South Atlantic Division > Missions > Sustainability > South Atlantic Coastal Study (SACS)

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South Atlantic Coastal Study - SACS

SACS Draft Reports

The SACS Draft Report and appendices were available for comment from October 15 through November 15 for a 30-day comment period. Thank you to those that provided comments during the review period. We will reach out to follow up, as necessary. The SACS Team is reviewing all comments received in preparation for the Final Report.

SACS Main Report	Outreach Appendix	Florida Appendix	Puerto Rico Appendix
Engineering Appendix	Alabama Appendix	Mississippi Appendix	South Carolina Appendix
Geospatial Appendix	Georgia Appendix	North Carolina Appendix	U.S. Virgin Islands Appendix
Draft Recommendations Summary Spreadsheet

USACE hosted Draft Report Roll-out Webinars. These webinars provided a brief overview of the SACS, including an overview of the Final Draft SACS Main Report and its associated products. Each webinar was focused on a particular state or territory, providing regional findings, strategies, recommendations, and information on the comment collection process. PowerPoint presentations can be found in the Presentations portion of the website below.

Technical Study Products

There will be a total of 12 study products in this study. Information on each technical product will be provided here when available.

SACS Key Products Placemat

Coastal Hazards System Provides wave and water levels derived from numerical modeling. Go to the Coastal Hazards System	Geoportal Study data and additional information of various SACS products, including the Tier 1 and Tier 2 Risk Assessment, Environmental Analysis, and more... Go to the Geoportal	SACS Tier 1 Risk Assessment A regional-level analysis of potential flooding risk in coastal areas Go to the Tier 1 Risk Assessment
Regional Sediment Management (RSM) Optimization Update Identifies and quantifies total contribution of RSM principles to projects in the SACS study area that support long-term coastal resiliency. View 2020 RSM Optimization Update	Sand Availability and Needs Determination (SAND) Quantifies the need and availability of sand to maintain sediment for current beach nourishment projects within the SACS study area through the next 40 years View SAND Report Go to the SAND Geoportal	SACS Tier 2 Economic Risk Assessment Estimated storm surge inundation risk expressed as dollar damages to public and private property and limited critical infrastructure. Go to the Tier 2 Economic Risk Assessment View Draft Tier 2 Economic Risk Assessment Report
Coastal Program Guide Outreach and information package to help communities better leverage needed resources on a disaster-wide, statewide, or community-wide basis. View Draft Coastal Program Guide	Institutional & Other Barriers Report Document identifies institutional and other barriers to providing comprehensive protection for affected coastal areas. View Draft Institutional & Other Barriers Report	SACS Environmental Technical Report The ‘SACS Environmental Technical Report: Environmental Resources Vulnerability and Risk Analysis and Priority Area Identification’ identifies areas of environmental risk, priority environmental areas, and includes an appendix dedicated to cultural resources View SACS Environmental Technical Report View SACS Cultural Resource Appendix Go to the SACS Environmental Analysis
Planning Aid Report Report of priority biological resource habitats in the South Atlantic region that are vulnerable to harm from coastal storms and sea level rise with a focus on areas used by federally-listed species. Report will also include a description of risk to coastal National Wildlife Refuges View Planning Aid Report	Focus Area Action Strategies (FAAS) FAAS will use SACS products in combination with other resources to develop actionable risk reduction strategies with stakeholders. FAAS will serve as examples of how vulnerabilities in other high risk locations can be addressed.	Measures & Cost Library Detailed list of CSRM measures and their costs developed to a screening level for use in USACE and stakeholder planning View Draft Measures & Cost Library

Study Overview

The study will be modeled closely after the North Atlantic Coast Comprehensive Study (NACCS), a Congressional response and precedent-setting vulnerability and flood risk-reduction study completed for the north Atlantic coastline in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. The study will conduct regional analyses of coastal risk and identify initial measures/costs that can address vulnerabilities with emphasis on regional sediment management (RSM) as an actionable strategy to sustainably maintain or enhance current levels of coastal storm risk reduction.

SACS Review Plan

Study Goals

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1. Provide a Common Operating Picture of Coastal Storm Risk
- Provide decision-makers at all levels with a comprehensive and consistent regional assessment of coastal storm risk.
2. Identify High-Risk Locations and Focus Current and Future Resources
- Enable resources to be focused on the most-vulnerable areas.
3. Identify and Assess Risk Management Actions
- Assess actions to reduce coastal storm risk to vulnerable populations, public health and safety, areas of concentrated economic development, and environmental and cultural resources.
4. Promote and Support Resilient Coastal Communities
- Ensure a sustainable coastal landscape system, considering future sea level rise scenarios.
- Provide information to stakeholders to optimize existing efforts to manage coastal storm risk.
5. Promote Sustainable Projects and Programs
- Develop and provide consistent key products to support coastal studies and projects.
- Regionally manage projects through regional sediment management (RSM) and other opportunities.
6. Leverage Ongoing Actions
- Leverage multiple ongoing studies and construction efforts to inform, and be informed by, the SACS.

Authority

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Section 1204, WRDA 2016
- Identify risks and vulnerabilities of [coastal areas within SAD AOR] to increased hurricane and storm damage as a result of sea level rise (SLR).
- (b)(1) Conduct a comprehensive analysis of current coastal storm risk management measures with an emphasis on regional sediment management practices to sustain/enhance current storm protection.
- (b)(3) Recommend measures to address coastal vulnerability of areas affected by SLR.
- (b)(4) Develop a long-term strategy to address increased hurricane/storm damages resulting from SLR and identify opportunities to enhance resiliency and lower risks in –
  - populated areas
  - areas of concentrated economic development; and
  - areas with vulnerable environmental resources
- (c) Submit a report recommending specific and detailed actions

Statement of Study Area

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Over 65,000 miles of tidally influenced coastline in the South Atlantic Division area of responsibility affected by sea level rise (SLR) where hurricane and storm damages are occurring, or are forecast to occur.
- Areas that are not subject to hurricane and storm damage associated with coastal processes are outside the scope of the study (i.e., areas subject to inland/freshwater flooding).

Playlist

Latest Updates

	Quarterly Progress Briefing
A quarterly progress briefing was held April 25, 2022 from 2 – 3 p.m. EST. The webinar discussed status of the various SACS products and provided examples of how the products are currently being used. A recording of the webinar is provided below.

Letters of Support

In accordance with Watershed planning guidance, District teams will be reaching out, as needed, to agencies and organizations for letters of support or concurrence on recommended actions. A letter template and the current working list of recommendations are available below.

Letter Template
Working Draft Recommendations

Contact Us

SACS@usace.army.mil

Study Schedule

August 2018 – Study Initiation
August 2019 – Shared Vision Milestone
August 2021- Recommendations Milestone
October 2021 – Draft Watershed Plan/Report
August 2022 – Final Watershed Plan

Newsletters

	November through March Newsletter Available
Past Newsletters
July/August/September/October May/June March/April January/February

Presentations

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Environmental Workshop – Priority Environmental Areas

Cultural Resources Workshop

Environmental Resources Workshop

SACS FSBPA Presentation
South Atlantic Coastal Study Team members present at FSBPA Tech Conference, in Sarasota, February 5-7, 2020.

Alabama Roll-out Presentation

Mississippi Roll-out Presentation

North Carolina Roll-out Presentation

Florida Roll-out Presentation

South Carolina Roll-out Presentation

Puerto Rico Roll-out Presentation

Georgia Roll-out Presentation

U.S Virgin Islands Roll-out Presentation

Receive SACS Email Updates

To receive SACS updates by email, send us a message at SACS@usace.army.mil

South Atlantic Coastal Study - SACS

SACS Shared Vision

SACS Draft Reports

Technical Study Products

Coastal Hazards System

Geoportal

SACS Tier 1 Risk Assessment

Regional Sediment Management (RSM) Optimization Update

Sand Availability and Needs Determination (SAND)

SACS Tier 2 Economic Risk Assessment

Coastal Program Guide

Institutional & Other Barriers Report

SACS Environmental Technical Report

Planning Aid Report

Focus Area Action Strategies (FAAS)

Measures & Cost Library