A Risk-Based Approach to Sustainable Shoreline Protection Along the Northern Gulf of Mexico

Along the Northern Gulf of Mexico (NGOM) coastline, land loss due to natural and anthropogenic impacts limits the sustainability and resiliency of coastal habitats, which have been further injured by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill. Here we present three case studies for coastal wetland and shoreline restoration projects (“living shorelines”) along the NGOM, each intended to restore DWH affected locations and resources. Balancing restoration goals with coastal hazard risk reduction and other goals requires creative approaches. Incorporating hard/grey infrastructure (i.e. breakwaters) as shoreline protection features is often necessary to ensure the resiliency of restored habitats. A risk-based approach is employed for each project to optimize shoreline protection feature costs and maximize habitat restoration benefits. The approach has been validated with the performance of the Lightning Point project after construction, when the breakwaters and marsh creation have protected the site from impacts due to eight tropical cyclones.