Coastal Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerabilities - Climate ...

Northern Gulf of Mexico Case Study 143Mississippi that include financial assistance or incentives have proven successfulat least locally. The relocation aspects of the Mississippi Coastal ImprovementProgram (MsCIP) have been over-subscribed, and the availability of generoushome elevation grants in Louisiana has stimulated growth in the ‘elevation’industry, in which private contractors often help residents with paperwork andgrant applications.• Interactions between coastal change and watershed change. Understanding theconsequences of climate change for coastal systems requires a parallel and integratedrecognition of upstream changes. The northern Gulf provides an excellentopportunity to explore this relationship because of the range of watershedsdraining into the Gulf. The Mississippi is the 3rd largest watershed in the worldand integrates climate change effects on runoff at the continental scale and theinteraction with river management. At a small scale, the Pascagoula drainageis one of the only unregulated drainage systems in the U.S. Between the twoin scale are watersheds that drain areas more likely subject to drought such asTexas and areas where trends in precipitation are less clear such as the southeasternregion.• Continuing investment in coastal restoration. In addition to ongoing restorationefforts, such as Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and RestorationAct, better understanding of sea level change, sediment delivery, and temperatureand precipitation regimes is essential if ecosystem restoration projects tobe implemented as a consequence of the 2010 British Petroleum oil spill are toprovide sustainable benefits.