Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Kristin Marcell
NYS DEC Hudson River Estuary Program/Cornell WRI
Helping communities plan for resilience: Examples from the Hudson River
Estuary Program
Today’s presentation:Best sources of regional information on projected changes
Climate Smart Communities program
Important actions communities (and schools) can take to make themselves more resilient
Examples of these actions in practice
NYS 2100 Commission Report (2012)
NYS Sea Level Rise Task Force Report (2010)
Responding to Climate Change in NYS/ ClimAID (2011, updated 2014)
Climate Action Plan Interim
Report (2010)
Where is the best regional information?
Climate Smart CommunitiesState support for municipal emissions reduction and adaptation
A six agency partnership program:
Department of Environmental Conservation
Department of Health
Department of State
Department of Transportation
Energy Research and Development Authority
Public Service Commissionhttp://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/50845.html
142 so far!
Certification LevelsPriorityActions (of 13)
Total Points
Certified 6 120
Bronze 8 250
Silver 13 350
Gold 13 450
Piloted in Hudson Valley
First Certified CSCs:
Village of Dobbs Ferry (Bronze)
City of Kingston (Bronze)
City of Albany
Town Cortlandt
Orange County
City of Watervliet
Who’s next?
Climate Smart Communities Certification ProgramState support for municipal emissions reduction and adaptation
http://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/96511.html
How do we adapt?
Determine what is vulnerable
Develop vision for resilience Select strategies Incorporate strategies into
plans and projects
Increasing temps Flooding
Drought Sea level rise
Hudson River Waterfront Flooding Task ForcesKingston, Piermont, Catskill, Stony Point
Kingston Piermont
Community choices for sea-level rise scenarios
2020s 2050s 2060s 2100
Kingston 20 and 36 33 and 68
Piermont 10 29 72
Catskill 6.5 21.5 60
Stony Point 1 foot increments up to 6’
Adaptation planning: Determine what is vulnerable
Adaptation Planning: Determine what is vulnerable
Commercial core
Adaptation planning: Develop a vision for resilience
Adaptation planning: Develop a vision for resilience
Flooding Adaptation Strategies
•Do Nothing
• Fortify
•Accommodate
• Strategically Relocate
Adaptation planning: Select strategies
Elevate Deployable floodwall
Conserve natural protective features
Design to floatDesign to flood
Adaptation planning: Incorporate strategies into plans and projects
• Adopt sea level rise projections
• Evaluate local codes/ ordinances
• Consider joining the National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System
Conduct a watershed assessment to know the sources of flooding and water quality problems
Map: DutchessWatersheds.org
Use green infrastructure to manage stormwater in developed areas
Natural features and engineered practices that infiltrate runoff on-site
Treat stormwater closer to where the rain falls
Several small practices instead of one large one
Marist College, PoughkeepsieStanley Still Park, Poughkeepsie
NYS Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation, Staatsburg
Rain Garden
Green Roof
Porous pavement
Helping volunteer groups plant native trees and shrubs along streams
www.dec.ny.gov/lands/43668.html
Conserve, revegetate and reconnect floodplains and buffers along streams
Improving design and flow of bridges and culverts can:
Improve aquatic habitat
Improve water quality
Help pass sediment and debris
Improve aesthetics
Right-size bridges and culverts and remove unnecessary dams
1 million culverts statewide (NYSDOT)
5700 dams in NYS Dam Inventory, on average 69 years old (Vedachalam and Riha, 2013)
Right-size bridges and culverts and remove unnecessary dams
Connectivity Planning
Our vision:Use ecological understanding to help communities “live well with nature.”
Whaley Lake Stream, Beekman
Questions?
Kristin MarcellHudson River Estuary ProgramPhone: (845) 256-3017Email: [email protected]://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/39786.html
