Dissertation Defense Seminar - Diana Del Angel

COASTAL AND MARINE SYSTEM SCIENCE PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY-CORPUS CHRISTI

SUBJECT: Social-Ecological System Approach for Assessing Impacts of Sea-Level Rise and the Benefits of Natural And Nature-Based Features

MAJOR ADVISOR: Dr. David Yoskowitz

ABSTRACT

Global sea level has increased, on average, 1.5 cm per decade since the 1900s and is likely to increase an additional 30–130 cm by 2100. Consequently, sea level rise (SLR) will have some physical and geological impacts on coastal areas, including the decline in coastal wetlands. Further, the combined effects of SLR and storm surge can increase the risk of socio-economic consequences such as damages to buildings and public infrastructure, loss of personal property, and the need to evacuate or relocate. This dissertation conceptualized the issue in a social-ecological system framework and aimed to develop data and knowledge to plan for and mitigate SLR in the Northern Gulf of Mexico.

The socio-economic impact of a 1% and 0.2% annual return storm surge under 4 SLR scenarios (0.2 m, 0.5m, 1.2 m, and 2.0 m) for the year 2100 was assessed using HAZUS-MH software. Economic impact analysis focused on buildings, essential facilities, vehicles, roads, and crops. Additionally, the technical aspects and output of three prominent SLR transition models were compared: the Sea Level Rise Affecting Marshes Model (SLAMM), the Hydrodynamic Marsh Equilibrium Model (Hydro-MEM), and the NOAA-Marsh Migration Model (NOAA-MMM). Finally, the use of green infrastructure for SLR mitigation in place-based plans of the Florida Panhandle was assessed using a content analysis approach. Many communities in the study site are in the initial stages of SLR adaptation, and there is a need for more information, such as the one presented here, to inform these plans and actions.

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