GOMESA Application Details

Internal Project Number: 281404
1. Title of Project: Mapping Survey of Mississippi Marshland Preserves
2. Location of Project: Coastal Counties of Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson, Mississippi
3. Requesting Organization: National Oceans Applications Research Center
4a. Name: David P. Brannon
4b. Position
4c. Phone Number: 2288606769
4d. Fax Number
4e. Address Line 1: 7250 Stennis Airport Drive Suite 206
4e. Address Line 2
4e. City, State Zip: Kiln, Mississippi
4f. Email: dbrannon@noarc.org
5. FundingRequested: $2,175,000
Awarded Amount:
6. Other State or Federal Funding Sources: No
7a. Amount of Additional Funds
7b. Source of Additional Funds
8. Total Project Funds Amount: $2,175,000
9. Project Description/Overview: The survey will establish the definitive geospatial baseline required to protect, manage, monitor, and legally defend the ecological integrity of Mississippi marshland preserves in the face of ongoing environmental change caused by natural processes and adjacent business and residential developments. Effective natural resource management and conservation, risk management, and regulatory compliance all depend on having accurate, current spatial data about the marsh ecosystem. A comprehensive mapping survey is necessary to establish an authoritative baseline of marshland conditions that enables informed management decisions. This information enables protection of ecological resources, assessment of environmental changes, mitigation of flood and storm risks, identification of invasive species, and compliance with standing conservation requirements. Without accurate mapping, managers cannot reliably measure habitat loss, track restoration outcomes, identify threats, prioritize investments, or demonstrate stewardship of protected lands. A comprehensive mapping survey transforms a marsh preserve from a landscape that is only partially understood from ground based observations into a system that can be analyzed, monitored, measured, and managed using objective evidence. The survey provides a geospatial framework that supports decisions at every level—from day-to-day operations to long-term strategic planning for restoration and resource management.
10. Project Goals/Objectives: Project objectives include: 1. Acquiring 100% LiDAR-based inventory of coastal marshland preserves 2. Deriving landscape classification of marsh preserves focused on critical habitats 3. Identifying sites of critical concern (invasive species, erosion, etc.) for detailed mapping survey with multispectral mapping cameras 4. Maintaining this marshland geospatial decision support system on behalf of MDMR and provide on-line access to department resource managers. Project goals include: 1. Identify those marshland areas of high erosion that are candidates for shoreline restoration 2. Identify those areas that would allow space for marshlands to migrate inland as a mitigation factor 3. Identify areas subject to encroachment 4. Establish a monitoring baseline that enables analysis of ecosystem condition using key indicators such as vegetation changes, species distribution, and shoreline changes. The most important goal of this project is to create a decision support system that allows research managers to anticipate future conditions and design management strategies to compensate for them.
11. Which of the following authorized uses set forth in the GOMESA Act does this project fall under?

(A) Projects and activities for the purpose of coastal protection, including conservation, coastal restoration, hurricane protection, and infrastructure directly affected by coastal wetlands losses: Yes: “You cannot manage what you cannot accurately measure.” A comprehensive mapping survey provides the foundational data needed to quantify ecological conditions, detect change, allocate resources efficiently, and demonstrate accountability in the stewardship of protected marshlands.

(B) Mitigation of damage to fish, wildlife, or natural resources.

(C) Implementation of a federally-approved marine, coastal, or conservation management plan.

(D) Mitigation of the impact of Outer Continental Shelf activities through funding of onshore infrastructure projects.

12. Project Timetable/Milestones: Year One: Complete LiDAR survey of: (June 2028) * Hancock County Marsh Preserve: 12,072 acres * Bayou LaCroix: 2,152 acres * Jourdan River: 573 acres * Wolf River: 1,528 acres * Bayou Portage: 133 acres Year Two: Complete LiDAR survey of: (June 2029) * Cat Island: 1,678 acres * Biloxi River Marshes: 462 acres * Deer Island: 746 acres * Davis Bayou: 40 acres * Graveline Bay: 784 acres * Round Island: 111 acres * Shell Landing: 527 acres Year Three: Complete LiDAR survey of: (June 2030) * Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve: 4,239 acres * Pascagoula River Marsh: 15,133 acres Acreage grand total: 40,179 acres Complete geospatial framework for resource managers access. (June 2030)
13. Project Timing: Short-term
14. Current status of architectural/engineering plans & specifications for this project (if applicable):: Other N/A Funds Not Budgeted

15. In what way does this project meet the goals and objectives of the Department of Marine Resources, which includes enhancing, protecting and conserving the marine interest of Mississippi for present and future generations?: The comprehensive mapping survey resulting from this project will serve as an MDMR decision-support platform, providing the spatially explicit information required to prioritize investments, evaluate management alternatives, assess risks, monitor ecological change, and justify actions to regulators, stakeholders, and funding agencies. By converting field observations into actionable geospatial intelligence, the survey enables evidence-based stewardship and long-term adaptive management of the marsh ecosystem. The decision support system will enable; 1. Prioritizing limited resources: * Which marshlands are experiencing the highest rates of erosion * Where are invasive species concentrated (chines tallow for example) * Where are the critical habitats for sensitive or threatened species * Which restoration projects will provide the best ecological services for the investment. Instead of basing decision on anecdotal ground-based observations, managers can rank projects based on measurable criteria. 2. Evaluating resource management alternatives; Spatial analyses can estimate the ecological benefits, costs, and long-term sustainability of each option, helping decision-makers justify their choice. 3. Measuring change over time * Habitat gains or losses * Changes in vegetation within critical habitat communities * Shoreline changes (migration and loss) * Sustainability of restoration projects over time 4. Determining effects of storm systems on critical marshland habitats * Shoreline loss * Habitat loss * Barrier island impacts

16. Estimated Years To Completion: 3
17. Estimated Completion Date: 6/30/2028

Budget:

Salaries,Wages, Fringe: $536,090
Travel
Architecture & Engineering
Legal
Consulting
Construction
Site Work
Equipment
Indirects: $205,435
Other: $1,433,475
Total: $2,175,000


Application Submission Date: 06/29/2026
Fiscal Year: 2028
Project Status
Application Status: Submitted
Meets Criteria
Internal Notes:
Attachments:: https://gomesa.dmr.ms.gov/attachments/GOMESA_1404_Attachment.pdf
Hyperlink:: Attachments

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