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Proposed plan focuses on inland flood resilience, wetlands, and community tools
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Coastal Resources Division (CRD) is inviting public comment on the Georgia Coastal Management Program’s (GCMP) Draft Section 309 Assessment and Strategy for 2026–2030. The draft identifies Coastal Hazards and Wetlands as high-priority areas for enhancement and outlines a five-year plan to strengthen community resilience across coastal Georgia.
At the heart of the draft is a single, statewide strategy—"Future Floodplain Tools for Inland Coastal Communities”—that would develop forward-looking floodplain maps, risk assessments, and guidance to help local governments prepare for flooding. The five-year effort is proposed for approximately $1.3 million in NOAA funding.
The strategy focuses on Georgia’s second-tier (inland) coastal counties—Effingham, Long, Wayne, Brantley, and Charlton—and aims to equip communities with practical tools for smarter growth, conservation, and hazard mitigation. Deliverables include future-condition floodplain maps, community risk assessments, and a Resiliency Reference Guide tailored for inland areas.
As proposed, work would include county-level meetings, “ground-truthing” of flood risks with local officials, and regular Resiliency Academy workshops to support peer-to-peer learning. The draft plan also calls for developing freshwater living shoreline guidance to reduce erosion in tidal freshwater and riverine environments.
The 2026–2030 strategy builds on GCMP’s previous resilience initiatives, “Enhancing Coastal Resilience with Green Infrastructure” (2016–2020) and “Building Resiliency with Nature-Based Infrastructure” (2021–2025), by expanding proven approaches from ocean-facing communities to inland communities facing riverine and combined flooding.
How to comment
Members of the public are encouraged to submit written comments by 4:30 p.m., Monday, Sept. 22, 2025, via email to Jan Mackinnon at jan.mackinnon@dnr.ga.gov.
The Draft Section 309 Assessment and Strategy will be available on the GCMP website, and notice of availability will be shared via the state’s GovDelivery email lists. An overview will also be presented to the Coastal Advisory Council at its spring 2026 meeting.
About Section 309
Under the federal Coastal Zone Management Act, states periodically assess their coastal programs across nine enhancement areas and identify strategies to address gaps and emerging needs. Georgia’s current draft prioritizes Coastal Hazards and Wetlands and proposes targeted actions to reduce flood risk and protect critical habitats.
About the Coastal Resources Division
The mission of the Coastal Resources Division is to balance coastal development and protection of the coast's natural assets, socio-cultural heritage and recreational resources for the benefit of present and future generations.
Media Contact (*not for public comment)
Tyler Jones
Public Information Officer
Coastal Resources Division
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
tyler.jones@dnr.ga.gov
