- Gulf of Mexico Foundation

THE POTENTIAL SOCIOECONOMIC EFFECTS OF SEA
LEVEL RISE ON THE STATE OF VERACRUZ
Secretary of Civil Protection
State of Veracruz Government
International Integration Workshop on
Sea-Level Rise for the Gulf of Mexico
October 21-23, 2013
Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
The sea level is rising, 9 cm in 50 years, measured at Veracruz Port
The 2 meters sea level rise
effect is small
76 people at risk, says the
Population Office (INEGI)
The IPCC in September
2013 forecasts a máximum
sea level rise of 99 cm for
year 2100.
The city of Veracruz and
the only mexican nuclear
power plant (Laguna Verde)
are 10-11 meters above the
main sea level
WE ARE MORE WORRIED ABOUT THE MIGHTY TROPICAL CICLONES
Highest Storm Surges registered in the Gulf of
Mexico:
Katrina, 8.5 m, 29/August/2005, hurricane clase 3
measured in Buras, Louisiana, Mississippi’s delta
Camille, 7.5 m, 17/August/1969, hurricane 5 at San
Luis Bay, Mississippi’s delta
In red color, 10 meters sea
level rise.
One million and a half
people at risk.
Hurricane Karl, 2010, some
1.6 million dollar damages.
First class 3 hurricane
registered having a direct
hit in the Veracruz coast.
In the last 10 years we
have had 1,8 ciclones
direct hits per year.
Some coastal structures are already presenting sea wave impacts,
not necesarily due to climate change (Hotel in Costa Esmeralda)
“FORUM ON COASTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE
GULF OF MEXICO”
January 30th to February first, 2013
more than 70 scientist from 21 institutions presented more than 50
conferences
Organizers:
CENTER FOR STUDIES AND METEOROLOGICAL FORECAST
VERACRUZ CIVIL PROTECTION SECRETARY
CLIMATE CHANGE PROGRAM
VERACRUZ UNIVERSITY
Water quality in coastal zones. Estuarine ecology. Pollution
in lake systems. Extreme meteorological phenomena. Coastal
proceses. Circulation in the Gulf of Mexico (bio-physical
aspects), Human settlements in risk zones
A PROGRAM HAS BEEN STARTED TO
MEASURE BEACH PROFILES IN TWO
POINTS OF “COSTA ESMERALDA”
BEFORE AND AFTER THE RAINY
SEASON. SOME OTHER POINTS WILL BE
INCLUDED AND KEEP THE PROGRAM
RUNNING FOR AT LEAST TEN YEARS
Proyect in incubation
COASTAL ZONE MONITORING OF VERACRUZ-CAMPECHE
FOR EVALUATION OF RISK DUE TO EXTREME
METEOROLOGYCAL PHENOMENA AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Participants:
Center for Studies and Meteorological Forecast
(Veracruz Civil Protection Secretary)
Engineering Institute, Autonomous National University of
Mexico (II-UNAM)
National Institute of Ecology (INECOL)
University of Veracruz
Others
Goals
1.- To measure for a long time, enough to capture the
wave climatology and dynamic’s granulometry
2.- Evaluation of the extreme meteorological phenomena
and climate effects on coastal processes.
3.- Monitoring of the sediment flux in the main rivers
4.- Numerical modeling of the coastal dynamics and
flooding events for the coastal plains
5.- To obtain long time series of the topographybathimetry evolution in the coastal zone
6.- Inventary and characterization of the coastal dunes
7.- Integration of the measured data base to the National
Risk Atlas
“Regional program for the characterization and
monitoring of mangle-echosystems in the Gulf of
Mexico and Mexican Caribbean Sea: Starting a
multi-institutional web. Veracruz”
2009-2012-2015
Dr. Jorge López-Portillo
Dra. Ana Laura Lara Domínguez
Instituto de Ecología A.C.
Red de Ecología Funcional
Palm trees almost disapeared
in our coasts.
Lethal yellowing disease of
coconut palms.
A coastal protection against
wind and water sediment
transport was lost
1700 hectares will be
planted with 80% tolerant
palms coming from the
Pacific coast.
Federal program. Executes
the Environment Secretary.
The ecology federal institute
(INECOL) will be supervising
A REFORESTATION PROGRAM FOR VERACRUZ HAS JUST
STARTED THIS MONTH
3 MILLION TREES TO BE PLANTED IN ONE YEAR IN DISASTER
PRONE AREAS.
2500 HECTARS
MORE THAN THREE MILLION DOLLARS FOR TEMPORAL JOBS.
TO PLANT TREES AND TAKE CARE OF DEBRIS ON THE RIVER
DELTAS ACCUMULATED AFTER HURRICANE INGRID.
MANY OF THE COASTAL PROBLEMS ARE BORN IN THE HIGH
PARTS OF THE BASINS: UPROOTED TREES CARRIED DOWN THAT
DESTROY THE CORAL REEFS, EXCESIVE ORGANIC MATTER, MUD,
STONES
THE END
FIN
SECRETARÍA DE
PROTECCIÓN CIVIL
DEL GOBIERNO DE
VERACRUZ
CENTRO DE ESTUDIOS Y
PRONÓSTICOS
METEOROLÓGICOS