St. John is one of three main Caribbean islands that make up the US Virgin Islands (USVI) archipelago. Within the past 30 years, the Coral Bay Watershed (on the island’s east side) experienced close to 80% growth, making it the fastest growing area in the USVI. Coral Bay Coral Bay Community Council (CBCC) has lead watershed management efforts in the community since the first watershed management plan was developed in 2008. Back-to-back hurricanes that hit Coral Bay in 2017 caused extensive damage which not only destroyed infrastructure but also altered the landscape. The 2020 watershed management plan update is focused on understanding the impacts of the 2017 hurricanes from a water quality perspective by utilizing an innovative approach of analyzing vegetation patterns before and after the hurricanes with the Watershed Treatment Model (WTM), and completing an intensive pollutant loading analysis to prioritize restoration efforts in key subwatershed areas of Coral Bay. This webcast will discuss the current planning efforts and update attendees on the tools developed and progress to further improve watershed health in Coral Bay from a community and environmental projects-based perspective.
Speakers
Andres Torizzo Watershed Consulting Associates, LLC
Rachel McKinley Coral Bay Community Council
Bookings
Bookings are closed for this event.