Mapping the future of flood risk in the Snohomish and Stillaguamish basins
Presentation Abstract
Recent studies have begun clarifying both the mechanisms driving changes in flood risk and the best practices for advancing climate-resilient planning. Although invaluable for local planning, these studies lack the spatial coverage needed to support regional planning and prioritization. Here we present on a recent effort to quantify changes in the depth and extent of flooding for the Snohomish and Stillaguamish watersheds. Leveraging recent studies to estimate changes in streamflow, precipitation, and sea level rise, this effort represents a novel and relatively inexpensive approach to estimating the future impacts of flooding, with potential for expansion to all of western Washington and beyond. In addition, models like these can be used to evaluate the downstream reductions in flood risk that could result from major restoration efforts. In this talk we will describe our approach, validation, and the resulting maps of changing flood risk for the two watersheds, as well as its integration into the Snohomish Conservation District’s Agriculture Resilience Plan.
Session Title
Posters: Habitat Restoration & Protection
Conference Track
SSE18: Posters
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2018 : Seattle, Wash.)
Document Type
Event
SSEC Identifier
SSE18-77
Start Date
5-4-2018 11:30 AM
End Date
5-4-2018 1:30 PM
Type of Presentation
Poster
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events); posters
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Flood control--Washington (State)--Snohomish River Watershed; Flood control--Washington (State)--Stillaguamish River Watershed; Watersheds--Effect of floods on; Floods--Risk assessment
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Snohomish River Watershed (Wash.); Stillaguamish River Watershed (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
Mapping the future of flood risk in the Snohomish and Stillaguamish basins
Recent studies have begun clarifying both the mechanisms driving changes in flood risk and the best practices for advancing climate-resilient planning. Although invaluable for local planning, these studies lack the spatial coverage needed to support regional planning and prioritization. Here we present on a recent effort to quantify changes in the depth and extent of flooding for the Snohomish and Stillaguamish watersheds. Leveraging recent studies to estimate changes in streamflow, precipitation, and sea level rise, this effort represents a novel and relatively inexpensive approach to estimating the future impacts of flooding, with potential for expansion to all of western Washington and beyond. In addition, models like these can be used to evaluate the downstream reductions in flood risk that could result from major restoration efforts. In this talk we will describe our approach, validation, and the resulting maps of changing flood risk for the two watersheds, as well as its integration into the Snohomish Conservation District’s Agriculture Resilience Plan.
