The three sub-watersheds within the Nova canal watershed in relation to the Halifax River (image source: St. Johns River Water Management District)

The four living shorelines research projects will be assessed for potential impacts related to:

1. Sea Level Rise – effects in target areas, effects of proposed shorelines;
2. Impact on local economies – oyster industry, economic impact, water quality, flooding;
3. Mitigation – flooding, extreme weather events, erosion; and the
4. Intersection of these ecological and economic impacts.

Student activities

With guidance from NOAA CCME faculty and the use of the NOAA Restoration Atlas tool selected student participants will:

• Investigate local sites for living shoreline green infrastructure
• Investigate and identify current site-specific physical and social vulnerabilities of thetarget coastal communities
• Measure local ecological effects of living shoreline green infrastructure
• Assess potential socioeconomic effects of living shorelines in each location
• Analyze the effectiveness of living shorelines in mitigation of sea level rise, erosion,nutrient loading, extreme weather event impacts, and assess potential impacts on the localeconomy through modeling and data analysis.