Beach nourishment is one of the most basic approaches to protecting infrastructure and property against the impacts of sea level rise. Understanding how coastal structures such as headlands impact the flow of sediment can help managers determine where sand should be placed to maximize the efficiency of beach nourishment as an adaptation strategy.

USC Sea Grant funded researchers to model waves, currents, and sediment patterns around Point Dume in Malibu, California to better understand the movement of sand and other material. Researchers developed a new model that estimates circulation and sediment transport around differently sized headlands and created a classification system of rocky headlands in California. The results have been shared with coastal managers, including state and federal agencies, regional bodies, and local municipalities, as they consider beach nourishment projects and prepare for the impacts of climate change.

Planning for the impacts of sea level rise and other coastal impacts is a priority for the Los Angeles region. To understand and effectively plan for these impacts requires a link between the best available scientific tools and local planning and policy-making. Successful adaptation for the region will require significant regional collaboration to evaluate vulnerabilities and develop policies and adaptation strategies that consider cross-jurisdictional implications.

AdaptLA, a program launched by a coalition led by USC Sea Grant in 2014, continues to advance a regional coastal impacts planning process and share critical scientific information to inform planning efforts. AdaptLA includes 11 local municipalities, Los Angeles County, and 6 supporting organizations. USC Sea Grant provides leadership, trainings, technical assistance, and ensures the best available science is available to coalition members. Through these regional collaborative efforts, AdaptLA has helped 10 southern California coastal communities initiate and make progress in their coastal adaptation planning and implementation projects.

During 2017, USC Sea Grant reached 312 stakeholders through in-person training workshops, community outreach events, and direct technical assistance to local communities which resulted in cities and organizations making significant progress in integrating climate change considerations into planning and evaluating potential strategies for adaptation. Also during this time, USC Sea Grant authors published a peer-reviewed article which analyzed its climate change adaptation work since 2010, including involvement in the AdaptLA program.

Citizen science projects engage the public to participate in scientific research, however, in urban environments such as Los Angeles, there has been limited community engagement and localized training models for residents who are interested. USC Sea Grant has helped fund, organize, and lead a number of citizen science projects in the last six years. USC Sea Grant continues to take a leadership role in identifying research projects and adapting them to engage organizations and the public in citizen science. Scientists are benefitting from the expanded scope of data coming in from the public, and the public is benefitting from early understanding and support of scientific research.

In 2017, USC Sea Grant: 1) Provided multiple trainings for coordinators at partner organizations, enabling them to train and engage additional citizen scientists in research projects; 2) Continued a partnership with the statewide California Naturalist program to identify projects and data gaps that can be supported through citizen science; 3) Helped facilitate the development of an Earthwatch project supporting research on marine protected areas in the face of a changing climate; and 4) Served as an advisor for the annual “Citizen Science for Conservation in Southern California” symposium.