Presented at the 4th Coastal Advisory Meeting on June 21, 2011

2. Manual Contents
1 Introduction
2 Coastal Louisiana Today
3 Understanding Geotypes
4 Looking at Water Abroad
5 Strategies and Best Practices
6 Strategic Implementation

3. Why Is a Best Practices Manual Necessary?
What Are the Key Objectives of the Manual?
What Does the Manual Prioritize?
Who Should Use the Manual?
What Other Work Has Been Done?

4. Way of Life is Precarious
Land loss:
sea level rise, wetland destruction,
subsidence, flooding and natural disasters
Caused by climate change, natural
disasters, industry, channelization

5. Living with Water
Living with water vs. fighting the water
Confluence of of Louisiana’s unique culture, history, and natural systems
Develop informed design solutions promoting best practices
Green Street initiatives Elevate living spaces Wetland assimilation

6. Manual’s Key Objectives
Creating a new regional resource
Understanding Coastal Louisiana’s economy and environment
Compiling current, relevant data
Providing relevant strategies and international case studies
Providing planning tools

7. Manual’s Priorities
Long-Term Resilience
Safety
Restoration
Adaptation
Sustainability

8. The Audience
Local governments
State and federal agencies
Tribal organizations
Private real estate developers and builders
Realtors
Non-profit organizations, insurance and financial services industries
Individuals that build in coastal areas

9. Preceding work

10. Social and Cultural Conditions
Economic Conditions
Environmental Conditions
Current Restoration Efforts

11. Society and Culture
History of land use and
development:
Commercial center
Mississippi River Commission
Arpents and land division

12. Economic Conditions
Traditional economy:
Fishing, hunting, agriculture, lumber,
shipping and the oil and gas industry

13. Economic Future
Changing economy:
Global economics, rising fuel prices,
changing environmental constraints

14. Environmental Conditions
A coastal delta at work:
Sediment deposits over time, creates new land

15. Forces at work
Flooding
Extreme storms

16. Forces at work
Land loss:
Sea level rise, subsidence, erosion, human
actions, impacts of oil and gas industry
Historic land cover: 1932

17. Forces at work
Historic land cover: 2000

18. Forces at work
Projected land cover: 2050

19. Forces at work
Projected land cover: 2100

20. Restoration efforts
Fighting land loss
Wetland restoration, sediment diversion, barrier island
restoration, revetments, segmented offshore
breakwaters, groins and jetties, Seawalls, bulkheads, floodwalls

22. Example Geotype Page
Map and cities Representative images
Unique
characteristics
Cross
section

23. Example Cross Section
Human settlement patterns, housing style
Industry
Geology
Transportation
Water management practices

24. International Strategies and Best Practices:
The Netherlands
Italy
Argentina
Indonesia
India
Sweden

25. The Netherlands
The Netherlands Best Practices
• Systematically increase flood protection in
areas protected by levees.
• Secure fresh water supply.
• Conduct cost-benefit analysis before building
in flood-prone areas.
• Innovative use of spatial planning for water
storage, water plazas, green roofs.

26. Mekong River, Vietnam
Mekong Best Practices
• Cluster residential development on raised
mound foundations.
• Disaster-resistant house design and
provision of wind/storm buffer.
• Explore benefits of ‘Living With Floods’ for
farming and restoration.
• Adapt and diversify farming practice to work
with seasonal flood cycle.

27. Kristianstad, Sweden
Kristianstad Best Practices
• Kristianstad perceives water in the area as a
resource to be purposed in a way that
preserves its intrinsic values.
• The main focus is conservation, restoring
sandy grasslands and wetlands.
• Eco-tourism focuses on education of the
general public while promoting
conservation.
• The Biosphere Reserve demonstrates how to
approach the challenges of combining
conservation and development.

28. Tigre, Argentina
Tigre Best Practices
• Elevate homes well above the expected
flood height.
• Adapt ways of life to accommodate
occasional floodwaters, using floating
stores and water-based transportation to
meet needs of residents.
• Explore affordable alternatives to levees in
rural and agricultural areas to preserve the
natural functions of flooding (sediment
deposition, nutrient recharge).

29. Strategy Matrix
Community Scale Strategies:
Planning and Education Strategies
Community Infrastructure Design Strategies
Water Management Strategies
Site Design Strategies
Site and Building Scale Strategies:
Planning and Education Strategies
Site Design Strategies

30. Strategy Matrix

31. Multiple Lines of Defense
Flood protection comes from both natural and
human-made solutions. The strategies in this manual
are best used in combination. The application and
combination will be unique for each community. Not
every strategy is appropriate in every location, and
choosing a suite of strategies ensures there are
“multiple lines of defense.”

32. Strategy Example
Relating Strategies
to Geotypes
Strategy description
Case study

33. Strategy Specifics
Some strategies
have more specific
information

34. Strategy Specifics
Some strategies
have more specific
information

35. Community
Scale Strategies
Planning and Education Strategies
Create a Community Resilience Plan
Create Emergency Response Plans
Ensure Safe Evacuation Routes
Infrastructure Design Strategies
Assess Infrastructure
Protect Roads and Street Networks
Protect Electrical Networks
Elevate Critical Infrastructure
Protect Water and Sewer Infrastructure
Storm Water Management Strategies
Use Sustainable Water Capture Systems
Conserve and Restore Wetlands
Low Earthen Barriers
Site Design Strategies
Preserve Community Character
Elevate Multiple Buildings

36. Site & Building
Scale Strategies
Planning and Education Strategies
Educate Home and Business Owners
Relocate Strategically
Site Design Strategies
Secure the Structure in Flood
Secure the Building In Wind
Prepare the Property Before a Storm
Elevate Living Space Above BFE
Utilize Innovative and Adaptive Buildings
Utilize Floating Homes
Strategic Site Development
Using Native Plants for Protection

37. Implementation Requires Coordination Across Scales
Implementation Starts with an Understanding of the Regulatory Framework
Implementation Requires Up-to-Date Data
Implementation Requires a Plan
Steps to Create a Small Area Plan

38. Federal Agencies

39. State & Other Agencies

40. Up-to-Date Data
Online resources for implementation:

41. Up-to-Date Data
Online resources for implementation:

42. Small Area Planning
Understanding large-scale context
Assessing existing assets
Comprehensive and small area planning
Steps to create a small area plan

43. Small Area Planning
Step 1:
Collect Background Information and Develop a Community Participation Process
STEP 2:
Develop the Vision
STEP 3:
Prepare a Plan That Moves the Community Towards the Vision
STEP 4:
Identify Appropriate Implementation Strategies and Create Implementation Plan
STEP 5:
Identify Funding Sources