Snapshot
Climate risk assessment for North Queensland Airports
North Queensland Airports (NQA) operates the Cairns and Mackay Airports on leased state land. Summary Cairns Airport (shown in Figure 1) is one of the largest airports in Northern Australia and an international North Queensland Airports (NQA) operates gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and World Heritage the Cairns and Mackay Airports, which are listed rainforests. Mackay Airport (shown in Figure 2) situated on the tropical North Queensland is a key piece of transport infrastructure for the region, coast. Cyclonic activity, flooding and storm servicing residents including fly-in fly-out mining surge can damage airport infrastructure workers, and supporting the local economy. as well as impact operations. Under future climate change and associated sea-level The airports are situated on the tropical North rise, these impacts are likely to intensify. Queensland coast. Both have been built on low To better understand climate risks to the elevation coastal land (reclaimed mangrove airports both now and in the future, NQA ecosystems), are situated in cyclonic regions, undertook an internal risk screening and risk experience high temperatures during summer and assessment process using the mapping tools have climate-sensitive assets and operations. and guidelines published in CoastAdapt. The In particular, intense cyclones and associated storm risk assessment looked comprehensively at surges and flooding can damage airport infrastructure current risks as well as future risks in 2030 and as well as impact operations by causing temporary 2070, producing a risk register that will inform closures. Under future climate change and sea-level long term planning. rise, these impacts are likely to intensify.
To better understand climate risks to the airports both now and in the future NQA undertook an internal risk screening and risk assessment process Keywords using the mapping tools and guidelines published in Climate risks, airport, CoastAdapt. North Queensland, risk screening, The risk screening and assessment process looked at transport infrastructure, test case present-day and future risks (2030 and 2070).
coastadapt.com.au A broad range of climate change risks was selected for assessment, including:
• increasing average temperatures
• more extremely hot days (greater than 35 °C)
• increasing evaporation/drought
• average wind speed increase (noting that higher winds affect aircraft operations and ground handling procedures) Figure 1: Aerial image of Cairns Airport. Source: © • coastal erosion Google Earth, 2017. • increasing frequency and severity of storm surges and storm tides
• more intense rainfall leading to flash flooding
• more intense storms leading to larger riverine and overland flooding
• higher groundwater table during rainfall peaks (affecting pavements)
• more frequent and more intense bushfires (smoke events)
• more intense lightning storms and events (affecting both assets and operations)
• fog events
Figure 2: Aerial image of Mackay Airport. Source: © • cumulative impacts from adjacent Google Earth, 2017. development (that address or exacerbate climate change impact).
Risks were identified and assessed using the first pass and second pass guidance documentation provided in CoastAdapt (NCCARF 2016a and 2016b). The process followed is outlined in Figure 3.
coastadapt.com.au e t ree tier climate c an e ris assessment rocess of oast da t
resource first-pass risk screening use: 1 applicable in C CA tep 1
n se eskt st i k s reenin t mes s l sin a aila le limate an e relate el t in rmati n an ma s a ar s an risks rioritise s ste s that need isan e further attention flooding dentif hi h sta eholders a in n ati n to en a e in se ond pass assess ent
e ti n tain or anisational ea
Bushfire u in risk
resource use: second-pass risk assess ent applicable in C CA tep 2 2
t mes s l ert r ns ltant C n t a rks e se t ini n t rate it stake l ers in i i al risks sin a aila le e elop an in rmati n an ma s adaptation plan usin n i i al risks are rate different steps of A likeli s nse en e ossi le sta eholders Moderate risk
a Medium High Critical in n ati n oa s n on nt Assess need for an third pass Low Medium High Consequence (site specific) assessment (e.g. Low Low Medium Sto at o s Moderate risk extreme risk to a critical system) HighBushfire risk e ti n risk Likelihood ar et ne data and infor ation ea Bushfire o s pp oasta p ann s
ir ass risk assessment ma e re ire i risks etermine in se n ass risk assessment are i
resource third-pass risk assess ent use: applicable in second iterations of C CA tep 2
n ertake etaile estimati n t t an detailed site-specific en t e risk ill r ss el t a ar st ies t e t lera le limit an nderpin preparation ne m els ata re ire a ti n of en ineerin solutions ta e i ple entation of a tion
FigureCoastal 3: Infographic climate change infog showingraphic series first, second and third pass risk assessment in CoastAdapt. Source: © NCCARF, 2016. C astal limate an e n ra i series www.coastadapt.com.au asta a t m a
coastadapt.com.au To inform the assessment, a range of mapping tools Following the risk workshops the outputs of the and data layers in CoastAdapt were examined in the study were sorted into a comprehensive risk register context of the two airport sites. These included: which categorised the climate risks at the airports as ‘High’, ‘Medium’ or ‘Low’ across the three timeframes • Shoreline Explorer and WOfS (water (present day, 2030 and 2070). The risk register was observations from space) to examine also developed to allow NQA to understand the historical flooding across the two sites comparative risks between the two airport sites • CoastAdapt’s future sea-level rise projection tool. — which risks were common to both sites or only Through a series of facilitated workshops, NQA staff significant at one of the sites. assigned risks on the basis of how they could potentially The risk register and associated information affect each airport’s built assets (i.e. runways, taxiways, will be used by NQA to inform their long term buildings, aviation precincts) and/or airport operations planning, including the company’s environmental (i.e. efficiency, productivity and safety). management plan. Current climate risks at the airports were all assessed as ‘Low’ on the basis of the range of risk mitigation References and treatment measures already being implemented. NCCARF, 2016a: Guidance on undertaking a first-pass These included, for example, the use of Personal risk screening. CoastAdapt, National Climate Change Protective Equipment (PPE) by staff, scheduling of Adaptation Research Facility, Gold Coast. Accessed 20 maintenance activities outside of hot daytime hours, February 2017. [Available online at www.coastadapt. and disaster and emergency management procedures com.au/sites/default/files/factsheets/T3M4_1_1st_ at both airports. Given their existing exposure to pass_risk_assessment_0.pdf]. coastal hazards, there were also some specific engineering solutions already in place at the airports NCCARF, 2016b: Guidance on undertaking a second- such as the storm tide levee and pumping system pass risk assessment. CoastAdapt, National Climate at Cairns Airport and the flood detention drainage Change Adaptation Research Facility, Gold Coast. system at Mackay Airport. Accessed 20 February 2017. [Available online at www. coastadapt.com.au/sites/default/files/factsheets/ Future risks from storm surge and tidal inundation T3M4_2_2nd_pass_risk_assessment.pdf]. exacerbated by higher sea levels were identified as relevant at both airports in the longer term (by 2070). Other future risks include increased flash flooding This Snapshot was prepared by Greg Fisk of BMT (from more intense rainfall events) and hence WBM as part of a series of test cases conducted to localised erosion. assess CoastAdapt’s performance and utility in real life adaptation situations. A special acknowledgement goes to Lucy Friend, Nerida Mitchell and Robyn Birkett who also contributed valuable input to the test case.
Please cite as: Fisk, G., 2017: Climate risk assessment for North Queensland Airports. Snapshot for CoastAdapt, National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility, Gold Coast.
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