Coastal Risk Assessment and Management Programme

Coastal Risk Assessment and Management Programme (2012 - 2020)

In 2012, the Government of Barbados with partnership funding from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) embarked on the Coastal Risk Assessment and Management Programme (CRMP), a multi-year development programme aimed at building resilience to coastal hazards through improved conservation and management of the coastal zone of Barbados. The CRMP was executed by the CZMU with support from stakeholder agencies within the national coastal zone management framework. The programme was successfully completed in 2020, generating a range of outputs which have enhanced the Barbados’ capacity to manage and mitigate future challenges with regard to disaster risk management and climate change adaptation.

The intervention of the CRMP was required due to the outsized importance of the coastal zone in Barbados’ social and economic fabric. The coastal zone of Barbados is the country’s main economic asset, as it is the primary location for a range of high value socioeconomic activities including tourism, recreation, finance, transportation and fisheries. The coastal zone is home to more than 50% of the island’s population and much of its critical infrastructure and public services. Furthermore coastal areas are and have historically been key components in the social and recreational lives of a majority of Barbadians. As a result, the effective management and protection of the coastal zone is critically important to the economic, social and cultural development of Barbados.

However, the coastal zone is also subject to several environmental pressures which can affect its ability to provide the benefits to which we are all accustomed. Due to its location along the eastern edge of the Caribbean, Barbados is moderately exposed to hurricanes and tropical storms that can generate storm surges and high winds which can have significant negative impacts on the coastal zone. The island is also susceptible to beach erosion and cliff instability at various locations around the island and is also prone to inland flooding in low lying areas. Furthermore, human-induced climate change has the potential to alter the frequency and severity of existing hazards, as well as generate new hazards such as sea level rise which, if not mitigated, can increase the socioeconomic vulnerability of the country due to business disruption and the loss of ecosystem services. To address these issues Barbados must enhance its resilience to marine, coastal and terrestrial hazards in order to attain its current and future sustainable development goals.

In light of the above, the CRMP was designed to build Barbados’ resilience to coastal hazards (including those associated with climate change) through enhanced conservation and management of the coastal zone. The programme’s overall objective was to build capacity in integrated coastal risk management in Barbados by incorporating disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in the development planning, control and monitoring of the coastal zone. The CRMP was divided into three components:

- Component 1 – Coastal Risk Assessment, Monitoring and Management
- Component 2 – Coastal Infrastructure
- Component 3 – Institutional Sustainability for Integrated Coastal Risk Management

The components and their associated activities are described in greater detail in the sections below.

Component 1: Coastal Risk Assessment, Monitoring and Management

Component 1 was designed to provide updated and new, qualitative and quantitative data on coastal processes and coastal risk, and the development of state of the art tools for the systematic, routine and efficient use of quantitative risk information in development decision making. The collection of this information and the development of risk management tools was done with a view to mainstreaming disaster risk management (DRM) and climate change adaptation (CCA) within development planning processes as well as to inform the design of hazard-resilient shoreline infrastructure. The activities which were carried out under Component 1 are described below.

Coastal Zone LiDAR Surveys

The primary objective of the LiDAR surveys was to provide the CZMU with accurate topographic and bathymetric data in order to develop detailed digital elevation models for Barbados to be used for subsequent studies under the CRMP including hazard mapping, shoreline change analysis, geological investigations and coastal vulnerability analysis. The surveys also collected high resolution aerial photography.

Nearshore Wave Study

The Nearshore Wave Study was conducted in order to develop a reliable, island-wide, non-hurricane, nearshore wave climatology for Barbados. The study was also the basis for a synthetic wave hindcast database which can be used to help design coastal protection works and identify longer timeframe coastal erosion hazards.

Circulation and Water Quality Study

The Circulation and Water Quality Study had the objective to provide the CZMU with the tools to identify key marine water quality stressors, identify and evaluate various possible water quality clean-up initiatives and mitigation measures, and to better understand water quality modelling considerations. The study also introduced the CZMU to new water quality monitoring techniques including bioindicator analysis and helped to identify potential point source and watershed management practices to reduce the pollutant stress on nearshore marine habitats.

Sediment Transport Study

The objective of the Sediment Transport Study was to help the CZMU gain an up-to-date understanding of the baseline coastal sediment transport processes which affect beach erosion and recovery cycles. The activity involved the characterization of beach sediment around the island, the development of numerical sediment transport models and the determination of annualized sediment transport budgets for different coastal sectors.

Geotechnical Surveys and Investigations

The Geotechnical Surveys and Investigations had two primary objectives. The first was to provide the CZMU with an accurate mapping of the cliff instability zones that exist around the island that incorporated a cliff stability model to determine adequate set-back distances based on the different failure mechanisms of the different cliff types. The second objective was to define and delineate the land slippage hazards that exist within the Scotland District. The surveys utilized both traditional technologies such as boreholes and sediment cores to determine material properties as well as newer technologies such as drones to accurately measure and map the extent of cliff undercut in three dimensions at various locations.

Shoreline Change Study

The primary objective of the Shoreline Change Study was to map historical shoreline positions along the coastlines of Barbados in order to classify shoreline segments into geomorphic categories such as eroding, stable, dynamic, accreting, etc. This provides the CZMU with additional information in relation to shoreline trends in order to determine where along the coastline interventions are required. The study also recommended modifications to existing beach profile monitoring procedures in order to facilitate advanced data analysis.

Comprehensive Risk Evaluation

The Comprehensive Hazard Evaluation had the core objective to complete probabilistic analyses for a range of natural and anthropogenic hazards, and including the consideration of climate change factors. The analyses for the various hazards were conducted via numerical modelling using outputs from the LiDAR surveys, nearshore wave study, geotechnical surveys and the shoreline change study. The hazards evaluated were:

Storm winds
Earthquakes
Storm Surge
Rainfall-Induced Flooding
Landslides
Coastal Erosion
Tsunamis
Oil Spills

The hazard assessment was followed by the categorization of assets (buildings) which could be exposed to these hazards, and a subsequent vulnerability assessment of these on a sector by sector basis. The outputs of the Comprehensive Hazard Evaluation were then used as inputs for the National Coastal Risk Information and Planning Platform.

National Coastal Risk Platform

The primary objective of the National Coastal Risk Information and Planning Platform (NCRIPP) activity was to develop a shared knowledge base and analytical capacity to enhance stakeholder interaction and support planning and decision making with regard to integrated coastal risk management and climate change adaptation in Barbados. The NCRIPP is a web-based, natural hazard risk evaluation and communication tool designed for use by the CZMU and our strategic partners to inform risk-based decision making as a means to mainstream disaster risk management and climate change adaptation within the national planning process. The system utilizes the outputs of the Comprehensive Hazard Risk Evaluation to combine hazard extent and severity information with asset exposure and susceptibility information to quantify risk. Within the NCRIPP, risk is evaluated in a quantitative manner by revealing the estimated cost of repair or replacement of an asset due to a hazard event of a given severity (return period) impacting the asset.

Indicators of Disaster Risk

The System of Indicators of Risk and Risk Management (Risk Indicators) was developed in 2005 in a collaboration be Inter-American Development Bank and the University of Colombia. The indicators seek to measure how well a country is doing with regard to a number of disaster risk management strategies and procedures in order to better understand risk management performance and identify policy gaps. The purpose of the Indicators of Disaster Risk activity under the CRMP was to update the Risk Indicators assessment that was originally conducted for Barbados in 2008 in light of recent advancements in disaster risk management policies and approaches, as well as to set a baseline for future assessments.

Component 2: Coastal Infrastructure

Component 2 was designed to control shoreline erosion, improve the resilience of coastal infrastructure to climate change and other hazards and improve public access to beaches. As such the activities under this component sought to limit damage to shoreline properties along a key stretch of the coastline (Holetown), reduce damage to coastal infrastructure and enhance recreational opportunities offered to tourists and locals alike. This component also included an activity to research ecosystem-based approaches to shoreline protection. The activities which were carried out under Component 2 are described below.

Holetown Waterfront Improvement

The Holetown Waterfront Improvement Project (HWIP) was the major construction project conducted under the CRMP. The project spans about 1.5km of coastline between Holetown and Heron Bay, and involved the construction of four offshore breakwaters, eleven shore-attached groynes, a boulder revetment protecting a stone walkway, a cast-in-place concrete headland and various concrete access stairs and ramps, as well as the placement and grading of approximately 16,000 cubic metres of sand beach fill.

Holetown Project Brief

St. Lawrence to Rockley Designs

The primary objective of the St. Lawrence Gap to Rockley Waterfront Improvement Designs activity was the development of full engineering designs for waterfront enhancement and shoreline stabilization works along the stretch of the coast between St. Lawrence Gap in the east and Rockley Beach in the west. As such, the goals of the activity were to deliver shovel-ready designs for shoreline protection infrastructure which will reduce susceptibility to coastal erosion, enhance beach access and public amenity value as well as to restore eroded beach habitat. The designs went through several rounds of public consultation in order to better consider the concerns of nearby residents and other stakeholders.

Ecosystem-Based Adaptation Pilot

The Ecosystem-Based Pilot Project (EBA) was one of the more innovative activities under the CRMP. This pilot study had the objective of determining the feasibility of ecosystem-based approaches to mitigating the effects of climate change by enhancing shoreline defense. Coral reefs play a vital role in shoreline defense by reducing wave energy as it approaches the shore. In this regard, promoting the growth of reef-building corals such as Staghorn coral has the potential to increase resilience to high energy waves even in the face of rising sea levels. The EBA involved the renovation of a laboratory at the Bellair’s Research Institution to function as a terrestrial nursery for small fragments from donor coral colonies which were grown and then outplanted at the end of the project. These fragments were and are still monitored by the CZMU.

Additional Coastal Infrastructure Designs

The objective of the Additional Coastal Engineering Designs for Waterfront Improvement activity was to develop final engineering designs for waterfront and drainage improvements, highway protection, shoreline stabilization and enhancement along stretches of shoreline in the areas of Mullins to St. Peter’s Bay, St. Peter; Sand Street, St. Peter; Clinketts, St. Lucy; and Oistins Bay, Christ Church. These designs were completed taking into consideration climate change factors in order to ensure the would function as expected in a future environment impacted by conditions such as sea level rise.

Component 3: Institutional Sustainability for Integrated Coastal Risk Management

Component 3 was the portion of the CRMP specifically designed to building capacity within the CZMU and our strategic partner agencies. As such it aimed to establish the conditions for long term sustainability of the actions and investments carried out under the other components. This institutional sustainability component included activities to strengthen the policy and regulatory environment within which ICZM functions, build institutional capacity and enhance stakeholder communication and education. The activities which were carried out under Component 3 are described below.

Update of the ICZM Plan and Act

The update of the national Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan (ICZM Plan) was the principal activity under Component 3. The prior ICZM Plan was first developed in the late 1990s, and the purpose of updating the plan was to address the existing bottlenecks and challenges in relation to land use development and planning within the coastal zone which had become more prevalent in the intervening years. The updated plan also has resilience to coastal hazards (including those exacerbated by climate change) as a core component of its policy framework. Along with the updating of the ICZM Plan this activity also laid the groundwork for the updating of the Coastal Zone Management Act (1998) and supporting legislation such as regulations in order to provide a robust legal basis under which the CZMU can discharge its expanded mandate.

Updated ICZM Plan webpage

Strategic Action Plan for DRM and CCA

The primary objective of the Development of a Strategic Action Plan for Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) was to develop consensus on and formalize the strategic direction of the CZMU, and to determine a ten year SAP for integrated coastal zone management which incorporated current and new priorities including those identified during other components of the CRMP. The primary output of this activity was a guidance document specifying the goals, objectives and desired outcomes identified by CZMU staff to chart the development roadmap for the Unit.

Policy for Information Sharing

The Development of a Policy for Information Sharing activity of Component 3 had the goal producing an overarching policy framework and guiding principles for data and information sharing and working in a collaborative manner, as a pilot, among the key strategic partners of an integrated coastal risk management approach in Barbados. The major output of the activity was a draft information sharing policy document which included recommendations for data management polices, oversight frameworks and cost recovery mechanisms.

Cost Recovery Mechanisms Proposal

The primary objective of the Proposal for Cost Recovery Mechanisms activity was to provide policy makers with a comprehensive set of options and measures by which the costs incurred by the Government of Barbados for providing coastal infrastructure protection can be recovered. Types of coastal protection structures considered in this activity included groynes, breakwaters, seawalls and revetments which the government uses to protect residential and commercial properties, utility infrastructure, promote shoreline stabilization, and facilitate coastal access and ecosystem recovery. The proposal document included an assessment of the value of the projects and activities of the CZMU in relation to the implementation coastal resilience projects as well as detailed analysis on various potential cost recovery mechanisms.

Communications Strategy for DRM and CCA

The main objective of the Development of a Communications Strategy for Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Adaptation was to provide the CZMU with a set of multimedia communication materials designed to raise the level of awareness of integrated coastal risk assessment and management in Barbados through an effective and targeted public education and information sharing campaign. The materials were designed to reach different audiences across the demographic spectrum while considering the preferences of stakeholders that are increasingly media-savvy and technologically adept. Along with the strategy document, the activity also delivered educational videos, digital brochures, magazines, and poster boards, all of which are either added to the CZMU media channels (YouTube, Facebook, website) or displayed within the coastal zone space itself.

Training of CZMU and Partner Agency Staff

The Development of a Training Plan for the Staff of the CZMU and Strategic Partners activity had two main objectives. The first was to develop a training plan for the staff of the CZMU to be implemented both during and after the completion of the CRMP that focused on enhancing their expertise in the administrative, technical and operational aspects of integrated coastal risk management in order to meet the expanded mandate of the CZMU. The second objective was to develop a sensitization and training plan for the strategic partner agencies of the CZMU in the areas of disaster risk management (DRM) and climate change adaptation (CCA), that included activities to ensure that the principles of DRM and CCA can be mainstreamed into the administrative, technical and operational procedures of these agencies. The training completed by the CZMU and our strategic partners included disaster risk management assessment, multi-hazard risk assessment, hazard risk modelling and training in international engineering standards (FIDIC). The activity also provided capacity building recommendations to enhance the skillset of the Unit over the medium and long term.