Preparing for Tomorrow's High Tide
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Preparing for Tomorrow’s High Tide Recommendations for Adapting to Sea Level Rise in Delaware September 2013 About this Document This document was developed by Delaware’s Sea Level Rise Advisory Committee and by staff of the Delaware Coastal Programs section of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC). It is intended to assist government agencies, businesses and individuals make well- informed choices about preparing for and responding to sea level rise. Its central component is a set of recommendations for building the state’s ability to adapt to sea level rise. The document also contains background information about adaptation measures that can be taken to decrease Delaware’s vulnerability to sea level rise and provides a set of guiding principles for consideration by those choosing adaptation measures. The recommendations contained in this document were approved by the Sea Level Rise Advisory Committee and have been submitted to DNREC Secretary Collin O’Mara for consideration and for further collaboration with other state cabinet agencies. It is envisioned that a collaborative team composed of government agencies, businesses and individuals will be brought together to seek support and resources to implement the recommendations. Other Documents in the Preparing for Tomorrow’s High Tide Series Progress Report of the Delaware Sea Level Rise Advisory Committee (November, 2011) Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment for the State of Delaware (July, 2012) Mapping Appendix to the Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment for the State of Delaware (July, 2012) For More Information For more information about the Sea Level Rise Advisory Committee or this document, please contact: Susan Love Delaware Coastal Programs 5 East Reed Street, Suite 201 Dover, Delaware 19901 (302) 739-9283 www.dnrec.delaware.gov/coastal [email protected] Preparing for Tomorrow’s High Tide: Recommendations for Adapting to Sea Level Rise in Delaware Final Report of the Delaware Sea Level Rise Advisory Committee Lead Authors: Susan Love, Tricia Arndt, and Molly Ellwood Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Delaware Coastal Programs Financial support for this project was provided, fully or in part, by a grant under the Federal Coastal Zone Management Act, administered by the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to Delaware Coastal Programs, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control under award numbers: NA12NOS4200151, NA12NOS4190158, NA11NOS4190109, and NA10NOS4190202. Copies of this publication are available at the Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve, 818 Kitts Hummock Road, Dover, Delaware and online at http://de.gov/slradaptplan. Table of Contents Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................................... v Sea Levels are Rising ............................................................................................................................... v Delaware is Vulnerable to Sea Level Rise ................................................................................................vi Adapting to Sea Level Rise ......................................................................................................................vi Recommendations for Preparing for Sea Level Rise ...............................................................................vi Adaptation in Delaware is Already Underway ..........................................................................................ix Guiding Principles for Adaptation ............................................................................................................ix Next Steps ................................................................................................................................................ x Chapter 1: Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 1 Delaware’s Sea Level Rise Advisory Committee ...................................................................................... 1 Sea Level is Rising ................................................................................................................................... 2 Delaware’s Vulnerability to Sea Level Rise............................................................................................... 4 High Concern Resources ......................................................................................................................... 4 Moderate Concern Resources ................................................................................................................. 8 Planning Early for Sea Level Rise is Important ......................................................................................... 9 Adaptation ................................................................................................................................................ 9 Recommendations for Adapting to Sea Level Rise in Delaware ............................................................ 10 Chapter 2: Adaptation Strategies and Measures .................................................................................... 11 Adaptation Strategies ............................................................................................................................. 11 Avoid....................................................................................................................................................... 11 Accommodate ........................................................................................................................................ 12 Protect .................................................................................................................................................... 13 Retreat .................................................................................................................................................... 14 No Action ................................................................................................................................................ 16 Chapter 3: Adaptation in Practice ............................................................................................................ 17 Proactive Planning for the Impacts of Sea Level Rise............................................................................ 17 Existing Adaptive Capacity in Delaware ................................................................................................. 18 Timing of Adaptation ............................................................................................................................... 20 Guiding Principles for Adaptation ..........................................................................................................20 Chapter 4: Case Studies ............................................................................................................................23 Accommodating Sea Level Rise by Elevating Marsh Surfaces ..............................................................23 Table of Contents i Incorporating Sea Level Rise into Public Lands Acquisition ..................................................................24 Holding Back the River with the New Castle Dike Restoration Project ..................................................25 City of Lewes Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Pilot Project .................................................26 Chapter 5: Development of Recommendations for Adapting to Sea Level Rise in Delaware ............29 Focusing Recommendations on Priority Resources ..............................................................................29 Building Adaptive Capacity versus Local Adaptation Measures ............................................................30 The Process for Developing Options for Preparing Delaware for Sea Level Rise ..................................30 Focus Groups .........................................................................................................................................30 Refining Focus Group Ideas ...................................................................................................................30 Public Engagement Sessions .................................................................................................................31 Turning Options into Recommendations ................................................................................................31 Chapter 6: Recommendations for Adapting to Sea Level Rise in Delaware ........................................33 Objectives for Sea Level Rise Adaptation ..............................................................................................33 Recommendations for Adapting to Sea Level Rise in Delaware ............................................................34 Chapter 7: Next Steps for Adapting to Sea Level Rise ...........................................................................47 Dissolution of the Sea Level Rise Advisory Committee .........................................................................47 Implementation Workshop .....................................................................................................................47 Establishing an Implementation Team ...................................................................................................47