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SESSION: CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATIONS

SESSION: CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATIONS. Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment Project: New Level of Infrastructure Planning, City of Cambridge, MA. Rich Niles., Senior Project Manager, AMEC. Nathalie Beauvais. AICP MOAQ Intl. Assoc. AIA LEED AP, Kleinfelder.

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SESSION: CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATIONS

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  1. SESSION: CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATIONS Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment Project: New Level of Infrastructure Planning, City of Cambridge, MA Rich Niles., Senior Project Manager, AMEC Nathalie Beauvais. AICP MOAQ Intl. Assoc. AIA LEED AP, Kleinfelder AMEC is one of the technical leads for the Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment for the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts as a subcontractor to Kleinfelder, Inc. The City of Cambridge has been working for over two decades to address a variety of environmental issues and has recognized climate change as an increasing concern requiring attention. The City wishes to evaluate and prepare to adapt to a variety of climate change phenomena that may affect the welfare of the City and its infrastructure. This presentation will discuss the scope of work to evaluate potential climate change related impacts to the City of Cambridge. This includes a screening and prioritization of critical infrastructure based on existing known problems, available data and key characteristics that are unique to the City of Cambridge (e.g., surface water supply, tidal waterfront). The Project Team and stakeholders have begun to identify and rank vulnerabilities for further evaluation in conjunction with on-going efforts by others, such as the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). For example, the MassDOT is conducting a vulnerability assessment of the Central Artery tunnels to flooding and the City of Cambridge intends to expand upon the results of this modeling effort and enhance its vulnerability assessment with respect to storm surge, sea level rise and localized flooding. This presentation will highlight the newest challenge that cities face to begin evaluating climate change impacts. Once the vulnerability assessment is complete, the City of Cambridge anticipates developing a climate change preparedness plan. Rich Niles is a Senior Project Manager with AMEC Environment & Infrastructure, Inc. and a key lead for Water Resource Services in the Northeast U.S. and the firm’s international Climate Change Practice.  Rich has been assisting communities for the last 14 years to develop and implement a variety of water resource and infrastructure management programs.  His projects encompass a wide range of expertise from stormwater management and finance programs to stream restoration, flood mitigation and levee assessment. Rich is well suited in the management of complex multi-disciplinary projects that often involve working with stakeholder groups in multiple jurisdictions. Nathalie Beauvais has more than 20 years of experience in the fields of architecture, urban design and planning with a strong emphasis on sustainability, climate change and the integration of planning and engineering expertise. She is a senior member of Kleinfelder’s sustainability practice where she currently manages the team of scientists, academics and sustainability experts conducting the City of Cambridge Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Plan and the Massport Disaster Infrastructure and Resiliency Planning Study. She is an author and speaker on comprehensive planning, sustainable planning and climate change. Ms. Beauvais teaches at Wentworth Institute of Technology in the Master Program for Architecture.

  2. Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment for Cambridge, MA Transportation Research Board Committee ADC60 Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure Workshop, New York City A new level of infrastructure planning June 18, 2014 AMEC Environment & Infrastructure, Inc. and Kleinfelder, Inc. Photo source: City of Cambridge

  3. Climate Change Trends Increase in Mean and Variance July 2010 Street Flooding Source: City of Cambridge Source: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2012 Extreme precipitation events Increased flooding Increased temperature - heat stress & health impacts

  4. Is this our future? Lots of interest in climate change phenomena and extreme weather events . . . not all of it is based on good science. Image Source: Boston.com

  5. Shift in Thinking for Climate Change Planning

  6. City of Cambridge • Comparison of Population/mi2 • Boston: 12,900/mi2 • Los Angeles: 7,544/mi2 • New York City: 27,532/mi2 Source: Bing.com 6.43 sq mi (16.65 km2) 105,162 pop. Density 16,422 people/mi2

  7. Drivers for Preparedness Planning Amelia Earhart Dam Water Supply Reservoirs Critical Facilities & Infrastructure Dense Population Charles River Dam Evacuation Routes Economic Assets Flooding Source: Bing.com

  8. Scope of Work Phase I • Climate Change Scenarios • Sea Level Rise • Extreme Weather Events • Risk & Vulnerability Assessment • Infrastructure Assessment • Social Environment Phase II • Preparedness Plan We are partly through Phase I . . .

  9. Phase I Overview http://www.cambridgema.gov/CDD/Projects/Climate/climatechangeresilianceandadaptation.aspx Stakeholder Engagement Existing Conditions/Data Collection & Climate Change Projections Scenario Development – Boundary Conditions Vulnerability and Risk Assessment Final Report

  10. Working through the process . . . • Many Players • Varying interests • Engaged & informed public Cambridge Mayor Henrietta Davis Joins 45 Mayors and County Leaders Nationwide in Pledge to Create More Resilient Cities

  11. Data Collection(example) DRAFT

  12. Data Collection(example) DRAFT

  13. Data Collection(example) DRAFT

  14. Project Elements & Preliminary Analysis • Climate change scenario evaluation • Calibration with local data for Cambridge • To be incorporated into modeling Source: ATMOS, 2013 Source: ATMOS, 2013

  15. Leveraging Local Efforts Map Source: The Boston Harbor Association Image Source: MassDOT

  16. MA Hurricane Study (based on SLOSH Model) Charles River Dam: Design High Tide = 113’ Top of Dam = 118’ Category 2 Hurricane Surge Inundation Area (dark green) Sustained winds of 96-110 mph

  17. Elements of Success • Exercise due diligence to balance planning, science & engineering analysis • Need good local data • Stakeholder engagement is key • Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment is becoming an integral planning element • Lots More Work to be Done . . .

  18. Questions & Contact Information Kleinfelder Nathalie Beauvais, Int’l Assoc. AIA, AICP, LEED AP Senior Project Manager 215 1st Street, Suite 320 Cambridge, MA 02142 nbeauvais@kleinfelder.com 617-498-4651 City of Cambridge, MA John Bolduc Environmental Planner 344 Broadway Cambridge, MA 02139 jbolduc@cambridgema.gov 617-349-4628 AMEC Environment & Infrastructure, Inc. Rich Niles Water Resources Project Manager 271 Mill Road Chelmsford, MA 01824 rich.niles@amec.com 978-392-5355 Additional Project Team Members: • Dr. Paul Kirshen, University of New Hampshire • Consensus Building Institute • Catalysis Adaptation Partners • Dr. Pat Kinney, Columbia University • Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, ATMOS Research • The Resiliency Place http://www.cambridgema.gov/CDD/Projects/Climate/climatechangeresilianceandadaptation.aspx

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