Environmental Impacts of Coastal Environmental Impacts of Coastal Land Use DecisionsLand Use Decisions

•• Estuarine and Estuarine and marine ecosystemsmarine ecosystems

•• Coastal CulturesCoastal Cultures

•• Water QualityWater Quality

Susan ShipmanSusan Shipman

~ 400,000 Acres of ~ 400,000 Acres of SaltmarshSaltmarsh

What Value Are These Marshes???

More wetlands, More wetlands, more seafoodmore seafood

Endangered/Threatened SpeciesEndangered/Threatened SpeciesPiping PloverLoggerhead Sea Turtle

Northern Right Whale

Rich Natural HeritageRich Natural Heritage

Sensitive Natural CommunitiesSensitive Natural Communities

Rapid Population GrowthRapid Population Growth

Coastal Georgia PopulationCoastal Georgia Population

50% 100% 150% 200% 250% 300% 350% 400%

Effingham

Bryan

Chatham

Liberty

McIntosh

Glynn

Camden

Region

1980-2000 inc.2000-2010 inc.2000-2030 inc.

Coastal Growth TrendsCoastal Growth Trends

Land Consumption/SprawlLand Consumption/Sprawl

Source: Pew Oceans CommissionSource: Pew Oceans Commission

Coastal Georgia Growth TrendsCoastal Georgia Growth Trends

• Paper company land conversions

Development Pressures Development Pressures

Waterfront Development:Waterfront Development:Marinas and Community DocksMarinas and Community Docks

Georgia Growth / Coastal GrowthGeorgia Growth / Coastal Growth= Tremendous Water Demands= Tremendous Water Demands

Importance of Freshwater Importance of Freshwater Inflow to EstuariesInflow to Estuaries

Blue Crab FisheryBlue Crab FisheryBlue Crab Fishery

000222444666888

101010121212141414161616181818

3.23.22.72.7

2.02.01.91.9La

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gs (M

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ns lb

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illio

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3.13.1

195519551955 196519651965 197519751975 198519851985 199519951995 200520052005

AnnualAnnualAnnual Avg (56-04)AvgAvg (56(56--04)04) Avg (20 Yr)AvgAvg (20 Yr)(20 Yr) Avg (10 Yr)AvgAvg (10 Yr)(10 Yr)

• Elevated salinities during the 5-year drought• Hematodinium sp.• Recruitment failure• Increased predation

• Elevated salinities during the 5-year drought• Hematodinium sp.• Recruitment failure• Increased predation

Impacts:Impacts:

Implications of Implications of Sea Level Rise?Sea Level Rise?

Seafood Industry InfrastructureSeafood Industry Infrastructure

Expanding Recreational Expanding Recreational FisheryFishery

Public AccessPublic Access

Changing DemographicsChanging Demographics

Proliferation of DocksProliferation of Docks

Georgia’s Marsh Dieback

Jerico RiverLiberty County

July 2003

Jerico RiverLiberty County

July 2003

Workshop Consensus:Workshop Consensus:“Climate“Climate--induced, with drought as driving factor”induced, with drought as driving factor”

Marsh Hammock Marsh Hammock DevelopmentDevelopment

Urban & Suburban Sprawl =Urban & Suburban Sprawl =NonNon--point Source Pollutionpoint Source Pollution

Development: Impervious CoverDevelopment: Impervious Cover

• Roads, rooftops, parking lots, hard surfaces

• Impedes natural pollutant processing

• Alters the rate, volume, and quality of freshwater and sediment inflows

• Source of non-point pollutants to coastal environments

Holland et al. 2004

Development: Impervious coverDevelopment: Impervious cover

Holland et al. 2004

Water Quality TrendsWater Quality Trends

NONO33

DONDON

POPO44

ChlChl aa

Verity 2000 a,b

High tideLow tide

Surface DO

Bottom DO

What are the What are the causes (& causes (&

consequences) consequences) of declining of declining

oxygen oxygen concentrations?concentrations? Verity, Alber, and Bricker, submitted.

Beach AdvisoriesBeach Advisories

Low Impact Development PrinciplesLow Impact Development PrinciplesLow Impact Development Principles

Georgia Coastal Georgia Coastal Management ProgramManagement Program

To balance economic development in To balance economic development in Georgia’s coastal zone with Georgia’s coastal zone with

preservation of natural, preservation of natural, environmental, historic, environmental, historic,

archaeological and recreational archaeological and recreational resources for the benefit of Georgia’s resources for the benefit of Georgia’s

present and future generations.present and future generations.

Georgia Coastal Program | The Georgia Conservancy | Georgia Department of Community Affairs

Alternatives for Coastal Development:One Site, Three Scenarios

NOAA Coastal Services Center

How can coastal communities capitalize on the environmental assets that make them attractive places to live while maintaining a balance

between economics, environment, and local quality of life?

Conservation ApproachConventional Design New Urbanist Design

Alternative Development Scenarios

October 2003www.csc.noaa.gov

Coastal Comprehensive Plan

Draft Vision Statement for 2026Draft Vision Statement for 2026The vision of Coastal Georgia is to be a unique and cohesive region based upon innovation and excellence in all we do to preserve, nurture, enhance and develop our abundant human, natural, historic, cultural and economic resources.

Questions???Questions???