CERB Hears Expert Views on Sea Level Rise

The Coastal Engineering Research Board (CERB) held a public meeting in San Francisco, California, Sept. 9 to 11, 2014, to review coastal engineering challenges within the Pacific coastal region with experts from California and the West.

The CERB, a national, congressionally-authorized board, advises the Chief of Engineers on research and technology, and guides priorities for USACE R&D investment in coastal engineering.

Discussion focused on “System Resiliency – Linking Navigation Dredging, Beneficial Use, Ecosystem Restoration and Coastal Storm Risk Management.” This included regional sediment management and beneficial reuse of dredged material to improve the resilience of coastal systems.

Expert panelists made presentations from Federal and State agencies, academia and industry. Many agreed there is a pressing need for more collaborative approaches to R&D to meet the challenges posed by sea level rise, extreme weather events, and natural forces U.S. Coastal systems.

Sound science is essential to advance development of resilient, environmentally sustainable coastal systems, and help guide risk-informed policy and investment decisions.

Expert panelists included representatives from: the West Coast Governors’ Alliance on Ocean Health; the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association; the California Natural Resource Agency; the California Coastal Conservancy; the California Geological Survey; the California Department of Parks and Recreation Division of Boating and Waterways/UC San Diego; the Scripps Institute of Oceanography/California Shore and Beach Preservation Association; the University of Santa Cruz Institute of Marine Sciences; FEMA Region IX, the USGS, AECOM Technology Corporation, Delta Modeling Associates Inc., Fugro Pelagos Inc., and Ben C. Gerwick, Inc.

USACE experts included coastal engineering and environmental scientists from the Engineer Research and Development Center and district planners and project managers.