Mitigating flood risks on the Mississippi Gulf Coast using equity-based and stakeholders
Implementing Organization
The University of Southern Mississippi
Overview
DWH Project Funding
$100,000
Known Leveraged Funding
$0
Funding Organization
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine – Gulf Research Program (NASEM - GRP)
Funding Program
NASEM Gulf Research Program Grants
Details
Project Category
Science
Project Actions
Environmental Research
Targeted Resources
Project Description
Flooding is the most destructive natural hazard in the US. Nature-based solutions (NBS) provide an effective way to mitigate flood risks while maintaining integrity of ecosystem services and generating co-benefits (i.e., human health). However, research on existing urban NBS projects show that they often cause gentrification and displacement. We argue that vulnerable communities can take advantage of NBS and simultaneously promote social equity through carefully designed multi-scale projects that improve the connections between NBS and community development. The goal is to co-identify feasible NBS at multiple spatial scales (household/site, coastal area) for one underrepresented city on the Mississippi Gulf Coast (Moss Point) to mitigate flood risks and adapt to climate change while promoting discounts in flood insurance premiums to the entire community. We will co-produce a Phase II proposal that focuses on project design of NBS options identified by the resident stakeholders. We have three specific objectives: 1) Building strong partnerships with city leaders and diverse stakeholders to co-identify the candidate NBS; 2) Evaluating NBS candidates using modeling and literature survey; 3) Co-ranking NBS candidates to determine the highest overall benefit to cost project sites. We will implement a multi-disciplinary approach that involves mapping, hydrological modeling, competency group engagement, surveys, and outreach activities. We will leverage the community’s capacity building in an ongoing green infrastructure project in the City of Moss Point led by CoI Posten and McGrury. We will further share the information at the regional Climate and Resilience Community of Practice meeting, facilitated by Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant.
Contact
Wei WuNone
wei.wu@usm.edu
Project Website
None
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