Dr. Legna Torres-García was an invited panelist at the NOAA Hydrographic Services Review Panel in Puerto Rico

By St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center March 17, 2023

Legna presented on the probabilities of hurricane-induced coastal erosion in Puerto Rico as part of a panel about coastal resilience planning in the U.S. Caribbean.

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Dr. Legna Torres-García is a Research Oceanographer at the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center in St. Petersburg, Florida. Her research focuses on using multi-scale observational and numerical model data to understand circulation, waves, sediment transport and coastal vulnerability.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Hydrographic Services Review Panel (HSRP) is a federal advisory committee that provides NOAA with independent advice on improving the quality, efficiency, and usefulness of coastal and marine navigation-related products, data, and services (i.e., nautical charts), physical oceanographic (i.e., tides & water levels), and geospatial, positioning, and coastal and shoreline programs, products, and services. The Panel is composed of a diverse field of experts in hydrographic surveying, vessel pilotage, port administration, tides and currents, coastal zone management, geodesy, recreational boating, marine transportation, and academia.

Explore HSRP U.S. Caribbean Meeting Information.

Public comments from stakeholders and partners are sought at few meetings per year, such as the U.S. Caribbean Public Meeting held February 28 – March 2, 2023, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Dr. Legna Torres-García’s presentation was part of a panel discussion focused on measuring, monitoring, and mitigating flooding and sea-level change, the contribution of critical foundational data, and collecting feedback from science, service, and stewardship stakeholders on the ability of current resources to address sea-level rise questions and needs. Legna’s presentation showcased the USGS-NOAA collaboration that makes the Total Water Level and Coastal Change Forecast possible. Legna also explained that underrepresented communities are disproportionately impacted by coastal hazards, outlined USGS efforts to make coastal data and tools more accessible to coastal communities on the island of Puerto Rico, and discussed next steps to expand the TWL-CC forecast to the island by assessing forecast accuracy at several skill assessment sites where real-time camera and oceanographic buoy data is available for public use.