Climate Change Adaptation : A Focus on Franklin County Local - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Climate Change Adaptation : A Focus on Franklin County

Local Official Workshop Series for FY 2017

Free trainings to build the skills of Franklin County local officials and community members

Presentation

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Kimberly Noake MacPhee, FRCOG Land Use/Natural Resources Program Manager Mary Chicoine, FRCOG Land Use/Natural Resources Planner Dan Nietsche, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Glen Ayers, Regional Health Agent

Context: State and local Critical infrastructure Natural resources and climate resiliency Public health and private wells

Intro

• Our goal is to develop

watershed-scale climate change adaptation plans for all of Franklin County.

• Pilot plan is in the Deerfield

Intro

• Current focus: Deerfield

River Watershed

• Strategies applicable to all

towns in Franklin County

Intro

Why is this project important?

MA Climate Change Adaptation Report Summary

MA Climate Change Adaptation Report Summary: Human Health and Welfare

Photo credit:

PRIMARY SECTORS

 Human Health and Welfare  Local Economy and Government  Natural Resources and Habitat  Key infrastructure  Coastal Zone and Ocean

MA Climate Change Adaptation Report Summary: Human Health and Welfare FOCUS AREAS

• Public health
• Air and water quality
• Agriculture and food systems
• Vulnerable populations

PROJECTED VULNERABILITIES / IMPACTS

• More heat-related illnesses and diseases
• Changes to drinking water quality
• Loss of food crops due to drought / floods

PREPARATIONS WE CAN MAKE

• Incorporate climate change into all public

health planning

• Conduct education and outreach
• Protect land upstream of farms for flood storage
• Inventory private wells and related water issues

PRIMARY SECTOR: Human Health and Welfare

MA Climate Change Adaptation Report Summary: Local Economy and Government FOCUS AREAS

• Manufacturing
• Health care
• Cultural resources
• Local government buildings
• Farming and forestry
• Natural resource-based tourism

PROJECTED VULNERABILITIES / IMPACTS

• Increased demand on health care, local

government and emergency responders

• Flooding of structures along rivers
• New diseases / pests for food crops
• Change in growing seasons/crops
• Change in forest tree species

PREPARATIONS WE CAN MAKE

• Provide technical assistance to farmers

and foresters

• Develop carbon trusts to provide

incentives to protect forests

• Flood-proof and/or retrofit structures
• Provide workforce development for health

care, green industry and other jobs

Photo credit: The Recorder

PRIMARY SECTOR: Local Economy & Government

MA Climate Change Adaptation Report Summary: Natural Resources and Habitat

Photo credit: Evan Gregg

FOCUS AREAS

• Clean drinking water
• Stormwater management / flood control
• Carbon storage
• Forest products
• Tourism

PROJECTED VULNERABILITIES/IMPACTS

• Increased forest pests and diseases
• Changing forest composition
• Changing water quality and quantity
• Droughts and flooding decreasing ground

water recharge PREPARATIONS WE CAN MAKE

• Protect large blocks of forests for flood

storage and habitat

• Provide incentives for private land owners

to keep forests intact

• Manage invasive species
• Protect land where stream headwaters are

located

• Protect river corridors and flood plains

PRIMARY SECTOR: Natural Resources & Habitat

MA Climate Change Adaptation Report Summary: Key Infrastructure FOCUS AREAS

• Wastewater treatment plants
• Town halls, police & fire, libraries, shelters
• Culverts, dams, drainage pipes
• Roads and bridges
• Telecommunications facilities and lines
• Energy production, transmission, storage

Photo credit: The Recorder

PROJECTED VULNERABILITIES / IMPACTS

• Culverts undersized
• Facilities’ flood-proofing obsolete
• Road wash outs
• Damage to transmission lines
• Damages to public records / historical

documents PREPARATIONS WE CAN MAKE

• Improved stormwater management,

flood-proofing structures

• Inventory and map key infrastructure
• Upgrade sizes of infrastructure when

replacing

• Protect land upstream for flood storage
• Digitize important records / documents

PRIMARY SECTOR: Key Infrastructure

MA Climate Change Adaptation Report Summary: Human Health and Welfare

Everyone lives downstream

Strategies are being developed at the town and watershed scale.

Critical Infrastructure

Critical Infrastructure

Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources (CIKR)

CIKR? What is he talking about?

• Culverts/Road Crossings
• Department of Public Works Buildings
• Town Halls
• Emergency Operation Centers (EOCs)
• Wells
• Schools
• Public Health Facilities
• Police and Fire Department Buildings
• Critical Response Equipment

Critical Infrastructure

Data – Lots of Data

The blue icons show plotted culvert data

Critical Infrastructure

How am I gathering this data?

• Using local knowledge to document assets that are not in

historical documents or current databases. I will be traveling to your town in the spring and summer.

• Visit the sites to record data and photograph the assets
• Use data contained in already built tools. There are about

1000 culverts in the Deerfield River Watershed!!!!

Me Before Me After

Critical Infrastructure

What has been done so far?

• Culverts - Thanks to North Atlantic Aquatic Connectivity

Collaborative (NAACC), Trout Unlimited and UMASS Amherst nearly all the culverts and road crossings have already been documented.

• Facilities

– Police and Fire Departments – Schools – Town Halls – Hospitals – DPW Facilities

Critical Infrastructure

Project Scope of Work

• Creation of a database to access this information.
• Documenting CIKR

– Where and what

• Mapping the assets

– Include elevation – Indication if the asset is in the floodplain (if possible) – Estimate what storm event might negatively impact the asset.

Flood Inundation Map

Critical Infrastructure

Project Scope of Work Continued…

• Database of Response Equipment

– Response Vehicles – Medical Equipment – Bottled water supplies – Variable message boards

• Debris Management Memorandum of Agreement

Critical Infrastructure

The Importance of Documenting CIKR

The Emergency Management Cycle

Critical Infrastructure

Preparedness

• Knowing what is in your

community is more than half the battle when planning for incidents and events.

– Especially when thinking about how storms are going to effect your town in the future.

• The information in the data

base will allow you to see the whole picture of your vulnerabilities when you are planning for incidents.

Response

• Able to increase your
• perational effectiveness

knowing the characteristics

• f your trouble spots as

issues arise.

• Leverage the dataset to

improve your plan when deploying response assets by anticipating roads or areas that might not be accessible.

Critical Infrastructure

Recovery

• You will have

documentation on the specifications your facilities and structures were made to.

– This means your town may be able to take advantage of FEMA’s 406 Mitigation Program.

• Having the documentation

means faster project worksheet approval. This means FEMA will reimburse you quicker.

Mitigation

• Planning

– Use the information to plan for climate change. – Hazard Mitigation Plan Writing.

• Inclusion of vulnerabilities into

a Capital Improvement Plan.

• In preparation for hazard

mitigation grant opportunities! $$$$

Critical Infrastructure

Database Feedback

What keywords would you think to use when you search? What data are you most interested in seeing? How are you going to use this information?

Climate Change Adaptation and Resiliency for Franklin County survey results

What people in Franklin County say about climate change resiliency and their towns. Focus on critical infrastructure, natural resources and flooding.

www.surveymonkey.com/r/ClimateChangeFranklinCounty2017

Climate Change Adaptation and Resiliency for Franklin County survey results

In which town do you live or work?

What is your relationship with the town? (check all that apply)

80 respondents

Climate Change Adaptation and Resiliency for Franklin County survey results

Climate Change Adaptation and Resiliency for Franklin County survey results

Are any of your town’s critical facilities or roads located in areas prone to erosion and/or flooding?

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 120%

Shelters or cooling centers Police department Fire department Public water supply Town Hall Wastewater treatment plant Paved roads Dirt / gravel roads Major culverts, dams or bridges

13% 18% 21% 25% 34% 46% 80% 80% 83% 46% 68% 65% 31% 66% 26% 5% 3% 5% 41% 14% 14% 33% 11% 28% 13% 16% 15%

Yes No Not sure

88 respondents

Climate Change Adaptation and Resiliency for Franklin County survey results

Rate how important you think the following strategies are for your town to consider implementing to protect critical infrastructure from flooding: 89 respondents

Climate Change Adaptation and Resiliency for Franklin County survey results

Rate how important the following strategies are for your town to consider implementing to protect the flood mitigation benefits that natural resources provide:

80 respondents

Natural Resources and Climate Resiliency

STRATEGIES

Natural Resources and Climate Resiliency in Franklin County

a focus on stormwater and flood control

An interactive scenario exercise – we need your input!

Scenario #1: Moderately developed road along river

CHALLENGES

River constrained by roads on either side Little to no buffer between farm field and river Critical facilities and compacted ground sited adjacent to the river Tributary runs off hill, often carrying debris into river Possible erosion along riverfront

Scenario #1: Moderately developed road along river

POTENTIAL STRATEGIES

River constrained by roads on either side Little to no buffer between farm field and river

• Flood-proof critical facilities
• Use LID to slow runoff
• Manage stormwater by

planting trees

• Increase culvert size
• Protect large blocks of

forested land

• Manage stormwater

runoff with LID

• Protect land along rivers

to provide space for flooding

• Provide incentives to restore

floodplains

Scenario #2: Rural farmland along river corridor

CHALLENGES

River constrained by roads on either side and flowing under the bridge, a choke point It can be difficult to preserve large blocks of intact forest and/or ensure the use of sustainable forestry techniques Little to no buffer between farm fields and river

Scenario #2: Rural farmland along river corridor

POTENTIAL STRATEGIES

• Protect upland

parcels of land that provide storage of heavy rainfall

• Provide incentives for

riverfront easement

• Restore buffer along river
• Protect large blocks of

land

• Manage the land for

multiple benefits

Scenario #3: Heavily developed area along Millers River Little to no buffer between the buildings/parking lot and river Densely settled residential area up- slope from river Large impervious areas (parking lots, buildings, roads, driveways)

CHALLENGES

Scenario #3: Heavily developed area along Millers River Provide public education on stormwater runoff, rain gardens, rain barrels, trees Provide incentives to reduce impervious surfaces Manage stormwater runoff with rain gardens and trees

POTENTIAL STRATEGIES

Public Health: Private Wells

Public Health: Private Wells

WORST DROUGHT IN A DECADE - BELOW NORMAL GROUNDWATER LEVELS

, 2016)

, 2016)

Source: MA Department of Environmental Protection; National Drought Mitigation Center

Franklin County As of March 2017, areas in Franklin County that were extreme are now severe and areas that were severe are now moderate, with the exception of the northwest corner, which is now abnormally dry.

as of Sept 2016 as of Sept 2016

Public Health: Private Wells

LOCATION OF WELLS Conditions can vary from well to well, depending on how deep the well penetrates the aquifer, how large the aquifer is, and whether multiple wells are on the same aquifer.

Franklin County

There’s no centralized way to track how many of the wells, which are regulated by local boards of health, are going dry

• r experiencing water quality issues

Public Health: Private Wells

WHAT CAN PRIVATE WELL OWNERS DO? When to test well water:

1. Before purchasing a home 2. On a regular basis (annually?) 3. When near certain properties such as gas stations, commercial businesses, junk yards and other 4. After well repairs or plumbing modifications 5. If earlier tests reveal issues 6. During / after significant events such as drought or severe flooding 7. When experiencing unexplained changes in water (odd taste, odor or appearance)

See handout for more info

Public Health: Private Wells

Q: WHAT CAN TOWNS / BOARDS OF HEALTH DO?

 To create a record of current conditions  To determine water levels, pump settings, and well depths  To record any previous or current water quality or quantity issues  To identify trends which might impact an aquifer and multiple wells  Protect recharge areas

A: Create a comprehensive inventory of private wells

WHY?

 Educate the public on why this is important  Assume all houses not on municipal water have private wells  Create a simple database  Use GPS to locate wells  Confirm/compare/match with existing DEP private well database http://public.dep.state.ma.us/searchwell/

HOW?

Public Health: Private Wells

Q: WHAT CAN TOWNS / BOARDS OF HEALTH DO?

A: Create an emergency community drinking water plan  To provide water during drought, power

• utages and other times when private

wells are not functioning  To avoid having to truck water in  To assure the community has a safe supply of water  Because water is essential to people being able to stay in their homes  To anticipate the loss of at-risk wells

WHY?

 Identify key locations in town (such as neighborhoods)  Identify high-yield wells with excellent water quality (see private well inventory)  Develop voluntary agreements with willing well owners to serve as emergency supply points  Provide for electric generators, if needed  Implement a regular water quality monitoring schedule for emergency supply points

HOW?

Contact

Kimberly Noake MacPhee, kmacphee@frcog.org (413) 774-3167 ext. 130 Mary Chicoine maryc@frcog.org (413) 774-3167 ext. 131 Dan Nietsche dnietsche@frcog.org (413) 774-3167 ext. 105 Glen Ayers glenayers@frcog.org (413) 774-3167 ext. 106

Questions & Answers

Kimberly Noake MacPhee Mary Chicoine Dan Nietsche Glen Ayers