, the study found that coral reefs offer more than $1.8 billion in annual flood protection to coastal communities. Losing 1 meter of reef height would cause 100-year flooding zones to increase by 23%, impacting 53,800 more people (a 62% increase) and 90% more property and increasing damages by $5.3 billion.
The study also found that the United States has 200 miles (325 kilometers) of high-value reefs that are worth more than $1.6 million per mile ($1 million per kilometer) annually for flood protection alone. Most of these high-value reefs are in Florida and Hawaii.
“Valuing the flood risk-reduction service of existing ecosystems is one step toward managing them as natural infrastructure,” said lead author Borja Reguero, an associate researcher at UC Santa Cruz. “This study provides new local information on how reefs protect communities at the building-block level, while maintaining a national focus for policy purposes.”
Coral reefs prevent more than $5.3 billion in potential flood damage for US property owners eurekalert.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from eurekalert.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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Advertising/Public Relations
Creativity Justified has opened a second location in Slidell at 1310 Brownswitch Road, Suite D. The firm’s other location is at 330 Oak Harbor Blvd., Suite B.
Banking/Financial Services
Investar Bank has hired
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Dan Mills as its CEO.
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Meredith Hathorn, managing partner of Foley & Judell LLP, has been recognized by Women in Public Finance in honor of Women’s History Month.