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"Policy Options for Managing Waterfront Vulnerability to Flooding" presentation by Betsy Blair, NYSDEC Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve, from the 4/13/12 Columbia-Greene Revitalizing Hudson Riverfronts forum .
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NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Betsy Blair, NYSDEC Marine Habitat Protec9on/Hudson River NERR Kris9n Marcell, Hudson River Estuary Program/Cornell WRI
Managing Waterfront Vulnerability to Flooding:
How can we adapt?
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Waterfront revitaliza4on vs. Waterfront vulnerability
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
• Define vulnerable areas (now and future)
• Design waterfronts to provide – Economic benefits – Environmental benefits – Safety
Can we build smarter?
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
What is the lifespan of infrastructure?
What are our vulnerabilities now and into the future?
What natural assets do we want to conserve?
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Considerations at the site level
• Economic • Visual • Environmental • Technical
• Social • Political • Funding/Administration
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Potential Strategies • Protection: armoring or adding sand to
the shoreline • Accommodation: elevation of land,
structures or critical systems; designing to flood
• Strategic Relocation: keeping or moving structures out of harm’s way
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Protection: Armoring and beach nourishment
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
For good reason
Oil terminals
Cultural landmarks
Infrastructure
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Can we do better?
Don’t do this if you don’t have to!
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
10 Steps to better shore zones
• Preserve physical diversity
• Resist tidiness • Don’t squeeze the
zone • Prevent pollution • Reduce wave
damage
• Tread lightly • Don’t make dead
ends • Don’t make it so
hard • Give shores room to
move • Be careful about
building
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Scenic Hudson’s Esopus Meadows Preserve
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Eroding Shoreline
Coxsackie Boat Launch Demonstration Site
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
http://bronx.mit.edu/meet-your-waterfront-plan
Dept of Urban Studies and Planning, School of Architecture + Planning at MIT
“…the gabions are arranged in an undulating pattern along the riparian edge to disperse wave motion and slow water speeds.”
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Accommodation: Elevating or designing to flood
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Elevated structures with flood gates, Hamburg, Germany
Wave attenuation, Brooklyn Bridge Park
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Allow Room for Rivers Village of Tarrytown • Shoreline “eco-corridor”
with swales and native grasses
• www.scenichudson.org
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Strategic Relocation: Keeping or moving structures out of
harm’s way
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Over the long term in many areas greenways and parks may be better uses of the shore than buildings.
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Iona Island
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Limit development in highest risk areas
Town of Pleasant Valley – Floodplain Protection:
Zoning code limits uses in 100 yr floodplain to uses minimally affected by high water
– http://pleasantvalley-ny.gov/
Saugerties
Dobbs Ferry
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Don’t drown wetlands! Town of East Hampton
– Examined sea level rise and storms in comprehensive plan
– Studied changing wetland boundaries – Prohibits building of bulkheads that would block
wetland movement. – 150’ setback and no build zones in high hazard
floodplains – http://www.nyswaterfronts.com/LWRP/Town%20of
%20East%20Hampton/default/Town_of_East_Hampton_LWRP.htm
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
City of Hudson riverfront
Present day, low tide
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
City of Hudson riverfront
Simulation: Inundation -- high tide with 4 feet of sea level rise
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
City of Hudson riverfront
Simulation: Armored protection at high tide with 4 feet of sea level rise
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
City of Kingston waterfront
Simulation: Armored protection with elevated sea level (low tide).
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
City of Kingston waterfront
Simulation: Accommodation to elevated sea level (low tide), vegetated revetment, flood-proofed buildings
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
City of Kingston waterfront
Simulation: Strategic retreat with elevated sea level (low tide)
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Questions?
Betsy Blair NYS DEC Hudson River NERR Phone: (845) 889-4745 x113 Email: [email protected]