Corpus Christi, Texas
12/8/2023
Natural and Physical System Assessment
Corpus Christi is located on the southeastern shore of Texas and experiences a subtropical climate. Some of the city's geomorphic features include its barrier islands, saltwater estuary at the mouth of the Nueces River, coral reefs and presence of mangroves. This mangrove presence is one of the most important natural features of the city. Mangroves help maintain sediment control and natural protection against storms [3]. Mangroves were thought to be invasive by the locals at first due to their damage to some local animals, but actually help control flooding and create ecosystems for hundreds of species to thrive in. The city is also located only 7 feet above sea level [2], making it an extreme risk to sea level rise. Various projections show a steady increase in the sea level for this area, having around half a foot increase in the last 40 years [1]. Not only is the sea level rising, but the land is lowering in Corpus Christi. Oil mining is a major industry in the state of Texas, especially in the area of Corpus Christi. Removing oil from the land below causes pockets to form within the ground. This not only affects how high the city is, but causes saltwater intrusion within the groundwater aquifers.
Human System Assessment
Corpus Christi, TX is home to quite a large population of about 318,000 people consisting of 43.5% White (Hispanic), 28.4% White (Non-hispanic), 17.1% Two+ (Hispanic), 3.77% Black/ African American, and 3.23% Other (Hispanic) [4]. From this we can see a majority of the population of Corpus Christi consists of White and Hispanic ethnicity. The median income is about $59,993 [4] with a total of 133,180 housing units primarily composed of single family homes and apartment communities [5]. About 17% of the population is considered to live below poverty [4] which is higher than the national average of people living below poverty. Corpus Christi is a popular place for tourists to visit due to their beautiful beaches. When tourists come to visit they can experience the rich culture Corpus Christi has to offer by visiting The Art Museum of South Texas and The Corpus Christi Cathedral located along the coast. Rising sea level poses a major concern for residents and tourists in Corpus Christi due to the location of manufacturing plants, a major highway system, water treatment facilities, electrical facilities and power plants located in the city. These facilities could potentially become hazardous if intruded by ocean water from rising sea level. This would cause chemicals and sewage to contaminate the water and spread into nearby buildings and residential areas. Also, the loss of the major highway due to sea level rise could make it difficult for residents to commute to work and for tourists to visit, which would negatively impact Corpus Christi’s economy.
White Cap Beach located in Corpus Christi
Engineering and Infrastructure Assessment
As of now Corpus Christi is implementing a new minimum elevation for all buildings. This requires buildings to be one foot above what the Federal Emergency Agency requires with potential to increase another foot pending more sea level rise [2]. This shows that Corpus Christi is requiring more than just the federal minimum elevation as an attempt to prevent buildings from experiencing flooding caused by sea level rise. Corpus Christi is also planning to raise the Corpus Christi Harbor Bridge, that is built over the Nueces River, by five feet due to storm surges as well as investing in building raised sidewalks and boardwalks [2]. While these hard engineering techniques are effective, Corpus Christi is also investing in beach re-nourishment due to severe erosion[7] as a way to save and restore their beaches.
The Corpus Christi Harbor Bridge
Vulnerability, Policy and Action Planning
As of now Corpus Christi does not specifically have a plan addressing coastal resilience. Instead the state of Texas has implemented the Texas Coastal Resiliency Plan that targets degraded and lost habitats, beach and dune erosion, storm surge damage, flood damage and water quality and quantity [8]. While this plan is not specific for Corpus Christi, it does allow for funding and action to be taken to help the coastal city and its beaches. Corpus Christi falls as a priority 1 project for this plan, meaning it is a location that demands priority for the project due to the urgency and danger of the city compared to other parts of Texas. In Corpus Christi special requirements are needed in order to develop on the coast. For the construction of buildings, the floors must be elevated a foot above the required base flood elevation and proper anchoring must be in place [9]. These requirements are in place to prevent buildings from moving and flooding that can occur due to sea level rise. Also, a floodplain development permit is required to build in flood zones [9], which is the coast of Corpus Christi.
One Shoreline Plaza located in Corpus Christi
Site-Specific Concerns and Considerations
With rising sea level in a coastal city, such as Corpus Christi, there are site specific concerns that should be made aware. Corpus Christi’s percentage of population living below poverty is higher than the national average. This means that a large number of residents are extremely vulnerable to sea level rise due to lack of income or available funding to voluntarily relocate. lack of income forces people to stay in their homes until they can no longer live there or until aid is granted by the government. Another concern for Corpus Christi is the water treatment facilities, electrical facilities and power plants located in the city. If sea level rise floods these buildings there could be very harmful effects. Sewage and other toxic chemicals could contaminate the water when flooding and transport these materials further inland or into freshwater supplies which could lead to sanitation and health risks to the residents of Corpus Christi. Flooding of these facilities from sea level rise could also potentially leave people without electricity or running water if proper back ups are not in place. Also,Corpus Christi has a relatively low median income for most residents. This means that while residents have an income that can support them, it may be hard to sell their homes and try to find new or replacement homes more inland. This can be difficult for people who have jobs located on the coast of Corpus Christi, causing them to have to commute from farther inland which may be difficult if residents cannot afford their own transportation. Residents may also be forced to downsize in order to find a home they can afford more inland. It is also important to consider government aid and other organizations available that could help homeowners relocate. Something else to consider is the major highway that runs through Corpus Christi. Rising sea level could potentially flood this highway making it difficult or even impossible to use. This can cause concern for residents commuting to work as well as access to the city for tourists, which is important because tourism plays a crucial role in Corpus Christi’s economy.
Recommended Resiliency Action Plans
- Infrastructure Improvements
- By upgrading and reinforcing existing infrastructure in Corpus Christi, there is a better chance to save the infrastructure currently in place such as seawalls, levees, and stormwater drainage systems. While this may seem expensive, in the long run it is less expensive than rebuilding this infrastructure in higher elevations of the city and having to clean up the remaining infrastructure. Corpus Christi already has access to the infrastructure, it just needs materials to reinforce each structure. This action’s timeline may be relatively long, not instant change. This would be due to the fact that it would have to be approved by voters, which would most likely be paying for these improvements through an increase in taxes. It may take some time to get all stakeholders on board but this action is very necessary and will be very helpful for Corpus Christi and the city’s ability to combat and adapt to sea level rise.
- Community Engagement and Education Programs
- An education program will help to raise awareness of sea level rise in Corpus Christi. This education program will be crucial for ensuring residents are aware of the threat of sea level rise in Corpus Christi as well as the potential impacts and risks rising levels can have on residents' homes or businesses. These education programs can also help to get the community engaged in the planning and decision making process involving sea level rise solutions. This ensures that local knowledge of Corpus Christi is taken into account when developing potential solutions and colorblind adaptation planning can be avoided. This education program would be less costly than other proposed solutions since it would most likely be volunteer based to inform residents. This action would not be very long because it takes less time to get an education program up and running then to carry out other proposed actions.
- Natural Defenses
- Mangroves are one of the greatest natural defenses for a community to have when it comes to coastal issues. They provide defense from raging storms and storm surges from the tides. However, not everyone is educated on them; some people see them as an invasive species because they have no knowledge of what they are. By educating the community about the following issue, they will become well aware about the plant and no longer see it as any danger. As soon as the entire community is aware, say in the next 10 years, this should start immediately. Also, this is not an absurd expense, but it is around $1.3 million per kilometer of mangroves [9].
- Managed Retreat
- There are many things that can be done to save corpus christi from complete and total failure. If nothing manages to help this poor city last longer than 80 years they are currently projected to, managed retreat is the only viable option. Relocating just out of the city would be the very last thing the city should do as an action towards fighting sea level rise. Only a handful of the population is in severe danger with a 1 foot sea level rise, but this populations payout could still end up being upwards of $400,000,000 [4].
References:
1. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2023) Sea Level Trend 8775870 Corpus Christi, Texas. Tides & Currents. https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/sltrends/sltrends_station.shtml?id=8775870
2. Declaration. (2021, November 19) Corpus Christi Is Awash In Climate Change. Declaration.news https://deceleration.news/2021/11/19/corpus-christi-climatechange/#:~:text=Corpus%20Christi%2C%20TX%2C%20is%20no,just%20three%20days%20in%202000.
3. Gibson, M. (2023, August 25) Coastal Bend Scientists Discuss Ecological Impact of Black Mangroves. 3News. https://www.kiiitv.com/article/news/local/scientists-discuss-ecological-impact-of-black-mangroves/503-20334e29-ef0a-486e-8708-67fecf5b8a79#:~:text=CORPUS%20CHRISTI%2C%20Texas%20%E2%80%94%20Some%20say,animals%2C%20including%20the%20whooping%20crane
4. Data USA. (2023) Corpus Christi, TX. Datause.io https://datausa.io/profile/geo/corpus-christi-tx#housing
5. TownCharts. (2023) Corpus Christi, Texas Housing Data. Towncharts.com https://datausa.io/profile/geo/corpus-christi-tx#housing
6. The Texas General Land Office. (2023) Corpus Christi North Beach Nourishment. TXGLO Grants. https://datausa.io/profile/geo/corpus-christi-tx#housing
7. The Texas General Land Office. (2023) Coastal Resilience Master Plan. TXGLO. https://www.glo.texas.gov/coast/coastal-management/coastal-resiliency/faq/index.html#:~:text=What%20is%20the%20Texas%20Coastal,and%20protect%20our%20Texas%20coast
8. City of Corpus Christi. (2023) Development Requirements. Cctexas.com https://www.cctexas.com/floodplainmanagement/developmentrequirements
9. Cornwall, W. (2022, July 6) How much is a mangrove forest worth? In some places, $850,000 per hectare. Daily Science.
Images:
1.White Cap Beach located in Corpus Christi
2. The Corpus Christi Harbor Bridge
3. One Shoreline Plaza located in Corpus Christi