Climate Change Research and Adaptation in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed A compilation of recent and ongoing efforts compiled by the Chesapeake Bay Program Partnership’s Climate Resiliency Working Group July,2016 This compilation of current adaptation activities and research efforts was compiled by the Chesapeake Bay Program Partnership’s Climate Resiliency Workgroup. The contents of this document were compiled based on the knowledge and awareness of projects that relate to the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Agreement Goal, to "increase the resiliency of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, including its living resources, habitats, public infrastructure and communities, to withstand adverse impacts from changing environmental and climate conditions." This document is not intended to be an exhaustive list; recognizing that there are additional adaptation activities and research underway within the region or being undertaken at the local level. This document will be updated on an annual basis. Please contact Zoë Johnson, CBP Climate Change Coordinator ([email protected]) to suggest content for the next edition of this publication. Table of Contents Type Page Number Academic Programs 1-2 Data/Tools 2-4 Guidance 4-5 On-the-Ground Projects 5-6 Policy/Plans 6-9 Programs 9-11 Projects 11-13 Reports 13-14 Research 14-18 Vulnerability Assessments 18-19 Lead Completion Type Project Title Description Status Organization(s) Date/Timeline Founded within the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences in 1986, the Academic Earth System Science Pennsylvania State Earth System Science Center (ESSC) maintains a mission to describe, Ongoing Program Center (ESSC) University (PSU) model, and understand the Earth's climate system. ESSC is one of seven centers supported by the Earth & Environmental Systems Institute. CSWCR’s vision is to create the knowledge, training and solutions to enable the optimal outcome for every decision where weather and climate matter. CSWCR’s Mission is to leverage and integrate the The Center for Solutions to Academic Pennsylvania State capabilities of the University, in particular those found in Meteorology, Weather and Climate Risk Ongoing Program University (PSU) Engineering, Statistics, e-Education and Communications, along with (CSWCR) external partners, to advance the science of exploiting environmental opportunities and understanding environmental impacts to manage risk. Through the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension, research on climate variability and change is being conducted with partners such as: Academic Climate Variability and University of USDA, USGS, and Delaware Environmental Monitoring & Analysis Ongoing Program Change Delaware Center, which maintains real-time feeds of satellite imagery for the Delaware region. The Mitigation and Adaptation Research Institute (MARI) at ODU engages in research that produces the practice-relevant knowledge needed to cope with the impacts of climate change and sea level rise Academic Mitigation and Adaptation Old Dominion on the coastal zone and the urban coast in particular. In doing so, MARI Ongoing Program Research Institute (MARI) University (ODU) responds to the knowledge needs of a wide range of community stakeholders, including government, military, private sector, and citizens. The mission of the Pilot Project is to develop a regional “whole of Academic Center for Sea level Rise - Old Dominion government” and “whole of community” approach to sea level rise Ongoing Program The Pilot Project University (ODU) preparedness and resilience planning in Hampton Roads that also can be used as a template for other regions. CLIMA brings together scholars to catalyze transformative, integrated Academic Center for Climate Risk Pennsylvania State research on climate change, mitigation, adaptation, and decision Ongoing Program Management (CLIMA) University (PSU) making that transcends disciplinary boundaries and advances real- world climate risk management. The Joint Global Change Research Institute (JGCRI) houses an interdisciplinary team dedicated to understanding the problems of global climate change and their potential solutions. Joint Institute staff Academic The Joint Global Change University of bring decades of experience and expertise to bear in science, Ongoing Program Research Institute (JGCRI) Maryland (UMD) technology, economics, and policy. One of the strengths of the Joint Institute is a network of domestic and international collaborators that encourages the development of global and equitable solutions to the climate change problem. Climate Information Responding to User Needs (CIRUN) seeks to form a Climate Information partnership among climate scientists, experts from disciplines such as Academic University of Responding to User Needs agriculture, engineering, public health, and risk management, Ongoing Program Maryland (UMD) (CIRUN) companies which deliver specialized information, and decision makers in the private and public sectors. VCPC at the College of William & Mary Law School provides science- Virginia Coastal Policy Virginia Institute of based legal and policy analysis of ecological issues affecting the state's Academic Clinic, W&M Law Marine Science coastal resources, providing education and advice to a host of Virginia’s Ongoing Program School/VIMS (VIMS) decision-makers, from government officials and legal scholars to non- profit and business leaders. The MADE CLEAR partnership, funded by the National Science Foundation, brings together of a group of experts in the fields of MADE CLEAR Initiative - University of climate science and education, led by the University System of Academic Maryland and Delaware Delaware and Maryland and University of Delaware, to provide a system of support Ongoing Program Climate Change Education University of for teachers in Maryland and Delaware. Focusing on middle and high Assessment and Research Maryland school, the network also engages universities, state departments of education, and educators from natural resources agencies, museums, and aquariums. 1 Lead Completion Type Project Title Description Status Organization(s) Date/Timeline Consortium of scholars and researchers at ODU for disseminating Old Dominion University Academic Old Dominion knowledge and supporting decision making about resilience issues such (ODU) Resilience Ongoing Program University (ODU) as those related to climate change, sea level rise, resilience, and Collaborative adaptation at the local, regional, state, and national levels. VIMS is committed to conducting state-of-the-art scientific research on issues related to climate change. VIMS' Initiative for Coastal Climate Change Research (IC3R) encourages further collaboration among the Virginia Institute of Academic VIMS Coastal Climate many research programs at VIMS that are engaged in issues of climate Marine Science Ongoing Program Change Research (IC3R) and global change, serves as a central source of knowledge concerning (VIMS) the effects of climate change on our environment, society, and economy, and provides recommendations concerning the most effective responses to sea-level rise and other climate-change impacts. These annual fellowships provide support for graduate students enrolled at any Maryland or District of Columbia academic institution who are engaged in coastal resilience or sustainability research relevant Maryland Sea Grant Coastal to Maryland and the Maryland Sea Grant Strategic Plan. The fellowship Academic Resilience and provides support for up to two years. Students are required to work Maryland Sea Grant Ongoing Program Sustainability Research with their academic advisor and with an external mentor to help Fellowships translate their research to end-users (e.g. resource managers, teachers). The fellowship will provide additional professional development opportunities in science communication, the science-to- management process and other relevant Sea Grant activities. Delaware Environmental The University of Delaware, College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment University of Data/Tool Monitoring & Analysis maintains a satellite receiving station (UD SRS) for real-time feeds of Ongoing Delaware Center - Satellite imagery satellite imagery for the Delaware region. The NE Climate Science Center has created individualized reports for 19 states of the Northeast and Midwest of climate projections and impacts. Ray, Ambarish and colleagues from UMass Amherst’s Climate State Level Climate Northeast Climate System Research Center (CSRC), including intern Kathryn Woods, Data/Tool Complete Apr-16 Projections Science Center released these easily referenced and illustrative reports to coincide with the Earth Day signing of the COP21 climate agreements by world’s leaders, making the climate change projections relevant at the state level. This report and accompanying spatial datasets identify priority areas to USFWS North focus conservation efforts to enable a range of wildlife species to move Permeable Landscapes Atlantic Landscape freely and safely across the full extent of the landscape, bringing Data/Tool Ongoing (Regional Connectivity) Conservation particular attention to regional corridors to assist with climate change Cooperative adaptation including south to north, upslope and riparian movements and on places that may represent bottlenecks to regional movement. Regional Climate Trends National Oceanic and Scenarios for U.S. and Atmospheric NOAA has developed regional climate change descriptions that can be Data/Tool Completed 2013 National Climate Administration used to develop regional