wetland Morphology
Dr. Greg Steyer, USGS + 6 members
Barrier Island Morphology
Dr. Mark Kulp, UNO + 6 members
Upper Trophic Level
Dr. Andy Nyman, LSU + 8 members
Storm Surge
Dr. Joe Suhayda/Arcadis, + 3 members
Storm Damage/Risk
Dr. Jordan Fischbach, RAND + 7 members
Over 60 Team Members, Support Staff, and Technical
Advisory Committee Members
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Review and Coordination
CPRA
Coastal Protection and
Restoration Authority
Master Plan Delivery Team
Prioritization Tool
Technical
Advisory
Committee
Project Effects
Models
Technical
Advisory
Committee
Cultural Heritage
Technical Advisory
Committee
Modeling
Workgroups
Science &
Engineering
Board
(MP-SEB)
National Science and Engineering Board Independent Technical Review
Ecosystem Science / Coastal Ecology
• William Dennison, University of Maryland
• Mark Brinson, East Carolina University
• Ed Houde, University of Maryland
Engineering
• Robert Dalrymple, Johns Hopkins University
• Jos Dijkman, Deltares
Geosciences
• Charles Groat, University of Texas at Austin
Social Science and Risk
• Greg Baecher, University of Maryland
• Philip Berke, University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
Climate Change
• Virginia Burkett, U.S. Geological Survey
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Review and Coordination
CPRA
Coastal Protection and
Restoration Authority
Master Plan Delivery Team
Prioritization Tool
Technical
Advisory
Committee
Project Effects
Models
Technical
Advisory
Committee
Cultural Heritage
Technical Advisory
Committee
Modeling
Workgroups
Science &
Engineering
Board
(MP-SEB)
Framework
Development
Team (FDT)
Stakeholders
Framework Development TeamOver 30 Federal, State, NGO, Academic,
Community, and Industry Organizations
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Communication & Outreach Elements of
Framework Development Team
• Framework Development Team as
Key Consultative Group
• Represent broad range of interests
• Ports and Navigation
• Fisheries and Restoration
• Oil and Gas
• Focal point for communications
• Local Outreach
• Political and PR Strategies
• Coastal Louisiana Website
Review and Coordination
CPRA
Coastal Protection and
Restoration Authority
Gulf Recovery Plan
Other
Federal
Programs
Master Plan Delivery Team
Prioritization Tool
Technical
Advisory
Committee
Project Effects
Models
Technical
Advisory
Committee
Cultural Heritage
Technical Advisory
Committee
Modeling
Workgroups
Science &
Engineering
Board
(MP-SEB)
Framework
Development
Team (FDT)
Stakeholders
Restoration and Protection
Vision
Why a Vision?
• Realistic expectations for protection and restoration
• What we want to achieve not what we want to do
• Confront trade-offs upfront
• Provide an expectation of future conditions
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Preliminary Vision – Key Aspects
• Support of navigation and commercial activities
• Protection for major population centers, strategic assets,
and historic properties at varying levels
• A coastwide emphasis on non-structural protection,
especially in outlying communities
• Maximum use of river resources and natural processes,
and management of estuarine gradients to provide
ecosystem services
• Strategic use of dredging/placement of sediment to
bolster ‘skeleton’ of the system
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Unless We Act, the Future is Bleak
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Vision – Strategic Assets
Incorporation of Ports and Navigation into
Master Plan Process
• Approach –
• Identify ports of national significance as strategic
assets to be protected
• Account for effects of protection and restoration
projects on navigation and ports
• Coordinate with the USACE, DOTD and navigation
interests to integrate coastwide port and navigation
strategy and targets in future Coastal Louisiana
Master Planning
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Levels of Protection
>100-Year Level of Protection
100-Year Level of Protection
50-Year Level of Protection
25-Year Level of Protection
` No Additional Protection Provided
Both Structural
and Non-structural
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Restoration Vision: Ecosystem Services
Agricultural/aquaculture production
Freshwater-dependent services
Shrimp harvest
Oyster harvest
Saltwater fisheries harvest
Carbon/nutrient uptake
Surge/wave attenuation
Shoreline recreation
Ecotourism
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Prioritization Tool
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Planning Framework Guides Investments
Towards a Sustainable Future
A sustainable future
Future without action
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Severe land loss
Increasing hurricane flood risk
Loss of ecosystem services
Loss of cultural heritage
Reactive expenditures
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Sustainable coastline & ecosystems
Resilient communities and assets
Long-term cost savings through
strategic investments
How do we get there?
What should we do now?
How can we adapt to evolving uncertainties and improved information?
What tradeoffs remain?
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Prioritization Process
Key Steps:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Define a future vision for the coast
Estimate individual project effects on the coast
Compare individual projects
Construct feasible project portfolios
5. Select robust project portfolios
6. Consider trade-offs among robust portfolios
7. Define implementation strategy
8. Examine expected outcomes
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2012 Master Plan Outputs
• Maps showing ranges of Master
Plan outcomes
• Levels of flood protection
• Levels of ecosystem services
• Extent and character of landscape
• An adaptive management plan to
guide implementation
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Maps of near-term projects
Maps of potential future project
Schedule
Costs
Expected sources of funding
Any Questions?
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