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Systems Approaches for Coastal Hazard Assessment and Resilience
Summary and Keywords
The framework presented herein supports a changing paradigm in the approaches used by coastal researchers, engineers, and social scientists to model the impacts of climate change and sea level rise (SLR) in particular along low-gradient coastal landscapes. Use of a System of Systems (SoS) approach to the coastal dynamics of SLR is encouraged to capture the nonlinear feedbacks and dynamic responses of the bio-geo-physical coastal environment to SLR, while assessing the social, economic, and ecologic impacts. The SoS approach divides the coastal environment into smaller subsystems such as morphology, ecology, and hydrodynamics. Integrated models are used to assess the dynamic responses of subsystems to SLR; these models account for complex interactions and feedbacks among individual systems, which provides a more comprehensive evaluation of the future of the coastal system as a whole. Results from the integrated models can be used to inform economic services valuations, in which economic activity is connected back to bio-geo-physical changes in the environment due to SLR by identifying changes in the coastal subsystems, linking them to the understanding of the economic system and assessing the direct and indirect impacts to the economy. These assessments can be translated from scientific data to application through various stakeholder engagement mechanisms, which provide useful feedback for accountability as well as benchmarks and diagnostic insights for future planning. This allows regional and local coastal managers to create more comprehensive policies to reduce the risks associated with future SLR and enhance coastal resilience.
Keywords: sea level rise, morphology, ecology, hydrodynamics, economic valuations, stakeholder engagement
Worldwide, low-lying coastal land margins are becoming increasingly vulnerable to natural and manmade disasters due to the effects of climate and socioeconomic change (Barbier, 2014; IPCC, 2014). It is estimated that 1.9 billion people (27% of the world's population) live within 100 km of a shoreline and at an elevation lower than 100 m (Kummu et al., 2016). In the United States, population density in coastal counties far exceeds that of the nation as a whole (446 and 105 persons/square mile, respectively), and this trend is predicted to continue (NOAA, 2013). In addition to human communities, the coastal land margin includes ecologically and economically significant estuaries and wetlands that provide food, shelter, and nursery areas for commercially harvested fish and shellfish, and protect coastal communities by mitigating the impacts of storm surge and erosion (Barbier et al., 2011; NOAA, 2011). In 2011, 45% of the U.S. gross domestic product was produced in shoreline counties (NOAA, 2012). Global climate change and sea level rise (SLR) in particular have the potential to affect these coastal environments with more extensive tidal and storm surge inundation, increased erosion, and wetland loss. Low-gradient coastal landscapes are especially vulnerable to the effects of SLR, which could be detrimental for human communities and estuarine habitats. As populations increase, coastal areas will be susceptible to additional stresses associated with land-use and hydrologic changes (Wong et al., 2014). With more human lives at stake, along with economic output, measures to enhance coastal community resiliency are no longer an option, but a necessity.
Understanding the future of coastal environments depends on scientific evaluations of the impacts of climate change. Observations and modeling of individual coastal systems are insufficient for scientifically defensible, detailed, and credible assessments of the response of the coastal region under future conditions. Rather, synergetic studies that integrate dynamic interactions and responses among physical, ecological, and anthropogenic environments are needed for more holistic evaluations (Passeri et al., 2015c). The purpose of this chapter is to propose and encourage the use of a System of Systems (SoS) approach to assess potential ecologic and economic impacts of future coastal hazards under global climate change, and SLR in particular, herein coined "the coastal dynamics of SLR." This framework considers the integrated responses and feedbacks of multiple interdependent coastal systems to project how coastal environments will evolve under future SLR. Unique benefits of using a SoS approach include the capability to model the bio-geo-physical system, link that modeling to the historic record, and produce a dynamic response to SLR. Incorporating economic data and ecosystem services valuations into the SoS permits stakeholder groups to better understand and evaluate future coastal hazards and enhance human community coastal resiliency. Ultimately, a SoS approach supports the translation of data from science to application with transdisciplinary research results that enable coastal managers to make more informed decisions to manage human and natural communities in the future.
What Is a System of Systems?
According to Maier (1998), in the context of systems engineering, a system can be considered a SoS when:
(1) its components fulfill valid purposes in their own right and continue to operate to fulfill those purposes if disassembled from the overall system, and (2) the components systems are managed (at least in part) for their own purposes rather than the purposes of the whole (p. 268).
While the individual constituents of a SoS can differ and function autonomously, new properties and patterns may emerge from their interconnectivity. These properties/patterns cannot be realized a priori and cannot be inferred from the systems' individual constituents or their individual properties alone (Keating, 2008). In the context of coastal hazards, a SoS approach allows nonlinear and dynamic effects of SLR to emerge among individual coastal systems that would otherwise be unobserved using simplified models. In doing so, more complex interactions and feedbacks among individual systems are accounted for, which provides a more holistic understanding of how the larger system may evolve over time.
The SoS for the coastal dynamics of SLR contains smaller subsystems such as hydrodynamics, morphology, ecology, and land use that are tied to political and social system implications (Figure 1). Each of these subsystems contains components that can reach higher levels of complexity and refinement. For example, hydrodynamics are comprised of tides, waves, and storm surge. Likewise, coastal morphology includes features such as barrier islands, beaches, and dunes. Each subsystem interacts dynamically on different spatial, temporal, and energy scales. To capture the function, interactions, and dynamic responses of subsystems to drivers such as global climate change, integrated models are needed that link SLR to carbon emission scenarios so that the full climate change impact is considered. This scenario-based approach produces projections of potential dynamic responses rather than deterministic predictions. Modeled projections can then inform economic impact assessments and ecosystem services valuations, which can be used with projections of how the system will evolve to produce management tools though stakeholder engagement. These tools, along with judgement, allow coastal managers to make more informed decisions on coastal hazards, which can be fed back into the suite of integrated models for evaluation of the impacts of potential management actions. This distinguishes the SoS approach from existing methods to assess coastal hazards such as the Source–Pathway–Receptor–Consequences (Gouldby and Samuels, 2005) approach, in which a hazard (e.g., SLR) is connected linearly to a risk (e.g., loss of ecosystems), but integrated responses and feedbacks of other risks (e.g., loss of shorelines), and the effects of coastal management decision making are not accounted for. The following sections detail the various subsystems and components that comprise the SoS approach to the coastal dynamics of SLR.
Sea Level Rise
The first component to consider in the SoS for the coastal dynamics of SLR is global climate change and SLR in particular, which drives dynamic changes in each subsystem. The main factors contributing to global mean SLR include thermal expansion of sea waters, land ice loss, and changes in land water storage. Spatially, SLR is nonuniform, primarily as a result of changes in ocean density structure caused by temperature and salinity variations (i.e., steric effects) (Bindoff et al., 2007), as well as effects related to the response of the Earth to present-day land ice melt and the last deglaciation. Additionally, localized vertical land movement such as subsidence or uplift (due to natural causes or human activities) can amplify or reduce the effects of SLR. These three components can cause large deviations in local relative sea level rise (RSLR) measurements compared to global SLR observations (Cazenave & Le Cozannet, 2013). Historic tide gauge records indicate a global mean SLR between 1.6 mm/year and 1.8 mm/year over the 20th century (Church & White, 2006; Jevrejeva, Grinsted, Moore, & Holgate, 2006; Jevrejeva, Moore, Grinsted, & Woodworth, 2008; Church & White, 2011). According to high-precision satellite altimetry data, global mean SLR has accelerated with global rates as high as 3.4 mm/yr between 1993 and 2009 (Nerem, Chambers, Choe, & Mitchum, 2010; Hay, Morrow, Kopp, & Mitrovica, 2015). Climate change modeling indicates that sea levels will continue to rise in the upcoming decades and even centuries (IPCC, 2013; Levermann et al., 2013). Therefore, projecting future global mean sea level is critical for assessing vulnerabilities to built and natural environments. Projecting future rates of SLR can be challenging due to the complexities in contributory processes such as glacier melt, air temperature, CO2 levels, thermal expansion, and volcanic, solar, and greenhouse gases (Church & White, 2006; Jevrejeva et al., 2006). Although historic rates of SLR can be used to assess future impacts, they cannot account for predicted changes and associated uncertainty in future SLR. Projections of future global mean SLR can be used to consider multiple future conditions and develop response options, given the range of uncertainty (Parris et al., 2012). For example, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report projects that global mean sea level will rise between 52 and 98 cm by the year 2100 under the highest emissions scenario, and 28–61 cm under the lowest emissions scenario (Church et al., 2013). Similarly, Parris et al. (2012) identified four scenarios of global mean SLR by 2100: the lowest (0.2 m) is derived from a linear extrapolation of historical mean sea level using tide gauge records dating back to 1900; the intermediate-low (0.5 m) is determined using the upper end of the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) global SLR projections from climate models employing the B1 emissions scenario; the intermediate-high (1.2 m) is derived from the average of the high end of semiempirical global SLR projections that use statistical relationships between observed global sea level change, including recent ice sheet loss and air temperature; and the highest (2.0 m) projection is determined using the IPCC AR4 global SLR projection with estimates of maximum possible glacier and ice sheet loss by the end of the century.
Coastal Dynamics of Sea Level Rise
In this section, three dynamic subsystems—namely coastal morphology, ecology, and hydrodynamics—are selected to illustrate how individual subsystems integrate to form the larger coastal system. Although each subsystem responds to the effects of SLR on different spatial, temporal, and energy scales, the responses are dynamic and interrelated.
Coastal Morphology
Coasts are dynamic systems that continuously transform as a result of integrated geomorphic and oceanographic processes that occur over different temporal and spatial scales (Cowell et al., 2003a, 2003b). The impacts of short-term processes (such as storms) on barrier islands and beaches are regulated largely by dune elevations (Sallenger, 2000; Stockdon, Sallenger, Holman, & Howd, 2007; Long, de Bakker, & Plant, 2014), and can result in erosion, overwash, or breaching, depending on the island's characteristics (Sallenger, 2000; Plant & Stockdon, 2012). Over longer timescales (decades to centuries), the combination of storms and SLR will evolve barrier island morphology (Fitzgerald, Fenster, Argow, & Buynevich, 2008; Gutierrez, Williams, & Thieler, 2009; Wahl & Plant, 2015). This can produce rapid shoreline erosion as a function of high rates of relative SLR (Morton, Miller, & Moore, 2004) and storm impacts (Fearnley, Miner, Kulp, Bohling, & Penland, 2009; Stockdon et al., 2012). Additionally, the local sediment budget and sediment texture affects long-term barrier island evolution; barrier islands with limited or finer sediment will erode more quickly than barriers with abundant or coarse sediment (Twichell, Pendleton, Baldwin, & Flocks, 2009; Twichell, Flocks, Pendleton, & Baldwin, 2013).
The most straightforward approach to assess the long-term shoreline response to SLR is to consider inundation under a static, or "bathtub" approach based on the elevation of the land and the amount of SLR. Coasts with mild slopes will experience more inundation for a given SLR than coasts with steep slopes (Zhang et al., 2004). This approach can be problematic due to large uncertainties in the topographic data (Gesch, 2009; Gesch, Gutierrez, & Gill, 2009) as well as neglecting hydrodynamic processes that may cause shoreline erosion (Passeri et al., 2015c). While numerical models are capable of predicting barrier island response to specific storm events with high skill (Roelvink et al., 2009; McCall et al., 2010), they are often too complex and inefficient to make long-term projections in response to multiple storms and SLR. Instead, simplified morphodynamic models based on empirical rules and analyses (Cowell, Roy, & Jones, 1995; Storms, Weltje, van Dijke, Geel, & Kroonenberg, 2002; Stolper, List, & Thieler, 2005; Lorenzo-Trueba & Ashton, 2014), as well as statistical approaches (Hapke & Plant, 2010; Gutierrez, Plant, & Thieler, 2011; Yates & Le Cozannet, 2012; Gutierrez, Plant, Thieler, & Turecek, 2015; Plant, Thieler, & Passeri, 2016) can be more effective for examining long-term barrier island evolution. These models rely on capturing joint correlations between morphological parameters and their drivers, as well as feedback mechanisms (Plant et al., 2016). Probabilistic models have indicated that as SLR continues to accelerate along low-gradient coastlines, long-term shoreline erosion rates will increase (Gutierrez et al., 2011; Plant et al., 2016), while dune elevations will decrease as a result of frequent overwash or rapid evolution in which a low coastal elevation is maintained (Plant et al., 2016).
Another subsystem to consider in the coastal dynamics of SLR is ecology. Ecosystems are unique compared to the other coastal subsystems because they are self-organized, adaptive, and contain many feedback mechanisms (Jorgensen & Fath, 2011). For example, coastal salt marshes that are found at the coastal land margin sequester carbon, improve water quality, provide habitats for commercially harvested species, and dampen wave energy, thereby protecting nearby shorelines from erosion during storm events (Moller, Spencer, French, Leggett, & Dixon, 1999; NOAA, 2011; Ouyang & Lee, 2014). These ecological subsystems are governed by their own physical processes and influenced by changes in other subsystem's physical processes (Silliman & Bertness, 2002). Salt marsh growth is governed by elevation, tidal inundation, hydroperiod, sediment supply, and biological dynamics (Morris, Sundareshwar, Nietch, Kjerfve, & Cahoon, 2002; Stralberg et al., 2011). The elevation of a marsh platform can increase through particle capture during tidal inundation (Mudd, D'Alpaos, & Morris, 2010). Proximity to tidal creeks is crucial for deposition; areas near the banks of the creeks tend to accrete faster than the inner marsh (Townend, Fletcher, Knappen, & Rossington, 2011). If currents in tidal creeks are flood-dominant, there is likely a higher suspended sediment concentration at the marsh boundary, which supplies more marine sediment to the marsh. If currents are ebb-dominant, sediment supplies are likely reduced as sediment is transported seaward (Friedrichs & Perry, 2001). Hydroperiod (i.e., the period of time a marsh is inundated), which is dependent on the local tidal range, dictates sediment transport across the marsh surface (Reed, 1990). An increase in hydroperiod allows for inorganic sediment accretion until the hydroperiod eventually decreases; at this point, stress on the vegetation decreases accretion, once again increasing the hydroperiod (Friedrichs & Perry, 2001). Additional factors contributing to platform accretion include deposition of organic matter from root growth (Mudd et al., 2010) and inorganic matter from mineral sediment (Morris et al., 2016) and nearby eroded shorelines, especially during storm events (Phillips, 1986; Cahoon et al., 1995; McKee & Cherry, 2009; Baustian & Mendelssohn, 2015).
The spatial extent of salt marshes in the future relies on their ability to grow vertically at rates greater than relative SLR or to migrate inland before their seaward boundary is eroded (Kirwan, Temmerman, Skeehan, Guntenspergen, & Fagherazzi, 2016). The marsh platform elevation must continuously adapt through sedimentation towards an equilibrium that keeps pace with changes in mean sea level (Morris et al., 2002). A small increase in sea level relative to the platform elevation can increase accretion and therefore productivity (Reed, 1990; Nyman, Walters, Delaune, & Patrick, 2006; Alizad et al., 2016). Relatively low rates of SLR can also reduce depths on adjacent tidal flats, which increases wave dissipation and sediment deposition, and allows the marsh boundary to prograde (Mariotti & Fagherazzi, 2010). However, if the rate of SLR is too high and exceeds the rate of accretion, the marsh will drown (Reed, 1990; Mariotti & Fagherazzi, 2010; Alizad et al., 2016; Sampath & Boski, 2016). Salt marshes may also attempt to migrate landward under SLR, which may be constrained by anthropogenic infrastructure such as roads or buildings (Friedrichs & Perry, 2001; Alizad et al., 2016; Sampath & Boski, 2016). Studying the integrated processes of salt marshes requires the coupling of dynamic models that capture biophysical feedback mechanisms (Reed, 1990). However, developing models that combine realistic subsystem marsh processes with the dynamics of larger-scale system processes can be challenging (Stralberg et al., 2011). Models that neglect bio-geo-physical feedback processes or don't account for marsh migration tend to underestimate resilience (Kirwan et al., 2016).
The last subsystem presented is hydrodynamics, namely astronomic tides and storm surge (tropical or extratropical), which is the backbone of the SoS approach to the coastal dynamics of SLR. Hydrodynamic models governed by forms of the Navier–Stokes equations provide an opportunity to examine the nonlinear feedback mechanisms of coastal flooding and allow for more accurate assessments of tides and storm surge inundation under SLR than static (i.e., "bathtub") models (Atkinson, Smith, & Bender, 2013; Bilskie, Hagen, Medeiros, & Passeri, 2014; Bilskie et al., 2016a). Static models typically assume a spatially constant and linear increase in flood depths and do not account for physics-based methods to inundate new land. In addition, static models are not always straightforward and can, counterintuitively, be complicated to apply (Hagen & Bacopoulos, 2012; Zhang, Li, Liu, Xu, & Shen, 2013). This is especially true along low-gradient coastal landscapes where minor increases in SLR and flood depths result in vast areas of new inundation (Passeri et al., 2015c).
Astronomic tidal amplitudes and tidal velocities have been shown to increase under SLR. As mean sea level increases, tidal inlets grow and enhance tidal flow volume through inlet–bay systems. Additionally, changes to tidal velocities may contribute to further erosion or deposition of sediments as tidal regimes can become more ebb or flood dominant. These changes have potential to alter salt marsh and seagrass productivity and oyster recruitment through availability of sediment and nutrients within the water column (Passeri, Hagen, Medeiros, & Bilskie, 2015b; Passeri et al., 2015c, 2016). SLR is also projected to modify flooding patterns during tropical cyclone events and can increase peak surge. Many regions along low-gradient coasts such as the northern Gulf of Mexico are susceptible to larger peak surges (up to 1.0 m higher than the rise in SLR), earlier arrival of the peak surge, lengthier inundation times, and additional inundated land (Bilskie et al., 2016a).
The SoS approach to the coastal dynamics of SLR advocates the use of integrated dynamic models to capture subsystem responses and feedback mechanisms to provide more comprehensive evaluations of how the coastal system may evolve under different scenarios. A physics-based numerical hydrodynamic model provides the means to simulate the coastal dynamics of SLR as governed by shallow water equations (Bilskie et al., 2016b). Although hydrodynamics can be computed stand-alone, it is imperative that the various subsystems are linked to hydrodynamics (and vice versa) using a SoS approach. Information about future morphology, such as shoreline and barrier island configuration and dune elevations can be implemented into a hydrodynamic model to represent potential coastal landscape changes and their effect on hydrodynamics. For example, future oceanic shoreline recession and eroded dunes can modify the path and pattern, and increase magnitude of tide and storm-induced inundation, especially along barrier islands (Passeri, Hagen, Bilskie, & Medeiros, 2015a; Passeri et al., 2015b; Bilskie et al., 2016a; Passeri et al., 2016). This can change the depth of the water table, inducing saltwater intrusion into groundwater, which can negatively affect interdependent ecosystems including marshes, shrub thickets, and maritime forests (Masterson et al., 2013). Additionally, coastal landscape changes can reduce dune vegetation growth (Feagin, Sherman, & Grant, 2005) and alter habitats for nesting species such as sea turtles (Reece et al., 2013), shore birds (Gieder et al., 2014), and beach mice (Chen, Wang, Wang, Tawes, & Rollman, 2014).
Changes in land use can be incorporated into the hydrodynamic model to represent future land roughness (Bilskie et al., 2016a). For example, urbanization results in newly developed areas, which may reduce the area of coastal forests, thereby altering the propagation of overland inundation (i.e., there is less resistance and wind momentum is more directly transferred as water flows across a paved surface than through a dense forest). Additionally, projections of salt marsh evolution can be incorporated into the hydrodynamic model. Salt marshes attenuate surge and dissipate wave energy through their vast expanse and relatively high bottom friction (Smith, Cialone, Wamsley, & McAlpin, 2010; Moller et al., 2014), which can have a substantial impact in terms of tide and tropical cyclone-induced overland inundation (Bilskie et al., 2014, 2016a; Passeri et al., 2016).
The SoS approach requires the use of high-resolution models to describe small-scale processes, which limits the spatial scale at which it can be applied; however, this allows decision-making to occur on a local scale to address the needs of individual communities and implement specific strategies to mitigate future coastal hazards. Overall, the SoS approach permits more realistic scientifically-based assessments that can better guide stakeholders, coastal managers, and decision makers to prepare, mitigate and adapt coastal communities and ecosystems to a changing landscape and future SLR (Tribbia & Moser, 2008; Passeri et al., 2015c).
Economic and Ecosystem Valuations
As the coast evolves, natural resource management plans will strive to achieve long-term sustainability of ecological habitats. However, these efforts may conflict with future land-use decisions since anthropogenic development tends to be favored along stable areas of barrier islands (Masterson et al., 2013). Output from the integrated coastal subsystem models is used to quantify economic and ecologic impacts through valuation assessments. The results of both types of valuations—economic impact and ecosystem services—whether measured in monetary or nonmonetary terms, are critical for resource management and adaptation strategies.
Recognition of the economic importance of the environment and impact on human well-being beyond traditional measures (e.g., income, jobs, taxes) continues to grow as federal and state agencies look for opportunities to make the case for natural resource protection and enhancement (Yoskowitz & Russell, 2015). Ecosystem services assessment and valuation has increased in use to connote importance of natural resources, especially in coastal and marine environments (Barbier, 2012; Yoskowitz et al., 2016). Applying ecosystem service assessments to benefits specifically derived by Natural and Nature-Based Features (NNBFs), or coastal green infrastructure (e.g., living shorelines), has been lacking (OSTP, 2015). Yet the need is great, given damage that tropical storms and persistent nuisance flooding can inflict and the role that NNBFs can play in reducing impacts. For example, the estimated impact of hurricanes Sandy and Katrina was $67 billion and $151 billion, respectively (NOAA, 2015). Additionally, studies have calculated the traditional economic impact of storm surge and the benefits that enhanced "natural" protection would provide (Costanza et al., 2008; Barbier, Georgiou, Enchelmeyer, & Reed, 2013) but have failed to connect it specifically to SLR scenarios and NNBF enhancement. In a meta-analysis, Geden, Kirwan, Wolanski, Barbier, and Silliman (2011) stress the need to close the gaps on "… the mechanistic and context-dependent aspects of shoreline protection" (p. 8) and connecting to the economic impact of surge and nuisance flooding.
U.S. Federal policy regarding valuation of ecosystem services and coastal green infrastructure has undergone major advancements during 2015. The White House recently issued two important directives. The first is the Ecosystem-Service Assessment: Research Needs for Coastal Green Infrastructure (OSTP, 2015), which identifies significant opportunities for advancing use of NNBFs as well as filling science gaps, including explicit linkages between biophysical structure, function, and processes and the value of ecosystem services. The second was a directional memo (Incorporating Ecosystem Services into Federal Decision Making, p. 1) in October of 2015, which "… provides direction to agencies on incorporating ecosystem services into Federal planning and decision making." These new policies provide viable avenues to initiate connecting NNBFs with ecosystem services and examining impacts on community resilience.
Ecosystem service assessment should be highly interdisciplinary, involving ecologists, physical scientists, modelers, economists, and social scientists, and ideally, transdisciplinary with the input from nonacademic stakeholders. To be successful, extensive research and data in these disciplines as well as input from communities of stakeholders are required (Yoskowitz & Russell, 2015). Looking at the societal impact of SLR through an "ecosystem services lens" is limited. The biophysical science, a necessary input for an ecosystem services assessment, is relatively well developed (Morris et al., 2002; Akumu, Pathirana, Baban, & Bucher, 2011; Hagen, Morris, Bacopoulis, & Weishampel, 2013) but the connection to human well-being is lacking (NRC, 2012) along with the consideration of NNBF (coastal green infrastructure) (OSTP, 2015).
Economic impact and ecosystem valuations fit into the SoS for the coastal dynamics of SLR first through the explicit recognition that humans and their activities are part of the natural environment and not separated from it, and that "environmental" problems are created, and hopefully solved, by humans. For example, nuisance flooding increases in Houston, Texas as a result of SLR, cutting off roads to a factory that cannot ship its product out on those days. Two things can happen. One, the factory adapts and raises the road. This has associated impact on jobs, income, and taxes. Or two, the factory does not adapt and sales are diminished and there are once again associated impacts. Assessment of "traditional" economic impact from commercial and noncommercial activities can be measured in a relatively straightforward manner using economic input–output models. Economic impact analysis—based upon input–output models—traces spending by a program or policy through the economy. The cumulative effects are measured monetarily. Results show direct effects, secondary effects including indirect and induced effects, and total output effects. Direct effects show the initial change in the economic activity associated with the final demand value, or how the industry is experiencing the change. Indirect effects include all the other supply chain responses and local employment indirectly affected by backward linkages. Induced effects refer more to household spending and are the result of spending of wages by the workers responsible for the direct and indirect effects. Indirect and induced effects are commonly referred to as secondary effects or spillover effects (IMPLAN Group, 2013). Here the economic activity must be connected back to biophysical changes in the environment due to SLR. Therefore, the understanding of the economic system (traditional) is used to identify changes in the biophysical system and assess the impact to the economy.
Valuing ecosystem services—the benefits that we enjoy from our natural environment—that aren't captured in market transactions can be challenging. These services can range from carbon sequestration to recreational fishing opportunities and aesthetic values (Farber et al., 2006). All of these services could be impacted by SLR as it changes the biophysical makeup of a system if we were to look at the provisioning of these services emanating from a particular biophysical feature (marsh, oyster reef, and seagrass). This is traditionally how ecosystem service assessments are conducted (NRC, 2012). However, the services should be thought of as being supplied by a "system." For example, if one were to only look at the connection between SLR, marsh, and recreational fishing and conclude that recreational fishing would be negatively impacted, this could be incorrect in systems that have multiple biophysical features that recreational species have fidelity to (mangrove, seagrass, and oyster reefs). As areal extent of marsh diminishes other habitats may expand their range.
Translating Science to Application for Societal and Coastal Benefits
There is significant concern and discussion among practitioners, scholars, politicians, and the public about the gap between what scientists and decision makers consider to be useful climate change-related knowledge (Lemos, Kirchoff, & Ramprasad, 2012). It has been argued that this complex and pressing issue calls for research approaches that are "transdisciplinary" (Allen, Kruger, Leung, & Stephens, 2013). According to the emerging body of literature on this subject, the key distinctive characteristics of transdisciplinary research are that it focuses on a real-world problem, has an evolving and iterative methodology that integrates different scholarly fields, and actively engages nonacademic stakeholders throughout the project duration (Wickson, Carew, & Russell, 2006; Levy, 2011; Allen et al., 2013). The term "stakeholder" has been defined in many ways but it is generally used to describe groups or individuals with a vested interest (e.g., monetary, professional, personal) in a particular research project or who will be impacted by a decision outcome (McNie, 2007; Phillipson, Lowe, Proctor, & Ruto, 2012; NOAA Office for Coastal Management, 2015). Identifying, analyzing, and understanding the stakeholders in a particular issue is vital and there are various approaches (Meffe, Nielsen, Knight, & Schenborn, 2002; Carney, Whitmarsh, Nicholson-Cole, & Shackley, 2009; NOAA Office for Coastal Management, 2015). Meffe et al. (2002) propose five major categories of stakeholders: (1) "people who live, work, play or worship at or near a resource"; (2) "people interested in the resource, its users, its use, or its non-use"; (3) "people interested in the processes used to make decisions"; (4) "people who pay the bills"; and (5) "people who represent citizens or are legally responsible for public resources." Though not mutually exclusive, these different categories of stakeholders may require different forms of engagement and communication within the context of a transdisciplinary project.
Stakeholder engagement (sometimes called participatory processes, participatory management, or participatory programs) acknowledges the important effect of public perceptions, beliefs, and knowledge on issues such as resource management and incorporates processes, strategies, and mechanisms that proactively involve these nonexpert groups in projects and decision-making (NOAA Office for Coastal Management, 2015). The value of stakeholder engagement has become increasingly recognized over the past several decades, and stakeholder engagement is now a fundamental component of many agency operations in the 21st century (DiStaso, 2015; NOAA Office for Coastal Management, 2015). As discussed and reported across a range of projects, there are numerous benefits of stakeholder engagement, including providing local knowledge about a natural resource or a system and verifying researcher assumptions; improving scientific data quality and credibility; generating better decisions or outcomes and fostering support; building and maintaining trust; increasing understanding, acceptance, dissemination, and effective application of project results; and cultivating relationships and future collaborative opportunities (Jakeman, Letcher, & Norton, 2006; Roux, Rogers, Biggs, Ashton, & Sergeant, 2006; McNie, 2007; Liu, Gupta, Sprinter, & Wagener, 2008; Frazier, Wood, & Yarnal, 2010; Hage, Leroy, & Petersen, 2010; Voinov & Bousquet, 2010; Phillipson et al., 2012; Bartels et al., 2013; Podesta, Natenzon, Hidalgo, & Toranzo, 2013; NOAA Office for Coastal Management, 2015; Stephens DeLorme, & Hagen, 2015; Thompson, Lemieux, & Davis, 2015). There are also potential challenges with stakeholder engagement that should be considered, such as being laborious, communication-intensive, time-consuming, and costly (NOAA Office for Coastal Management, 2015).
A plethora of stakeholder engagement mechanisms, techniques, methods, and activities have been presented and reported in multiple disciplinary literature streams and in an array of technical reports (Lynam, de Jong, Sheil, Kusumanto, & Evans, 2007; Lauber, Decker, & Knuth, 2008; Reed et al., 2008;Reed, Graves, Dandy, & Posthumus, 2009; Hage et al., 2010; Allen et al., 2013). Selecting appropriate (i.e., efficient and effective) engagement mechanisms depends on the issue, situation, and stakeholders (NOAA Office for Coastal Management, 2015). To enhance accessibility and inclusion, projects often incorporate a combination of different engagement activities as each can offer particular strengths for different situations (Jacobs, Garfin, & Lenart, 2005). While there is no universal best approach, there is general consensus among practitioners and scholars that effective stakeholder engagement entails: identifying the appropriate stakeholders; communicating expectations clearly; proactively facilitating early, fair, and frequent multi-directional interaction throughout the life of the project from initiation to completion; and developing a positive and constructive "science-management" collaborative and inclusive learning partnership in which various perspectives and iterative feedback are encouraged and considered (Dalton, 2005; Jacobs et al., 2005; Jakeman et al., 2006; Roux et al., 2006; Liu et al., 2008; Reed et al., 2008; Phillipson et al., 2012; Bartels et al., 2013; Podesta et al., 2013; NOAA Office for Coastal Management, 2015; Thompson et al., 2015; DeLorme, Kidwell, Hagen, & Stephens, 2016).
Four types of stakeholder engagement mechanisms deemed especially appropriate and effective for transdisciplinary research and climate change-related projects include advisory committees, workshops, focus groups, and webinars (Hossain & Wigand, 2004; Jacobs et al., 2005; Liu et al., 2008; Voinov & Bousquet, 2010; Moser & Ekstrom, 2011; Halofsky et al., 2012; Allen et al., 2013; Ernst & van Riemsdijk, 2013; Kragt, Robson, & Macleod, 2013; Podesta et al., 2013; Thompson et al., 2015; DeLorme et al., 2016). Advisory committees are small groups of stakeholders representing various interests that are selected and established for a specified period of time to provide input, feedback, and guidance on certain aspects of a project or on certain decisions (NOAA Office for Coastal Management, 2015). Advisory committees can operate in a range of capacities and offer particular strengths of local knowledge and technical expertise, as well as boost project credibility. Workshops are small (i.e., fewer than 25 people) gatherings of selected stakeholders that are designed to complete a specific objective in a relatively short period of time (NOAA Office for Coastal Management, 2015). As a standard yet flexible form of engagement, workshops have been convened and conducted successfully for a spectrum of purposes. According to the literature, the strengths of this technique include a familiar process and a setting for forming relationships, facilitating dialogue, and encouraging learning about a project or issue (Jacobs et al., 2005; Moser & Ekstrom, 2011; Halofsky et al., 2012; Picketts et al., 2012; Allen et al., 2013; Thompson et al., 2015). Focus groups are a longstanding qualitative social science interviewing method that offers strengths in capturing spontaneous remarks, detailed firsthand descriptions, and contextual nuances (Krueger & Casey, 2000; Berg & Lune, 2012; Stewart & Shamdasani, 2015). Focus groups have been conducted successfully as a form of stakeholder engagement in transdisciplinary research and other projects addressing various environmental issues (Eisenhauer & Nicholson, 2006; Frazier et al., 2010). Webinars are conference calls that are enhanced by virtual presentation through software (Hossain & Wigand, 2004; Ernst & van Riemsdijk, 2013). With strengths of advanced technology, webinars can support stakeholder engagement by enabling synchronous communication, building trust, and preparing participants for related face-to-face project activities and meetings (Hossain & Wigand, 2004; Ernst & van Riemsdijk, 2013).
Evaluation of stakeholder engagement is advised as it can provide useful feedback for accountability as well as benchmarks and diagnostic insights for future planning. Due to the diversity of stakeholder engagement situations, however, there are no universal procedures to follow for evaluating success. Two common and broad criteria to consider for evaluation are process criteria (e.g., a workshop satisfaction survey that measures opportunity to provide input) and short- or long-term outcome criteria (e.g., helping to achieve overall project objectives such as development of a dynamic SLR impact model) (NOAA Office for Coastal Management, 2015). Like evaluation of other components of transdisciplinary projects, evaluation of stakeholder engagement is best considered an ongoing process and requires proper planning and preparation for optimal data collection and accurate results.
The authors would like to thank Soupy Dalyander and the anonymous reviewer for their constructive comments. This effort was funded in part under awards NA10NOS4780146 and NA16NOS4780208 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research (CSCOR) and the Louisiana Sea Grant Laborde Chair. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
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Passeri, D. L., Hagen, S. C., Medeiros, S. C., Bilskie, M. V., Alizad, K., & Wang, D. (2015c). The dynamic effects of sea level rise on low-gradient coastal landscapes: A review. Earth's Future, 3(6), 159–181.Find this resource:
Passeri, D. L., Hagen, S. C., Plant, N. G., Bilskie, M. V., Medeiros, S. C., & Alizad, K. (2016). Tidal hydrodynamics under future sea level rise and coastal morphology in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Earth's Future, 4(5), 159–176.Find this resource:
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Picketts, I. M., Wemer, A. T., Murdock, T. Q., Curry, J., Dery, S. J., & Dyer, D. (2012). Planning for climate change adaptation: Lessons learned from a community-based workshop. Environmental Science & Policy, 17, 82–93.Find this resource:
Plant, N. G., & Stockdon, H. F. (2012). Probablistic prediction of barrier-island response to hurricanes. Journal of Geophysical Research, 117(F03015).Find this resource:
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Podesta, G. P., Natenzon, C. E., Hidalgo, C., & Toranzo, F. R. (2013). Interdisciplinary production of knowledge with participation of stakeholders: A case study of a collaborative project on climate variability, human decisions, and agricultural ecosystems in the Argentine Pampas. Environmental Science & Policy, 26, 40–48.Find this resource:
Reece, J. S., Passeri, D., Ehrhart, L., Hagen, S., Hays, A., Long, C., … Wolf, S. (2013). Sea level rise, land use, and climate change influence the distribution of loggerhead turtle nests at the largest USA rookery (Melbourne Beach, Florida). Marine Ecology Progress Series, 493, 259–274.Find this resource:
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Reed, M.S., Graves, A., Dandy, N. & Posthumus, H. (2009). Who's in and why? A typology of stakeholder analysis methods for natural resource management. Journal of Environmental Management, 90, 1933–1949.Find this resource:
Roelvink, J. A., Reniers, A., van Dongeren, A., van Thiel de Vries, J., McCall, R., & Lescinski, J. (2009). Modeling storm impacts on beaches, dunes and barrier islands. Coastal Engineering, 56, 1133–1152.Find this resource:
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Stockdon, H. F., Doran, K. J., Thompson, D. M., Sopkin, K. L., Plant, N. G., & Sallenger, A. H. (2012). National assessment of hurricane-induced coastal erosion hazards-Gulf of Mexico. U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2012–1084, 1-51.Find this resource:
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MEMS project aims to prevent elderly from falling
PORTLAND, Ore.—The infamous 1980s television commercial that featured the tag line "I've fallen and I can't get up" became the butt of a thousand jokes. But for the elderly, susceptibility to falls and resulting injuries is no laughing matter.
Now, a development effort at Texas Tech University, sponsored by Texas Instruments Inc., is taking aim at preventing falls by analyzing posture and gait to send warning alerts to the elderly before they fall. The project has already enlisted volunteers at Texas Tech's Health Science Center to perfect the wireless wearable sensor and is on track next for clinical trials at the first U.S. on-campus geriatric teaching facility, Texas Tech's Geriatric Education and Care Center.
"We have tried all sorts of sensor placements, from leg-mounted inertial sensors to slippers with pressure sensors in their soles, but Texas Instruments' low-power microcontrollers and wireless radio combined with a torso-mounted MEMS accelerometer and gyro—like an external pacemaker—gives the best results," said lead scientist on the project, Texas Tech EE professor Donald Lie.
After a three-year development effort, Lie's team has crafted not only the torso-mounted wireless sensor but also the software analytics running on a PC that wirelessly monitors patients, resulting in algorithms that can reliably detect falls regardless of in which direction, which Lie claims is difficult to differentiate from the many ways that people plop down into their beds, cars seats and the various pieces of furniture around the home.
Prototype of wireless sensor module for detecting falls in geriatric patients is small enough to clip on a belt.
Next, the team is honing its software analytics even finer to detect pre-fall conditions in order to take preventative measures by virtue of clinical trials on real patients at the local Geriatric Education and Care Center where they have already installed the necessary wireless infrastructure.
The MEMS sensor and wireless radio module is clipped on the belt, or for women not wearing a belt on the back of their bra, and contains a MEMS accelerometer, MEMS gyroscope, TI's MSP430 microcontroller and CC2500 radio frequency (RF) transceiver and uses the ultra-low-power SimpliciTI network protocol running a proprietary software stack developed on TI's ez430-RF2500 development platform.
"We became interested in this project at Texas Tech, because it went beyond just fall detection, but aspired to preventative measures," said TI Fellow Allen Bowling. "By analyzing the dynamics of posture and gait--the way people are standing or walking before a fall—we hope to be able to send an alarm instructing them to grab hold of something or sit down before they fall."
If the patient does end up falling, an alarm is sent wirelessly to a care provider, but the goal is to code the analytics—which today runs on a clinician-monitored PC—for the MSP430 microcontroller so alarms can be issued to patients regardless of whether they are in range of a wireless router or not.
The team also has its sights on monitoring other vestibular (balance related) disorders and diseases including Parkinson's, dementia and epilepsy, in hopes of issuing warnings to those patients of impending episodes thereby enabling them to take preventative measures.
"We believe that these projects will really make a significant difference in the clinical care of geriatric populations," said Lie, who credits his team of collaborators, including doctors Tam Nguyen, Steven Zupancic, Andrew Dentino, Ron Banister, and Tim Dallas.

subset: commoncrawl


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Now Full Responsive!Compatible with OpenCart 1.5.0, 1.5.1, 1.5.2, 1.5.3 and 184.108.40.206.
Miniml's timeless design uses the pureness of white to create a pristine and elegant backdrop for your online store.
The theme's homepage features both an eye-catching jQuery slider and a sliding image gallery where you can showcase your most stunning product photos. Also included are all the pages you need to set up an online store in OpenCart, including category landing pages and product pages with free Lightbox gallery integration.Theme Features:
- Homepage featuring:
- jQuery slider
- Sliding gallery that displays four images at a time
- The essential pages for an online store:
- Homepage
- Category Landing / Product Listing page
- Product page
- Register / Sign In page
- My Account pages
- Shopping Cart page
- General Content page
- Free Lightbox gallery integration on the product pages
- Clean, elegant and easy-to-edit header and footer
- Detailed documentation with screenshots
Release History2012-11-06 – Update: Full responsive and compatible with Opencart 18.104.22.168
2011-08-01 – Inception!


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Consistency Is the Key to Amazing Customer Service
Dec 5, 2013 5:00 AM PT
Seeking a competitive edge? In any economy and any market, customer service is the key. No matter what your business, if you have one competitor or 100 selling the same product or service, you can tip the scales in your favor by offering a higher level of service. Customers will drive farther, wait longer and even spend more for better service.
You can probably name several companies that are known for delivering amazing customer service. By "amazing," I mean service that is at least better than average, all the time. It doesn't have to be an over-the-top "wow!" level of service. Than might happen once in a while, but true customer amazement lies in the service that is consistently above average -- even if just by a little bit.
I hope that helps you realize that offering amazing service to your customers is within reach. Everyone and every company should be able to deliver service that is a little bit better than average -- and there will be that "wow" moment thrown in every once in a while when the opportunity presents itself. Those occasional events could be called "hero" moments, when a customer has a problem or there is a special situation that allows employees to step in and do something extraordinary.
Confidence Is the Driving Force
By all means, take advantage of any opportunity to wow the customer, but understand this: The best companies don't wait for situations like that to impress their customers. They review all of the typical "touch points" that a customer has with the company and ensure that each interaction has built in service that is just a notch above average.
So, the real secret that makes amazing companies amazing is the consistency. They offer service that is just a little better than average, but they do it all the time.
Think about this from the customer's point of view. If every time customers do business with you and they receive better-than-average service -- attentive, respectful, friendly -- they will gain confidence that the same level of service will be there each time. That confidence is the driving force behind customer loyalty.
So, are you ready to set your company on the journey to delivering amazing customer service? You need to get everyone on the same page by operationalizing the customer service culture.
The culture of the company exists among those who work there, so -- interestingly enough -- becoming a customer-centric organization begins by first becoming an employee-centric organization. If you want your customers to be amazed, you must first amaze your employees.
There are many surveys and studies that list the top customer service companies. There are also studies that list the top companies to work for. If you compare the lists, you might be surprised at how many of companies appear on both lists.
Seven Key Steps
Here are seven ways to operationalize a customer service culture.
1. Define the customer service culture. This is where customer-centricity begins. Start with the end in mind. What does the perfect customer service experience look like for your customer? From there, determine what will deliver that experience. Then build a culture that supports the goal.
2. Communicate the culture. Do your employees really understand what your culture/vision is all about? Make sure it is simple enough for all employees to understand and perhaps even memorize. Some companies have done a great job of turning their brand promises into a simple phrase or sentence that sums up the goal. For example, the Ritz-Carlton has a nine-word sentence: "We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen." Ace Hardware is the Helpful Hardware Place. This is what the businesses want to be known for. This is what they want their customers to experience.
3. Hire for the culture. Make sure you have the right people in place -- people who have both the skills and the attitude to take care of the customer. The old adage of "Hire for the attitude and train the skill" has merit, but you also need employees who have the personality that works for your culture. Personality is different from attitude. Don't confuse them.
4. Train for the culture. You may have hired great employees, but regardless of their amazing backgrounds, if you don't train them for your company's culture, you can't expect that they will be a great fit for your company. It is essential to start training the "soft skills" -- your customer service expectations and core values -- right away.
5. Model the behavior. Everyone must step up and be a role model for others to emulate, especially leadership. Treat each other with the same respect and dignity as you would the customer -- maybe even more so.
6. Empower everyone to be a customer service leader. Once you define your customer service standards, don't encumber your employees with rules that get in the way. Instead, give them the power to do what it takes to meet and exceed those standards.
7. Recognize and celebrate success. Let people know they're doing a great job. The recognition may be the motivation they need to continue or, even better, take it to the next level. Employees love to be appreciated and respected. Celebrate when they are doing a great job. That doesn't mean a party every week -- it may be recognition at a weekly meeting or a mention in the company newsletter. On occasion it could be something big like an annual awards dinner.
Amazing companies operationalize their customer service. They create a system that supports what the customer experience is expected to be. They recognize that customer service gives them the competitive edge.
If they are focused only on price, the customer will be loyal only as long as the price is the lowest. If they focus on customer service, the opportunity for loyalty can last a lifetime.


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|Allegro CL version 9.0
Unrevised from 8.2 to 9.0.
8.2 version
This command prints out interesting information about the current frame (of a :zoom output). The information printed can include the values of local variables and the source code that they are set in.
The minimal abbreviation of :frame is :fr.
See top-level.htm for more information on top-level commands. See debugging.htm for information on the debugger.
Copyright (c) 1998-2017, Franz Inc. Oakland, CA., USA. All rights reserved.
This page was not revised from the 8.2 page.
Created 2012.5.30.
|Allegro CL version 9.0
Unrevised from 8.2 to 9.0.
8.2 version


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Celebrate Recovery
Purpose StatementTo help people find freedom from hurts, habits and hang-ups including addictions, compulsive and dysfunctional behaviors.
The purpose of Saddleback Church´s Celebrate Recovery ministry is to fellowship and celebrate God´s healing power in our lives through the "8 Recovery Principles." This experience allows us to "be changed." We open the door by sharing our experiences, strengths and hopes with one another. In addition, we become willing to accept God´s grace in solving our lives´ problems. By working and applying these Biblical principles, we begin to grow spiritually. We become free from our addictive, compulsive and dysfunctional behaviors. This freedom creates peace, serenity, joy and most importantly, a stronger personal relationship with God and others. As we progress through the program we discover our personal, loving and forgiving Higher Power - Jesus Christ, the one and only true Higher Power.
Want to Learn More?
Visit our official website to see more in-depth information about our ministry, how we're impacting the community, and ways that you can get involved.http://www.celebraterecovery.com/


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I have to admit that haircare is not my forte, I don't have a fascination with my hair. I'd rather focus on my skin. I leave the hair thing to my sister, she's the go to hair girl in the family. But for once, it was I who introduced her to something good.
I've been using Yuki Sharoni's products for awhile now and I have been very pleased with the results. Yuki's Morning After Shampoo gives you a great lather with a fabulous lemony scent. It doesn't completely rob your hair of all it's moisture either, I sometimes even skip the conditioner. If you're in the mood for some good conditioner lovin' though, Yuki's Back to Life Conditioner does an excellent job of giving even the thickest hair (that would be mine) a touch of softness. Also, these products have some very convenient packaging, I love these bottles. Aren't they cute? I'm not the only who thinks so. Someone also happens to think Yuki is very handsome. Yeah, ok… he is.
hair, shampoo, conditioner, yuki sharoni, beauty products, makeup, product reviews, cosmetics


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Casket Arrives at St. John's Abbey Church for Officer Tom Decker's Funeral [VIDEO, AUDIO]
COLLEGEVILLE -- Thousands of police officers, Patriot Guard members and Central Minnesotans are gathered at St. John's Abbey Church in Collegeville for the funeral of slain Cold Spring Police Officer Tom Decker.
A hearse carrying Decker's casket arrived at the church shortly before 11 this morning.
WJON's Jim Maurice is there and filed this report shortly before services began.
And Jim Maurice filed this report from the Abbey during the funeral.


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The era of the Catacombs Bar in downtown Boulder is coming to a close.
The operators of the Hotel Boulderado, 2115 13th St., are planning to remodel the subterranean night spot -- which was one of the first "wet" bars in Boulder after the city lifted its liquor ban in the late 1960s -- and reopen it under a different concept and name.
"It'll be undergoing a transformation, but it's going to continue as a bar," said Frank Day, who has owned the Boulderado since 1980. "Will it be exactly the same? No.
"I think it's run its course."
The planned remodel of the Catacombs is coming as part of broader changes to the Boulderado's restaurant offerings.
The contract with John Platt, the local restaurateur who has operated Q's and The Corner Bar since 1993, expires at the end of the year, Day said, adding that Boulderado officials have opted to bring the management of those restaurants in-house.
Platt, who serves as the chef and co-proprietor of Riffs Urban Fare, 1115 Pearl St., in downtown Boulder, said that if it were up to him, he would continue forward at the Boulderado restaurants.
"It was not my decision to leave," Platt said of his role with Q's and The Corner Bar.
'Add some new twists'
Plans have not been finalized for The Corner Bar, Q's and Catacombs, but discussions are progressing and efforts should start to materialize after the first of the year, Day said.
"Q's is a nice restaurant. We'll continue that tradition and maybe add some new twists to it," he said. "The Corner Bar could use a little boot in the butt. We're planning some upgrades and changes."
Some of the ideas being floated for the Catacombs include converting it to a modern version of a Prohibition-era speakeasy or a lounge bar, he said.
"It'll be definitely something more in line with the Boulderado brand than the Catacombs, which has become a college bar over the years," he said.
The Catacombs bar's roots date back to March 1969, when a Boulderado co-owner partnered with a local restaurateur to convert a "junk-filled basement" into a restaurant and lounge. The Catacombs and Tom's Tavern were among the first businesses to be granted liquor licenses after the 1967 repeal of the city's liquor ban, said Sylvia Pettem, a local historian and author of "Legend of a Landmark: A History of the Hotel Boulderado."
'Among the best'
"The Combs" quickly grew in popularity and would attract droves of people who lined up outside to get into the bar when it was at capacity, said Don Bertetto, a former Boulder resident who frequented the Catacombs in its heyday.
Bertetto, who now lives in Indiana, credited the Catacombs with playing an integral role in the early years of Hanson Industries Inc., a ski boot manufacturer founded in 1970.
"Primarily joking, we used to say that Hanson Industries was born and raised in the Catacombs," said Bertetto, 75, who was involved in Hanson Industries' formation with brothers Denny and Chris Hanson.
Bertetto and the Hansons, who worked across 13th Street from the Boulderado, would use lunches at Catacombs for research and development, he said. The ski boot designs sketched on napkins would be brought back to the office to be finalized, he added.
Hanson Industries would entertain its board of directors at the Catacombs, which Bertetto lauded for its "impeccable" food.
"One of our board members, a world traveler, said he always looked forward to those dinners and ranked the Catacombs among the best," Bertetto said.
After Day bought the Boulderado in 1980, the underground bar went through a couple different iterations -- among them a bar called Newcomb's and a pasta restaurant -- but eventually reverted to the Catacombs name.
Five years ago, some concern was stirred among Catacombs' patrons when renovations were planned to make the bar more upscale.
Day said he's aware that there may be some attachment to the Catacombs, but changes to the bar, The Corner Bar and Q's are the result of evolution.
"This is a business, you keep moving, you keep rolling along," he said. "Things have to metamorphose."
Contact Camera Business Writer Alicia Wallace at 303-473-1332 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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- Wildlife
- Birds
- Finches and Buntings
- Reed Bunting
Amy Lewis
A sparrow-sized bird of reedbeds, wetlands and farmland, the Reed Bunting feeds on seeds and invertebrates. In the winter, Reed Buntings join mixed-species flocks of buntings, finches and sparrows to feed on seed in farmland. During the breeding season, males can be spotted perched high on reeds, rushes or scrub, voicing their simple three-note territorial call. Females nest low in the dense vegetation, constructing the nest from grass, reeds and moss. If a predator comes close, it may be drawn away by one of the adults acting as if injured.
How to identify
Reed Buntings are streaky, brown birds. The males have black heads and black throats, with a white collar and white 'moustache'. Female buntings, including female Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings, can be very difficult to tell apart.
Where to find it
When to find it
- January
- February
- March
- April
- May
- June
- July
- August
- September
- October
- November
- December
How can people help
Since the 1970s, the UK's breeding population of Reed Buntings has decreased dramatically by 67% - a decline mirrored by many of our farmland birds. The drainage of our wetlands, changes in agricultural practices and urban development have all had detrimental effects on farmland birds, but The Wildlife Trusts are working closely with farmers and landowners to promote wildlife-friendly practices. We are working towards a 'Living Landscape': a network of habitats and wildlife corridors across town and country, which are good for both wildlife and people. You can support this greener vision for the future by joining your local Wildlife Trust.


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Saturday, November 10, 2012
Book of the Week: Summer of the Mariposas by Guadalupe Garcia McCall
This unusual mythic reality tale features five sisters living on the border with Mexico, whose father left almost a year ago. One day, when swimming in the river, they find a man's body. Eventually, after seeing the pictures of his family in his wallet, they decide they must take him back to his home in Mexico. With the paranormal help of Llorona and some magical earrings, they take a hero's journey through Mexico filled with strange encounters.
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New York State and the Seneca Nation have reached a deal that would pump $140 million of Indian casino revenue into three struggling Western New York cities, the state said on Thursday.
Niagara Falls, which had been on track to run out of cash this year, will receive $89 million under the agreement. The nearby city of Salamanca will receive $34.5 million and Buffalo will get $15.5 million, according to a statement from New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Continue Reading Below
The state will get nearly $270 million and the Senecas will retain about $209 million of the disputed funds.
The money had been tied up for three years in a dispute about gambling revenues between New York State and the Seneca Nation, which operates casinos in the three cities.
In order to operate the casinos, the Senecas agreed to share some of the revenue with the state and local communities. In return, the state agreed to allow no other casinos in the region.
The Senecas believe the state violated the agreement by allowing video lottery terminals at nearby racetracks and began withholding payments.
Seneca Nation President Barry Snyder Sr. said in a statement that he was pleased the dispute was resolved and that local governments would once again benefit from casino revenue.
Niagara Falls was downgraded two notches to Baa3 by Moody's Investors Service last month because the ongoing fight over casino revenue left the city cash-strapped.
The city of about 50,000 people also suffers from high unemployment, poverty and elevated debt levels, Moody's said in May.
Under the agreement announced on Thursday, the Seneca Nation will also resume making payments totaling about $135 million annually to the state from casino operations.
Cuomo agreed that the Seneca Nation would get an exclusive gaming zone in Western New York, while the Senecas agreed to let existing video lotteries at area racetracks remain.