SYSTEM-WIDE ASSESSMENT
AND MONITORING PROGRAM
(SWAMP) FOR
COASTAL LOUISIANA
Ann Commagere Hijuelos
November 6, 2013
Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation
San Diego, CA
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority
• Rick Raynie (Project Lead), Karim Belhadjali, Rickey
Brouillette, Bren Haase, Ed Haywood, Syed Khalil,
John Monzon, Jim Pahl, Carol Parsons Richards,
Natalie Peyronnin, Chuck Villarrubia, and Dona
Weifenbach of the
The Water Institute of the Gulf
• Denise Reed, Brendan Yuill, Mead Allison, Ehab
Meselhe, and Leland Moss
P U R P O S E O F SWA M P
Ensure a comprehensive network of coastal datacollection activities is in place to support the development
and implementation of the coastal protection and
restoration program.
Requires a collaborative framework that avoids
duplication, leveraging limited funding, and ensuring longterm data collection is supported.
SWA M P G OA L S A N D O B J EC T I V ES
improved understanding of the effects of drivers on the system,
early-warning indication of changes in the system state,
support for monitoring the effects of natural or anthropogenic
disasters,
reduced uncertainties regarding changing conditions,
evaluating coastal protection and restoration program
performance,
data for numerical model validation and calibration, and
support for planning, engineering and design, and operations.
NEED FOR COASTWIDE MONITORING
kluv.cbslocal.com/
Conservationfund.org
coastal.la.gov/whats-at-stake/coastal-crisis/
travel.nationalgeographic.com/
coastal.louisiana.gov
NEED FOR COASTWIDE MONITORING
2012 Coastal Master Plan
PREVIOUS/ONGOING EFFORTS
Coastwide Reference Monitoring
System (CRMS)
Barrier Island Comprehensive
Monitoring Program (BICM)
Other agencies & entities…
M OV I N G SWA M P FO RWA R D
Develop a framework that:
• Articulates the need, purpose, and objectives of a
coastwide monitoring program.
• Identifies the key parameters necessary for understanding
the overall coastal system (natural and built) and
supporting the coastal protection and restoration program.
Develop an inventory of ongoing/active monitoring efforts.
TO THE DRAWING BOARD
What are the drivers that cause
change to the coastal environment?
Human
Activities
Restoration
Ecosystem
Utilization
System
Processes
Atmospheric &
Oceanic Processes
Geological
Processes
Groundwater &
Surface Water Inputs
TO THE DRAWING BOARD
What are the drivers that cause
change to the coastal environment?
Human
Activities
Restoration
Land
System
Processes
Ecosystem
Utilization
Water
Atmospheric &
Oceanic Processes
Atmosphere
Groundwater
System Responses
Geological
Processes
River
Groundwater &
Surface Water Inputs
Fish and
Wildlife
MORE INFO FOUND HERE
Available at www.thewaterinstitute.org
D ATA I N V E N T O R Y
NATURAL SYSTEM
BUILT SYSTEM
EPA
CPRA
Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation
Entergy Economic Development &
Expansion
LA Dept of Environmental Quality
FEMA
LA Dept of Health and Hospitals
LOSCO Data Catalog
LA Dept of Natural Resources
NOAA - Floodplains FEMA Special
LA Dept of Wildlife and Fisheries
Flood Hazard Area
National Audubon Society
NPS Register of Historic Places
National Park Service
USACE Levees
NOAA – National Climatic Data Center
U.S. Census Bureau
NOAA – National Buoy Data Center
USACE
USFWS
USGS
D ATA I N V E N T O R Y
D ATA I N V E N T O R Y
PAT H F O R WA R D
Planning to work with the Coastal Protection and
Restoration Authority to:
• Combine the framework and data inventory to identify
data gaps
• Develop a monitoring plan that focuses on programmatic
performance (for select parameters/geographic area)
 Requires an understanding of what change you are able
to detect versus what change you “want” to detect.
THANK YOU
Questions?