Presentation Abstract
In 2010, Olympia City Council directed staff to investigate the implications of 50-inches of sea rise to our downtown and to develop a progressive strategy of appropriate responses. Over the past three years, City technical staff and coastal engineers have developed near and long-term priorities and implementation actions. The new analysis links a comprehensive marine simulation of Budd Inlet with land elevations and uses, stormwater and wastewater infrastructure, major precipitation events and sea level rise. The analysis provides a tangible and easily visualized approach for understanding and quantifying the implications of sea rise in downtown Olympia. The simulations identify how sea rise flooding is likely to occur in specific downtown locations (e.g, stormwater pipe backflow, pipe capacity limits, overland flow). They quantify potential volumes and durations of flood waters at specific locations under various marine, precipitation, and sea rise scenarios. In early 2013, we provided our community with a strategy of appropriate responses and their timely implementation. The evolving analysis in concert with an unusually high tide in late 2012 highlighted the current flood vulnerability of our downtown regardless of potential sea rise. With specific vulnerabilities identified and quantified, work is underway to improve near-term flood management responses. Andy Haub, P.E. Planning and Engineering Manager Public Works Department City of Olympia Olympia, WA ahaub@ci.olympia.wa.us
Session Title
Session S-09G: Building Community Resilience: Moving Beyond Climate Adaptation Planning to Implementation
Conference Track
Shorelines
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2014 : Seattle, Wash.)
Document Type
Event
Start Date
2-5-2014 10:30 AM
End Date
2-5-2014 12:00 PM
Location
Room 6E
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Sea level--Risk assessment--Washington (State)--Olympia; Sea level--Washington (State)--Olympia--Planning
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Olympia (Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Responding to Sea Level Rise Risks in a Vulnerable Community
Room 6E
In 2010, Olympia City Council directed staff to investigate the implications of 50-inches of sea rise to our downtown and to develop a progressive strategy of appropriate responses. Over the past three years, City technical staff and coastal engineers have developed near and long-term priorities and implementation actions. The new analysis links a comprehensive marine simulation of Budd Inlet with land elevations and uses, stormwater and wastewater infrastructure, major precipitation events and sea level rise. The analysis provides a tangible and easily visualized approach for understanding and quantifying the implications of sea rise in downtown Olympia. The simulations identify how sea rise flooding is likely to occur in specific downtown locations (e.g, stormwater pipe backflow, pipe capacity limits, overland flow). They quantify potential volumes and durations of flood waters at specific locations under various marine, precipitation, and sea rise scenarios. In early 2013, we provided our community with a strategy of appropriate responses and their timely implementation. The evolving analysis in concert with an unusually high tide in late 2012 highlighted the current flood vulnerability of our downtown regardless of potential sea rise. With specific vulnerabilities identified and quantified, work is underway to improve near-term flood management responses. Andy Haub, P.E. Planning and Engineering Manager Public Works Department City of Olympia Olympia, WA ahaub@ci.olympia.wa.us
