NATIONAL PARK SERVICE • U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Coastal Adaptation Strategies Handbook 2016 ON THIS PAGE Hurricane Sandy created a breach at Fire Island National Seashore. Photograph by Diane Abell, NPS. ON THE COVER Point Reyes Historic Lighthouse at Point Reyes National Seashore, California. Photograph by Don Weeks, NPS. Coastal Adaptation Strategies Handbook National Park Service Report 2016 Edited by Rebecca Beavers1, Amanda Babson2, and Courtney Schupp1 1National Park Service Geologic Resources Division Affiliate, NPS Climate Change Response Program 7333 W. Jefferson Ave, Suite 450 Lakewood, CO 80235 2National Park Service Northeast Region Affiliate, NPS Climate Change Response Program University of Rhode Island Bay Campus 215 South Ferry Rd. Narragansett, RI 02882 U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service National Park Service c Coastal Adaptation Strategies Handbook This handbook was supported by the Natural Resource Stewardship and Science; Cultural Resources, Partnerships, and Science; and Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands Directorates. This handbook received formal peer review by subject-matter experts who were not directly involved in the collection, analysis, or reporting of the data, and whose background and expertise is on par technically and scientifically with the authors of the information. The information contained in this document is only intended to improve the internal management of the National Park Service. It is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or equity by a party against the United States, its departments, agencies, instrumentalities or entities, its officers or employees, or any other person. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by the U.S. government. While publicly available content was the focus of this handbook for National Park Service employees and our partners, some information and resources in this report are only available to internal National Park Service and Department of Interior staff. Where there is a restriction on access, a disclaimer similar to “NPS/DOI internal access only” is used. This report is available in digital format from the following website (https://www.nps.gov/subjects/climatechange/ coastalhandbook.htm). Updated content will also be posted at that website. Please cite this publication as: Beavers, R.L., A.L. Babson, and C.A. Schupp [eds.]. 2016. Coastal Adaptation Strategies Handbook. NPS 999/134090. National Park Service. Washington, DC. National Park Service d Coastal Adaptation Strategies Handbook Table of Contents Executive Summary ix Introduction ix Policy ix Planning ix Natural Resources ix Cultural Resources x Facility Management x Communication and Education x Protecting Infrastructure: Costs and Impacts x Lessons Learned from Hurricane Sandy x Acknowledgments xi Acronyms xiii Chapter 1 Introduction 1 Purpose 1 Terminology 1 Fundamental Concepts 2 Adaptation Continuum: Resist, Accommodate, and Direct Change 2 Decision Tools 3 Impacts of Climate Change on Coastal Resources and Assets 3 Changes in Sea Level and Lake Level 3 Temperature Increases 4 Ocean Acidification 6 Precipitation 6 Storms 7 Climate Change Information Resources 7 NPS Offices Supporting Climate Change Adaptation Efforts 8 What to Expect in this Document 9 Take Home Messages 10 References 11 Chapter 2 Policy 15 Introduction 15 General NPS Policies 15 Additional Policies That Apply to NPS Coastal Adaptation Strategies 16 Implementation of the Above Policies: Document All Adaptation/Intervention Decisions 17 Take Home Messages 17 References 18 National Park Service i Coastal Adaptation Strategies Handbook Chapter 3 Planning 19 Planning Framework 19 Foundation Document 19 General Management Plan 20 Resource Stewardship Strategy 20 Tools for Climate Change Adaptation of Coastal Resources and Assets 21 Processes 21 Vulnerability Assessment 21 Scenario Planning 21 Climate-Smart Conservation 23 Resources 24 Disaster Planning and Preparing for Opportunities for Adaptation 24 Opportunities for Adaptation 26 Take Home Messages 26 References 27 Chapter 4 Natural Resources 29 Expected Climate Change Impacts on Natural Resources 29 Adaptation of Coastal Natural Resources 32 The Adaptation Continuum 34 Climate Adaptation Issues for Designated Wilderness Areas 37 Science to Support Climate Adaptation for Natural Resources 37 Managing for an Uncertain Future 38 Incorporating Uncertainty into Inundation Models 38 Additional Resources for Data and Collaboration 39 NPS Inventory and Monitoring Program 39 Landscape Conservation Cooperatives 39 Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment 40 Tools 40 Opportunities for Adaptation 43 Revisiting Leopold 43 Implement National Fish, Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy 43 Expansion of Submerged Resources 43 Managing at the Landscape Scale 44 Review Documentation, Data Integration, and Prioritization 44 Inform Natural Resource Decision Making with other Decision-Making Processes 44 Take Home Messages 44 References 45 National Park Service ii Coastal Adaptation Strategies Handbook Chapter 5 Cultural Resources 51 Introduction 51 Climate Change Threats to Cultural Resources in the Coastal Zone 51 Threats to Archeological Resources 53 Threats to Cultural Landscapes 53 Threats to Ethnographic Resources 54 Threats to Historic and Prehistoric Buildings and Structures 54 Threats to Museums and Collections 55 Threats to Underwater Resources 56 Management of Cultural Resources in the Coastal Zone under Climate Change 56 Two-fold Approach to Cultural Resources and Climate Change 57 Vulnerability and Prioritization 59 Cultural Resources Adaptation Strategies 59 Cultural Landscapes 65 Ethnographic Resources 65 Museums and Collections 65 Buildings and Structures 66 Underwater Resources 66 Opportunities for Adaptation of Cultural Resources in the Coastal Zone 66 Take Home Messages 67 References 68 Chapter 6 Facility Management 71 Introduction 71 Guiding Policies, Regulations and Plans 71 Executive Order 13690 – Federal Flood Risk Management 72 Executive Order 13653 – Preparing the United States for the Impacts of Climate Change 72 NPS Policy Memorandum 15-01 73 Road Map for Planning for Climate Change Resilience and Sustainability of NPS Assets 74 Coastal Hazards and Climate Change Asset Vulnerability Assessment Protocol 75 Stakeholder Involvement and Outreach 80 Strategies for Adapting Coastal Facilities and Operations 80 Visitor Experience, Transportation, and Access 82 Asset Management Plans and Incident Response 83 Coastal Fortifications and Lighthouses 84 Opportunities for Adaptation 84 Mitigate Impacts of Coastal Engineering 84 Remove, Restrict, and Redesign Structures 84 National Park Service iii Coastal Adaptation Strategies Handbook Funding Opportunities 85 Documentation 85 Storm Recovery Planning 85 Emerging Topics 86 Take Home Messages 86 References 87 Chapter 7 Communication and Education 89 Communication 89 Site Bulletins 89 Rack Cards 90 Waysides 90 Audio/Visual Arts 90 Newspapers/Newsletters 91 Twitter/Facebook and Social Media 91 Case Study Review 92 General Recommendations 93 Education 93 Webinars 93 Websites 93 Online Courses 94 Climate Friendly Parks Workshops 94 Climate Smart Training 95 Take Home Messages 95 References 96 Chapter 8 Protecting Infrastructure: Costs and Impacts 97 Infrastructure Adaptation 97 Protect in Place: Costs, Benefits, and Impacts of Infrastructure Adaptation Options 98 Onshore, Shore-Parallel Structures: Seawalls, Revetments, and Bulkheads 99 Shore-Perpendicular Structures: Jetties and Groins 102 Breakwaters 104 Beach Nourishment 105 Sand Fencing 108 Natural and Nature-based Features (NNBF) 108 Redesign the Structure 111 Relocate 112 Abandon in Place 113 Take Home Messages 114 References 115 National Park Service iv Coastal Adaptation Strategies Handbook Chapter 9 Lessons Learned from Hurricane Sandy 121 Disaster as a Driver of Adaptation 122 Assessing Impacts and Resilience 123 Natural Resources 123 Built Environment 123 Cultural Landscapes 123 Museum Collections 125 Climate Adaptation for Cultural Resources 125 Success Stories of Planning, Preparation, and Experience 125 Common Barriers to Adaptation 127 Servicewide Coastal Adaptation Strategies and Challenges 129 Implementation of Lessons Learned from Hurricane Sandy 130 Recommendations for Park Actions based on Hurricane Sandy Lessons Learned 133 Pre-Storm 133 Post-Storm 134 Recovery and Mitigation 134 Take Home Messages 135 References 136 Glossary 139 National Park Service v Coastal Adaptation Strategies Handbook Figures Figure 1.1. Climate Change Adaptation Continuum. 2 Figure 1.2. Map of regional mean sea level trends in the United States. 4 Figure 1.3. Recent mean air temperature relative to the historical range of variability (1901–2012) in 289 US national parks. 5 Figure 1.4. Map showing the change in global average sea surface temperatures between 1901 and 2014. 5 Figure 1.5. Correlation of atmospheric and dissolved carbon dioxide levels. 6 Figure 1.6. Map of changes in total annual precipitation for the United States since the early 20th century. 7 Figure 3.1. National Park Service Planning Framework. 19 Figure 3.2. Excerpts from draft general management plans from two parks addressing climate change. 20 Figure 3.3. Relationship among the three major components of vulnerability: exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. 21 Figure 3.4. Forecast Planning differs from Scenario Planning. 22 Figure 3.5. Scenario