Caribbean Coastal Scenarios (CCS): an integrated analysis of inland-coastal linkages to guide sustainable use and protection of coastal ecosystems (CRN2061)

The Caribbean Coastal Scenarios (CCS) project analyzes how inland activities and climate change affect coastal resources in Cuba, Dominican Republic, Hispaniola, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico. Initial findings highlight water quality degradation from sewage and damming, specifically noting nitrate/phosphate contamination in Puerto Rico and flooding caused by deforestation and agriculture in the Dominican Republic's Haina River watershed. The project utilizes hydrological models across 84 watersheds to guide sustainable coastal protection.

• The Caribbean Coastal Scenarios (CCS) project aims to quantify how inland activities impact coastal resources under various climate change and development scenarios for Cuba, Dominican Republic, Hispaniola, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico. The project's goals include characterizing island watersheds, estimating the impact of inland water flow on coastal resources, and using stakeholder dialogue to create scenarios for the management, conservation, and restoration of coastal ecosystems.
• Initial project results include the mapping of land-cover and soils across 84 watersheds in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico, alongside the development of hydrological models. Findings indicate that river alterations via sewage discharge, channeling, and dam construction have led to increased sedimentation, nutrient export, and algal biomass, while decreasing water quality.
• Specific regional environmental pressures include Puerto Rico, where approximately 50% of wastewater is treated and sewage effluents contaminate rivers with phosphate and nitrate. In the Dominican Republic, the upper Haina River watershed experiences deforestation, slash-and-burn agriculture, and overgrazing, leading to high peak runoff that causes property destruction, infrastructure damage, and occasional loss of life. Additionally, both Cuba and the Dominican Republic are seeing an expansion of water-intensive rice cultivation.

APA

Melesse, A., Webber, D., Vicioso, F., Nunez, F., Ortiz, J., McClain, M. E., & Fu, Z. J. (2010). Caribbean Coastal Scenarios (CCS): an integrated analysis of inland-coastal linkages to guide sustainable use and protection of coastal ecosystems (CRN2061). Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research. https://iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/CRN2061.pdf

Chicago

Melesse, Assefa, Dale Webber, Felipe Vicioso, Francisco Nunez, Jorge Ortiz, Michael E. McClain, and Zhaohui Jennifer Fu. Caribbean Coastal Scenarios (CCS): an integrated analysis of inland-coastal linkages to guide sustainable use and protection of coastal ecosystems (CRN2061). Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research, 2010. https://iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/CRN2061.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Melesse |first1=Assefa |last2=Webber |first2=Dale |last3=Vicioso |first3=Felipe |last4=Nunez |first4=Francisco |last5=Ortiz |first5=Jorge |last6=McClain |first6=Michael E. |last7=Fu |first7=Zhaohui Jennifer |title=Caribbean Coastal Scenarios (CCS): an integrated analysis of inland-coastal linkages to guide sustainable use and protection of coastal ecosystems (CRN2061) |publisher=Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research |date=February 2010 |url=https://iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/CRN2061.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{melesse2010caribbean, author = {Melesse, Assefa and Webber, Dale and Vicioso, Felipe and Nunez, Francisco and Ortiz, Jorge and McClain, Michael E. and Fu, Zhaohui Jennifer}, title = {{Caribbean Coastal Scenarios (CCS): an integrated analysis of inland-coastal linkages to guide sustainable use and protection of coastal ecosystems (CRN2061)}}, institution = {Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}, year = {2010}, month = feb, url = {https://iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/CRN2061.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }