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Adaptation Strategies

Adaptation Strategies

Strategies for Climate Change Adaptation

An adaptation strategy is a program, project or approach that has been developed to respond to anticipated climate change impacts in a specific area of potential concern. The adaptation strategies provided on this site are intended to inform and assist communities in identifying possible ways to address current and future threats resulting from the changing climate. They are illustrative and are not a comprehensive or exhaustive list of resilience or adaptation actions that may be relevant.

ERIT provides hundreds of adaptation strategies for consideration. In the accordion section, links are provided to lists of detailed strategies by topic. Explore the table by browsing, or by using the embedded search function.

Explore Adaptation Strategies by Area of Interest

Climate changes can make it more difficult for communities to maintain air quality standards that protect human health and the environment. The adaptation strategies linked below offer possible ways to address anticipated climate risks to outdoor and indoor air quality.

Climate change is causing more flooding and extreme weather events that can damage or disrupt critical infrastructure. The Environmental Resilience Institute is developing a list of strategies to help plan for anticipated changes to critical infrastructure.

Buildings and Housing
Communications
Energy Generation, Procurement, and Transmission
Transportation Systems
Waste and Wastewater

Climate changes can make it more difficult to protect ecosystems, comprised of millions of interconnected organisms on Earth. The adaptation strategies linked below offer possible ways to address anticipated climate risks to the ecosystem.

Climate change is exacerbated by the burning of fossil fuels to produce energy, increasing global temperatures. The adaptation strategies linked below offer possible ways to address anticipated climate risks to energy consumption and production.

Climate change poses the greatest threat to populations that are already vulnerable to systemic issues such as poverty and racism. The Environmental Resilience Institute is developing a list of ways to include equity and justice in climate change planning.

Climate and Environment
Energy
Food
Housing

Climate change can make it more difficult for farming communities to succeed economically and the threat to food security may cause food shortages. The adaptation strategies linked below offer possible ways to address anticipated climate risks to address anticipated changes to agriculture.

Climate change can make it more difficult for city planners and policymakers to support their communities’ economy and infrastructure. The U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit provides useful adaptation planning strategies for communities. The site includes resources (e..g, data, tools, case studies) to help communities put their plans into action. The adaptation strategies linked below offer possible ways to address anticipated climate risks through policies and planning.

Climate change can make it more difficult for communities to maintain public health. The pages below offer possible ways to address public health issues related to climate changes:

Climate change can make it more difficult to properly manage hazardous and non-hazardous wastes. The links below offer possible ways to address the following anticipated climate risks to solid waste management.

Climate change can make it more difficult for communities to maintain transportation infrastructure. The adaptation strategies linked below offer possible ways to help cities and towns plan for anticipated changes to transportation.

Climate change can make it more difficult for communities to provide drinking water and wastewater services, protect water quality and maintain healthy aquatic environments. The links below offer possible adaptation strategies that address the following anticipated climate risks to water management:

Browse Adaptation Strategies

Browse and search for adaptation strategies based on your interests. More detailed information can be found on the individual adaptation strategy pages.

Area of Interest	Adaptation Strategy	Adaptation Actions	Related Case Study
Ecosystem Protection	Preserve Habitat	Retreat from, and abandonment of, coastal barriers
Ecosystem Protection	Preserve Habitat	Purchase upland development rights or property rights
Ecosystem Protection	Preserve Habitat	Expand the planning horizons of land use planning to incorporate longer climate predictions	Maryland Analyzes Coastal Wetlands Susceptibility to Climate Change
Ecosystem Protection	Preserve Habitat	Adapt protections of important biogeochemical zones and critical habitats as the locations of these areas change with climate
Ecosystem Protection	Preserve Habitat	Connect landscapes with corridors to enable migrations	Southwest Florida Assesses Salt Marsh Vulnerability to Sea Level Rise
Ecosystem Protection	Preserve Habitat	Design estuaries with dynamic boundaries and buffers
Ecosystem Protection	Preserve Habitat	Replicate habitat types in multiple areas to spread risks associated with climate change	Pennsylvania Protects Coldwater Fisheries and Water Quality from Climate Change
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Apply Green Infrastructure Strategies	Use Bioretention to collect stormwater runoff Bioretention is an adapted landscape feature that provides onsite storage and infiltration of collected stormwater runoff. Stormwater runoff is directed from surfaces to a shallow depression that allows runoff to pond prior to infiltration in an area that is planted with water-tolerant vegetation. As runoff accumulates, it will pond and slowly travel through a filter bed (pictured on the right) where it either infiltrates into the ground or is discharged via an underdrain. Small-scale bioretention areas are often referred to as rain gardens.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Apply Green Infrastructure Strategies	Use Blue Roof to hold precipitation after a storm event and discharge it at a controlled rate A blue roof is designed to hold up to eight inches of precipitation on its surface or in engineered trays. It is comparable to a vegetated roof without soil or vegetation. After a storm event, precipitation is stored on the roof and discharged at a controlled rate. Blue roofs greatly decrease the peak discharge of runoff and also allow water to evaporate into the air prior to being discharged.20 Precipitation discharge is controlled on a blue roof through a flow restriction device around a roof drain. The water can either be slowly released to a storm sewer system or to another GI practice such as a cistern or bioretention area.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Apply Green Infrastructure Strategies	Use Permeable pavement to allow runoff to flow through and be temporarily stored prior to discharge Permeable pavement includes both pavements and pavers with void space that allow runoff to flow through the pavement (pictured left). Once runoff flows through the pavement, it is temporarily stored in an underground stone base prior to infiltrating into the ground or discharging from an under drain. Permeable pavers are highly effective at removing heavy metals, oils, and grease in runoff. Permeable pavement also removes nutrients such as phosphorous and nitrogen. Soil and engineered media filter pollutants as the runoff infiltrates through the porous surface. The void spaces in permeable pavement surfaces and reservoir layers provide storage capacity for runoff. All permeable pavement systems reduce runoff peak volume.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Apply Green Infrastructure Strategies	Use Underground storage systems to detain runoff in underground receptacles Underground storage systems vary greatly in design. Underground storage systems detain runoff in underground receptacles that slowly release runoff. Often the underground receptacles are culverts, engineered stormwater detention vaults, or perforated pipes. One of the benefits of underground storage is that it does not take up additional surface area and can be implemented beneath roadways, parking lots, or athletic fields. Underground storage systems are typically designed to store large volumes of runoff and therefore can have a significant impact in reducing flooding and peak discharges.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Apply Green Infrastructure Strategies	Use a stormwater tree trench to store and filter stormwater runoff A stormwater tree trench is a row of trees that is connected by an underground infiltration structure. At the ground level, trees planted in a tree trench do not look different than any other planted tree. Underneath the sidewalk, the trees sit in a trench that is engineered with layers of gravel and soil that store and filter stormwater runoff. Stormwater tree trenches provide both water quality and runoff reduction benefits.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Apply Green Infrastructure Strategies	Use a retention pond to manage stormwater A retention pond is one of the earliest prototypes of GI, and is now considered a more traditional type of stormwater infrastructure because it has been integrated into gray infrastructure design. It is an engineered stormwater basin designed to store runoff and release it at a controlled rate while maintaining a level of ponded water. Pollutants and sediment loads are reduced as the runoff is retained in the basin. Retention ponds are a very common stormwater management practice and may be designed with sustainable elements to increase water quality and decrease peak discharges. Vegetated forebays may be added to increase sediment removal as well as provide habitat. Another enhancement to traditional stormwater retention ponds is the addition of an ironenhanced sand filter bench that removes dissolved substances such as phosphorus from runoff.	DC Utilizes Green Infrastructure to Manage Stormwater
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Apply Green Infrastructure Strategies	Use extended detention wetlands to reduce flood risk and provide water quality and ecological benefits Extended detention wetlands, such as the one shown in the figure on the right, may be designed as a flood mitigation strategy that also provides water quality and ecological benefits. Extended detention wetlands can require large land areas, but come with significant flood storage benefits. Extended detention wetlands can be created, restored (from previously filled wetlands), or enhanced existing wetlands. Wetlands typically store flood water during a storm and release it slowly, thereby reducing peak flows. An extended detention wetland allows water to remain in the wetland area for an extended period of time, which provides increased flood storage as well as water quality benefits.29 Extended detention wetlands are distinct from preservation of existing wetlands, but the two practices often are considered together as part of a watershed-based strategy.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Build Staff Capacity	Provide training for municipal staff on green infrastructure Training can help to better equip staff to assess green infrastructure proposals. For example, EPA offers a Green Infrastructure Webcast Series. EPA and other federal agencies and nongovernmental organizations have formed the Green Infrastructure Collaborative, a network to help communities more easily implement green infrastructure. Learn about Green Infrastructure Collaborate with Green Infrastructure Partners
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Build Staff Capacity	Publicize a list of "certified or qualified" green infrastructure contractors and engineers Creating such a list can help connect experienced professionals with potential projects that could benefit from alternative design solutions.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Build Staff Capacity	Offer incentives for engineers or contractors to use green infrastructure designs, rather than relying on pipe-based systems.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Build Staff Capacity	Consider using or developing a stormwater model ordinance for green infrastructure This ordinance can help local jurisdictions incorporate climate change projections or green infrastructure incentives into local legislation. For example, the City of Seattle developed a citywide model ordinance for stormwater management using green infrastructure. Model Ordinance for Establishing Citywide Green Stormwater Infrastructure
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Build Staff Capacity	Conduct pilot studies Conduct pilot studies and publish the results and lessons learned to increase awareness and provide specific examples of how alternative stormwater management solutions perform. One specific need is additional examples that quantify infiltration rates in different areas to supplement existing knowledge.	DC Utilizes Green Infrastructure to Manage Stormwater
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Build Staff Capacity	Hire new staff with green infrastructure design and implementation experience This will help to complement existing staff knowledge and expertise.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Consider Cost and Benefits of Green Infrastructure	Ensure existing case studies are readily available Examples that cover a range of municipalities with different budgets and populations are helpful for local practitioners to find and consult studies that are similar to their own communities.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Consider Cost and Benefits of Green Infrastructure	Conduct research and collect data (e.g., what a city spent on repairs and replacement of infrastructure following a storm; job and recreational losses due to damaged or destroyed infrastructure) to facilitate improved quantification of the costs and benefits of green infrastructure investments. Provide opportunities for information sharing that are specific to economic valuation. Webinars, workshops, and tools can be used to disseminate existing knowledge and answer questions.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Consider Cost and Benefits of Green Infrastructure	Consider long-term benefits of green infrastructure in economic analysis of stormwater management plans Train local appraisers/commissioners to capture the full value of green infrastructure. Incorporate cobenefits into ROI calculations, such as ecosystem services and quality of life factors.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Consider Cost and Benefits of Green Infrastructure	Identify opportunities to integrate green infrastructure into other projects This can include projects where green infrastructure provides a co-benefit with little to no added cost (e.g., providing Americans with Disabilities Act [ADA]-compliant sidewalk access, adding a swale for pedestrian protection that also collects rainwater).
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Consider Cost and Benefits of Green Infrastructure	Use cost planning scenarios that are based on real projects for the state or region Develop templates that can be used to assess how different green infrastructure methods and projects can work in an area and include cost estimation guidance.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Consider Cost and Benefits of Green Infrastructure	Develop tools to assist with quantifying costs and benefits Update or use existing tools including the EPA's National Stormwater Calculator, the Center for Neighborhood Technology's Green Values National Stormwater Management Calculator and The Value of Green Infrastructure guide. National Stormwater Calculator Green Values National Stormwater Management Calculator The Value of Green Infrastructure: A Guide to Recognizing Its Economic, Environmental and Social Benefits
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Consider Cost and Benefits of Green Infrastructure	Collaborate across departments to coordinate collection of data on the costs and benefits of green infrastructure. For example, work with the financial departments to establish an easy tracking and reporting protocol to collect data related to costs and savings of implemented green infrastructure projects. Improve documentation regarding project funding and actual costs. Build a database to inform future projects. Suggest funding organizations incorporate requirements for enhanced financial and impact tracking reporting in project selection.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Consider Cost and Benefits of Green Infrastructure	Share existing information about how natural systems can be cost effective and efficient methods of stormwater control and flood mitigation Share information about the current status and the actual costs and values of projects that were implemented 10 or 20 years ago. Show how benefits and ROI have been realized through formats including videos or other readily accessible modes of communication.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Consider Cost and Benefits of Green Infrastructure	Present cost statistics in formats that can be shared with colleagues, elected officials, and the public. Develop communication materials that can be used in conversations with different audiences (e.g., use common terminology to help nontechnical stakeholders better understand the value of green infrastructure).
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Consider Cost and Benefits of Green Infrastructure	Incorporate cost and benefit information into tools (e.g., visualization tools) that can support project planning and assist in communications with multiple audiences Examples include such as the Connecticut Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials (CT NEMO) Rain Garden App; provide information about the multiple ecosystem services provided by green infrastructure, such as the U.S. Forest Service's i-Tree tool that estimates ecosystem services from trees used for urban stormwater runoff control that also provide local cooling services.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Consider Stormwater Management Logistics	Seek opportunities to incorporate climate change adaptation measures into existing plans Examples may include comprehensive plans or watershed-scale plans. Determine the level of plan that may be the best scale at which to address climate change.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Consider Stormwater Management Logistics	Assess whether green infrastructure could be included as a control measure in Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s). MS4s transport stormwater runoff that is often discharged into water bodies. Since 1999, even small MS4s within and outside urbanized areas have been required to obtain National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit coverage. Jurisdictions with MS4s can include green infrastructure as a control measure. EPA published a factsheet that discusses how green infrastructure can be integrated into stormwater permits and provides examples of communities that have done so. Integrating Green Infrastructure into Federal Regulatory Programs	DC Utilizes Green Infrastructure to Manage Stormwater
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Consider Stormwater Management Logistics	Consider offering incentives for green infrastructure to manage stormwater. Consider incentives such as fast-track permitting for projects that adhere to a more strict set of requirements (e.g., projects that manage 80% of runoff onsite or incorporate a green roof).
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Consider Stormwater Management Logistics	Consider regulatory changes at the federal or state level to minimize variance regarding stormwater infrastructure guidance and regulations among communities.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Consider Stormwater Management Logistics	Convene stakeholders from across the watershed to address barriers Bringing together relevant agencies, organizations, and individuals responsible for stormwater management decisions from across watersheds can help address barriers presented by different regulations, budget limitations, and expectations for growth. Representatives of water management, environmental, land use planning, public works, and transportation departments (among others) are important to include because each of these agencies plays a role in stormwater management.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Consider Stormwater Management Logistics	Coordinate across federal, state, local, and tribal agencies Engage the full suite of agencies and departments, particularly at the federal level, that affect or could be affected by solutions to address changing climate conditions in stormwater management. Consider involving, for example, FEMA, the Army Corps of Engineers, Departments of Transportation, Parks and Recreation, and State Departments of Ecology or Natural Resources. Also encourage a "no wrong door policy" (i.e., that data and information is shared across web portals and resources are shared across agencies). Seven federal agencies have come together with nongovernmental organizations and private-sector entities to support the Green Infrastructure Collaborative, a network to help communities more easily implement green infrastructure. Collaborate with Green Infrastructure Partners
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Consider Stormwater Management Logistics	Coordinate regional policies to minimize the impact on individual communities. While development may be deterred when individual communities change local standards independently, potentially negative impacts could be avoided if surrounding municipalities agree to adopt similar policies.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Consider Stormwater Management Logistics	Develop a methodology and schedule for maintenance that includes details about who is responsible for maintenance and new protocols. Establish this protocol early in the project planning phase to avoid future confusion or mismanagement. For example, Washington, DC's Stormwater Management Guidebook (CWP, 2013), provides for a stormwater retention credit program for certification. To be eligible for certification, a best management practice must, among other criteria, provide a contract or agreement for ongoing maintenance and pass ongoing maintenance inspections.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Consider Stormwater Management Logistics	Find ways that the state or county can provide incentives for regions to develop watershed-scale plans.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Consider Stormwater Management Logistics	Incorporate green infrastructure and LID into existing plans, such as watershed implementation plans (WIPs).	DC Utilizes Green Infrastructure to Manage Stormwater
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Consider Stormwater Management Logistics	Look for opportunities to develop a regional or watershed-scale plan for stormwater management. This may be more cost effective than developing individual plans.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Consider Stormwater Management Logistics	Provide individual homeowners and businesses with information about how to correctly maintain green infrastructure design elements (e.g., rain gardens, vegetated swales, and other installations). This may also entail offering financial incentives in places where individual homeowners are responsible for installation and maintenance, to help individuals pay for the maintenance of this public good.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Consider Stormwater Management Logistics	Request modifications to reporting requirements Request modifications (e.g., MS4, others) so that schedules are complimentary to efforts and the same/complimentary goals are being targeted for different projects. Also seek schedule variances for some reporting requirements (e.g., MS4, others), as needed, within a given community.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Consider Stormwater Management Logistics	Use pilot projects or those with minimal barriers to explore collaboration among agencies.	DC Utilizes Green Infrastructure to Manage Stormwater
Water Utility Protection	Construct new infrastructure	Relocate facilities to higher elevations Relocating utility infrastructure, such as treatment plants and pump stations, to higher elevations would reduce risks from coastal flooding and exposure as a result of coastal erosion or wetland loss.	Smart Growth Along the Riverfront Helps Manage Stormwater in Iowa City, Iowa
Water Utility Protection	Construct new infrastructure	Build flood barriers to protect infrastructure Flood barriers to protect critical infrastructure include levees, dikes and seawalls. A related strategy is flood proofing, which involves elevating critical equipment or placing it within waterproof containers or foundation systems.	Blue Plains Wastewater Facility in Washington DC Reinforces Facility Against Floods, Anacortes, Washington Rebuilds Water Treatment Plant for Climate Change
Water Utility Protection	Construct new infrastructure	Build infrastructure needed for aquifer storage and recovery Increasing the amount of groundwater storage available promotes recharge when surface water flows are in excess of demand, thus increasing climate resilience for seasonal or extended periods of drought, and taking advantage of seasonal variations in surface water runoff. Depending on whether natural or artificial aquifer recharge is employed, the required infrastructure may include percolation basins and injection wells.
Ecosystem Protection	Maintain Water Quality & Availability	Prevent or limit groundwater extraction from shallow aquifers
Ecosystem Protection	Maintain Water Quality & Availability	Create water markets – transferring land and water from agricultural to community use
Ecosystem Protection	Maintain Water Quality & Availability	Establish or broaden "use containment areas" to allocate and cap water withdrawal
Water Utility Protection	Construct new infrastructure	Diversify options for water supply and expand current sources Diversifying sources helps to reduce the risk that water supply will fall below water demand. Examples of diversified source water portfolios include using a varying mix of surface water and groundwater, employing desalination when the need arises and establishing water trading with other utilities in times of water shortages or service disruption.	Tampa Bay Diversifies Water Sources to Reduce Climate Risk
Water Utility Protection	Construct new infrastructure	Increase water storage capacity Increased drought can reduce the safe yield of reservoirs. To reduce this risk, increases in available storage can be made. Methods for accomplishing this may include raising a dam, practicing aquifer storage and recovery, removing accumulated sediment in reservoirs or lowering water intake elevation.	Fredericktown, Missouri Prepares for Climate Change Drought Risk
Water Utility Protection	Construct new infrastructure	Plan and establish alternative or on-site power supply Water utilities are one of the major consumers of electricity in the United States. With future electricity demand forecasted to grow, localized energy shortages may occur. The development of "off-grid" sources can be a good hedging strategy for electricity shortfalls. Moreover, redundant power supply can provide resiliency for situations in which natural disasters cause power outages. On-site sources can include solar, wind, inline microturbines and biogas (i.e., methane from wastewater treatment). New and back-up electrical equipment should be located above potential flood levels.
Ecosystem Protection	Maintain and Restore Wetlands	Allow coastal wetlands to migrate inland (e.g., through setbacks, density restrictions, land purchases	Maryland Analyzes Coastal Wetlands Susceptibility to Climate Change
Ecosystem Protection	Maintain and Restore Wetlands	Promote wetland accretion by introducing sediment
Ecosystem Protection	Maintain and Restore Wetlands	Prohibit hard shore protection
Ecosystem Protection	Maintain and Restore Wetlands	Remove hard protection or other barriers to tidal and riverine flow (e.g., riverine and tidal dike removals)
Ecosystem Protection	Maintain and Restore Wetlands	Incorporate wetland protection into infrastructure planning (e.g., transportation planning, sewer utilities)
Ecosystem Protection	Maintain and Restore Wetlands	Preserve and restore the structural complexity and biodiversity of vegetation in tidal marshes, seagrass meadows, and mangroves	Southwest Florida Assesses Salt Marsh Vulnerability to Sea Level Rise
Ecosystem Protection	Maintain and Restore Wetlands	Identify and protect ecologically significant ("critical") areas such as nursery grounds, spawning grounds, and areas of high species diversity	San Juan Bay Estuary Program Assesses Vulnerability and Targets Adaptation Measures
Ecosystem Protection	Maintain and Restore Wetlands	Establish rolling easements
Ecosystem Protection	Maintain and Restore Wetlands	Maintain Sediment Transport
Ecosystem Protection	Maintain and Restore Wetlands	Trap or add sand through beach nourishment – the addition of sand to a shoreline to enhance or create a beach area
Ecosystem Protection	Maintain and Restore Wetlands	Trap sand through construction of groins – a barrier type structure that traps sand by interrupting longshore transport
Ecosystem Protection	Maintain and Restore Wetlands	Create a regional sediment management (RSM) plan
Ecosystem Protection	Maintain and Restore Wetlands	Develop adaptive stormwater management practices (e.g., promoting natural buffers, adequate culvert sizing)	Barre City, Vermont Accounts for Climate Change within a Brownfield Redevelopment Plan
Ecosystem Protection	Maintain Water Quality & Availability	Plug drainage canals
Water Utility Protection	Increase System Efficiency	Finance and facilitate systems to recycle water Recycling greywater frees up more finished water for other uses, expanding supply and decreasing the need to discharge into receiving waters. Receiving water quality limitations may increase due to more frequent droughts. Therefore, to limit wastewater discharges, use of reclaimed water in homes and businesses should be encouraged.
Ecosystem Protection	Maintain Water Quality & Availability	Design new coastal drainage system
Ecosystem Protection	Maintain Water Quality & Availability	Incorporate sea level rise into planning for new infrastructure (e.g., sewage systems)	Southeast Florida Compact Analyzes Sea Level Rise Risk
Ecosystem Protection	Maintain Water Quality & Availability	Develop adaptive stormwater management practices (e.g., remove impervious surface, replace undersized culverts)
Water Utility Protection	Increase System Efficiency	Improve energy efficiency and optimization of operations Water utilities are one of the major consumers of electricity in the United States. With future electricity demand forecasted to grow, localized energy shortages may be experienced. Energy efficiency measures will save in energy costs and make utilities less vulnerable to electricity shortfalls due to high demand or service disruptions from natural disasters.
Water Utility Protection	Increase System Efficiency	Practice conjunctive use Conjunctive use involves the coordinated, optimal use of both surface water and groundwater, both intra- and inter-annually. Aquifer storage and recovery is a form of conjunctive use. For example, a utility may store some fraction of surface water flows in aquifers during wet years and withdraw this water during dry years when the river flow is low. Depending on whether natural or artificial aquifer recharge is employed, the required infrastructure may include percolation basins and injection wells.	Tampa Bay Diversifies Water Sources to Reduce Climate Risk
Ecosystem Protection	Maintain Water Quality & Availability	Integrate climate change scenarios into water supply system	Southeast Florida Compact Analyzes Sea Level Rise Risk
Ecosystem Protection	Maintain Water Quality & Availability	Manage water demand (through water reuse, recycling, rainwater harvesting, desalination, etc.)
Water Utility Protection	Model Climate Risk	Conduct extreme precipitation events analyses An increase in the magnitude or frequency of extreme events can severely challenge water utility systems that were not designed to withstand intense events. Extreme event analyses or modeling can help develop a better understanding of the risks and consequences associated with these types of events.	Camden, New Jersey Uses Green Infrastructure to Manage Stormwater
Water Utility Protection	Model Climate Risk	Conduct sea-level rise and storm surge modeling Modeling sea-level rise and storm surge dynamics will better inform the placement and protection of critical infrastructure. Generic models have been developed to consider subsidence, global sea-level rise and storm surge effects on inundation, including National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) SLOSH (Sea, Lake and Overland Surges from Hurricanes) Model and The Nature Conservancy's Coastal Resilience Tool, amongst others.	Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts Assesses Climate Vulnerability
Water Utility Protection	Model Climate Risk	Develop models to understand potential water quality changes In many areas, increased water temperatures will cause eutrophication and excess algal growth, which will reduce drinking water quality. The quality of drinking water sources may also be compromised by increased sediment or nutrient inputs due to extreme storm events. These impacts may be addressed with targeted watershed management plans.	Southern Nevada Water Authority Assesses Vulnerability To Climate Change
Water Utility Protection	Model Climate Risk	Model and monitor groundwater conditions Understanding and modeling groundwater conditions will inform aquifer management and projected water quantity and quality changes. Monitoring data for aquifer water level, changes in chemistry and detection of saltwater intrusion can be incorporated into models to predict future supply. Climate change may lead to diminished groundwater recharge in some areas because of reduced precipitation and decreased runoff.	Tampa Bay Diversifies Water Sources to Reduce Climate Risk
Water Utility Protection	Model Climate Risk	Model and reduce inflow/infiltration in the sewer system More extreme storm events will increase the amount of wet weather infiltration and inflow into sanitary and combined sewers. Sewer models can estimate the impact of those increased wet weather flows on wastewater collection system and treatment plant capacity and operations. Potential system modifications to reduce those impacts include infiltration reduction measures, additional collection system capacity, offline storage or additional peak wet weather treatment capacity.
Water Utility Protection	Model Climate Risk	Use hydrologic models to project runoff and future water supply In order to understand how climate change may impact future water supply and water quality, hydrologic models, coupled with projections from climate models, must be developed. It is important to work towards an understanding of how both the mean and temporal (seasonal) distribution of surface water flows may change. Groundwater recharge, snowpack and the timing of snowmelt are critical areas that may be severely impacted by climate change and should be incorporated into the analysis.	Southern Nevada Water Authority Assesses Vulnerability To Climate Change
Water Utility Protection	Modify Land Use	Acquire and manage ecosystems Intact natural ecosystems have many benefits for utilities: reducing sediment and nutrient inputs into source water bodies, regulating runoff and streamflow, buffering against flooding and reducing storm surge impacts and inundation on the coasts (e.g., mangroves, saltwater marshes, wetlands). Utilities can also work with regional floodplain managers and appropriate stakeholders to explore non-structural flood management techniques in the watershed. Protecting, acquiring and managing ecosystems in buffer zones along rivers, lakes, reservoirs and coasts can be cost-effective measures for flood control and water quality management.
Water Utility Protection	Modify Land Use	Implement green infrastructure on site and in municipalities Green infrastructure can help reduce runoff and stormwater flows that may otherwise exceed system capacity. Examples of green infrastructure include: bio-retention areas (rain gardens), low impact development methods, green roofs, swales (depressions to capture water) and the use of vegetation or pervious materials instead of impervious surfaces.	Camden, New Jersey Uses Green Infrastructure to Manage Stormwater, DC Utilizes Green Infrastructure to Manage Stormwater
Water Utility Protection	Modify Land Use	Implement watershed management Watershed management includes a range of policy and technical measures. These generally focus on preserving or restoring vegetated land cover in a watershed and managing stormwater runoff. These changes help mimic natural watershed hydrology, increasing groundwater recharge, reducing runoff and improving the quality of runoff.
Water Utility Protection	Modify Land Use	Integrate flood management and modeling into land use planning It is critical that future water utility infrastructure be planned and built in consideration of future flood risks. Infrastructure can be built in areas that do not have a high risk of future flooding. Alternately, appropriate flood management plans can be implemented that involve 'soft' adaptation measures such as conserving natural ecosystems or 'hard' measures such as dikes and flood walls.	Smart Growth Along the Riverfront Helps Manage Stormwater in Iowa City, Iowa
Water Utility Protection	Modify Land Use	Study response of nearby wetlands to storm surge events Coastal wetlands act as buffers to storm surge. Protecting and understanding the ability of existing wetlands to provide protection for coastal infrastructure in the future is important considering projected sea-level rise and possible changes in storm severity.
Water Utility Protection	Modify Land Use	Update fire models and practice fire management plans Fire frequency and severity may change in the future, therefore it is important to develop, practice and regularly update management plans to reduce fire risk. Controlled burns, thinning and weed and invasive plant control help to reduce risk in wildfire-prone areas.
Water Utility Protection	Modify Water Demand	Encourage and support practices to reduce water use at local power plants The electricity sector withdraws the greatest amount of water in the United States, compared with other sectors. Any efforts to reduce water usage by utilities (e.g., closed-loop water circulation systems or dry cooling for the turbines) will increase available water supply. For example, utilities may provide reclaimed water to electric utilities for electricity generation.
Water Utility Protection	Modify Water Demand	Model and reduce agricultural and irrigation water demand Agriculture represents the second largest user of water in the United States in terms of withdrawals. In order to forecast and plan for future water supply needs, agricultural (irrigation) demand must be projected, particularly in drought-prone areas. For example, to reduce agricultural water demand, utilities can work with farmers to adopt advanced micro-irrigation technology (e.g., drip irrigation).
Water Utility Protection	Modify Water Demand	Model future regional electricity demand The electricity sector represents the largest user of water in the United States in terms of withdrawals. In order to forecast future water supply needs, changes in electricity demand related to climate change must be projected.
Water Utility Protection	Modify Water Demand	Practice water conservation and demand management An effective and low-cost method of meeting increased water supply needs is to implement water conservation programs that will cut down on waste and inefficiencies. Public outreach is an essential component of any water conservation program. Outreach communications typically include: basic information on household water usage, the best time of day to undertake water-intensive activities and information on and access to water efficient household appliances such as low-flow toilets, showerheads and front-loading washers. Education and outreach can also be targeted to different sectors (i.e., commercial, institutional, industrial, public sectors). Effective conservation programs in the community include those that provide rebates or help install water meters, water-conserving appliances, toilets and rainwater harvesting tanks.
Water Utility Protection	Monitor Operational Capabilities	Conduct stress testing on wastewater treatment biological systems to assess tolerance to heat Increased surface water temperature may require changes to wastewater treatment systems, as microbial species used may react differently in warmer environments. Stress testing involves subjecting biological systems or bench-top simulations of systems to elevated temperatures and monitoring the impacts on treatment processes.
Water Utility Protection	Monitor Operational Capabilities	Manage reservoir water quality Changes in precipitation and runoff timing, coupled with higher temperatures due to climate change, may lead to diminished reservoir water quality. Reservoir water quality can be maintained or improved by a combination of watershed management, to reduce pollutant runoff and promote groundwater recharge and reservoir management methods, such as lake aeration.
Water Utility Protection	Monitor Operational Capabilities	Monitor and inspect the integrity of existing infrastructure Monitoring is a critical component of establishing a measure of current conditions, detecting deterioration in physical assets and evaluating when the necessary adjustments need to be made to prolong infrastructure lifespan.
Water Utility Protection	Monitor Operational Capabilities	Monitor current weather conditions A better understanding of weather conditions provides a utility with the ability to recognize possible changes in climate change and then identify the subsequent need to alter current operations to ensure resilient supply and services. Observations of precipitation, temperature and storm events are particularly important for improving models of projected water quality and quantity.
Water Utility Protection	Monitor Operational Capabilities	Monitor flood events and drivers Understanding and modeling the conditions that result in flooding is an important part of projecting how climate change may drive change in future flood occurrence. Monitoring data for sea level, precipitation, temperature and runoff can be incorporated into flood models to improve predictions. Current flood magnitude and frequency of storm events represents a baseline for considering potential future flood conditions.
Water Utility Protection	Monitor Operational Capabilities	Monitor surface water conditions Understanding surface water conditions and the factors that alter quantity and quality is an important part of projecting how climate change may impact water resources. Monitoring data for discharge, snowmelt, reservoir or stream level, upstream runoff, streamflow, in-stream temperature and overall water quality can be incorporated into models of projected supply or receiving water quality.	Southern Nevada Water Authority Assesses Vulnerability To Climate Change
Water Utility Protection	Monitor Operational Capabilities	Monitor vegetation changes in watersheds Changes in vegetation alter the runoff that enters surface water bodies and the risk of wildfire to facilities within the watershed. Monitoring vegetation changes can be conducted by ground cover surveys, aerial photography or by relying on the research from local conservation groups and universities.
Water Utility Protection	Plan for Climate Change	Adopt insurance mechanisms and other financial instruments Adequate insurance can insulate utilities from financial losses due to extreme weather events, helping to maintain financial sustainability of utility operations.
Water Utility Protection	Plan for Climate Change	Conduct climate change impacts and adaptation training An important step in developing an adaptation program is educating staff on climate change. Staff should have a basic understanding of the projected range of changes in temperature and precipitation, the increase in the frequency and magnitude of extreme weather events for their region and how these changes may affect the utility's assets and operations. Preparedness from this training can improve utility management under current climate conditions as well.	Southern Nevada Water Authority Assesses Vulnerability To Climate Change
Water Utility Protection	Plan for Climate Change	Develop coastal restoration plans Coastal restoration plans may protect water utility infrastructure from damaging storm surge by increasing protective habitat of coastal ecosystems such as mangroves and wetlands. Restoration plans should consider the impacts of sea-level rise and development on future ecosystem distribution. Successful strategies may also consider rolling easements and other measures identified by EPA's Climate Ready Estuaries program.
Water Utility Protection	Plan for Climate Change	Develop emergency response plans Emergency response plans (ERPs) outline activities and procedures for utilities to follow in case of an incident, from preparation to recovery. Some of the extreme events considered in ERPs may change in their frequency or magnitude due to changes in climate, which may require making changes to these plans to capture a wider range of possible events.
Water Utility Protection	Plan for Climate Change	Develop energy management plans for key facilities Energy management plans identify the most critical systems in a facility, provide backup power sources for those systems and evaluate options to reduce power consumption by upgrading to more efficient equipment. Utilities may develop plans to produce energy, reduce use and work toward net-zero goals.
Water Utility Protection	Plan for Climate Change	Establish mutual aid agreements with neighboring utilities Beyond the establishment of water trading in times of water shortages or service disruptions, these agreements involve the sharing of personnel and resources in times of emergency (e.g., natural disasters).
Water Utility Protection	Plan for Climate Change	Identify and protect vulnerable facilities Operational measures to isolate and protect the most vulnerable systems or assets at a utility should be considered. For example, critical pump stations would include those serving a large population and those located in a flood zone. Protection of these assets would then be prioritized based on the likelihood of flood damage and the consequence of service disruption.	Anacortes, Washington Rebuilds Water Treatment Plant for Climate Change
Water Utility Protection	Plan for Climate Change	Integrate climate-related risks into capital improvement plans Plans to build or expand infrastructure should consider the vulnerability of the proposed locations to inland flooding, sea-level rise, storm surge and other impacts associated with climate change.	Anacortes, Washington Rebuilds Water Treatment Plant for Climate Change Smart Growth Along the Riverfront Helps Manage Stormwater in Iowa City, Iowa Blue Plains Wastewater Facility in Washington DC Reinforces Facility Against Floods DC Utilizes Green Infrastructure to Manage Stormwater
Water Utility Protection	Plan for Climate Change	Participate in community planning and regional collaborations Effective adaptation planning requires the cooperation and involvement of the community. Water utilities will benefit by engaging in climate change planning efforts with local and regional governments, electric utilities and other local organizations.
Water Utility Protection	Plan for Climate Change	Update drought contingency plans Drought leads to severe pressures on water supply. Drought contingency plans would include the use of alternate water supplies and the adoption of water use restrictions for households, businesses and other water users. These plans should be updated regularly to remain consistent with current operations and assets.	Fredericktown, Missouri Prepares for Climate Change Drought Risk
Ecosystem Protection	Preserve Coastal Land and Development	Land exchange programs – owners exchange property in the floodplain for county-owned land outside of the floodplain
Ecosystem Protection	Preserve Coastal Land and Development	Integrate coastal management into land use planning	Maryland Analyzes Coastal Wetlands Susceptibility to Climate Change
Ecosystem Protection	Preserve Coastal Land and Development	Create permitting rules that constrain locations for landfills, hazardous waste dumps, mine tailings, and toxic chemical facilities
Ecosystem Protection	Preserve Coastal Land and Development	Manage realignment and deliberately realign engineering structures affecting rivers, estuaries, and coastlines
Ecosystem Protection	Preserve Coastal Land and Development	Land acquisition program – purchase coastal land that is damaged or prone to damage and use it for conservation
Ecosystem Protection	Preserve Coastal Land and Development	Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) – using an integrated approach to achieve sustainability
Ecosystem Protection	Preserve Coastal Land and Development	Incorporate consideration of climate change impacts into planning for new infrastructure (e.g., homes, businesses)
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Provide Public Awareness and Coordination	Create opportunities for staff to exchange experiences and ideas for programs (e.g., interdepartmental meetings, workshops, webinars, online forums). Ensure that senior management is on-board and that the administrative and fiscal mechanisms of the city enable interdepartmental collaboration.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Provide Public Awareness and Coordination	Engage in existing peer-to-peer networks These networks connect communities at varying stages of implementation and include the GLAA-C, Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN), American Society of Adaptation Professionals (ASAP), and the Great Lakes Saint Lawrence Cities Initiative.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Provide Public Awareness and Coordination	Take advantage of existing resources that promote information sharing. EPA, as well as NOAA and other federal agencies provide tools, guides, and case studies of green infrastructure projects conducted with a large number of communities across the country.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Provide Public Awareness and Coordination	Build awareness and knowledge via climate change and stormwater management curriculum On-the-job training and continuing education opportunities, which can help to increase the climate literacy of existing staff and ensure timely application of research designed to address decision-maker needs. Also, use educational projects in schools or at community centers as opportunities to disseminate climate change information to the public.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Provide Public Awareness and Coordination	Adopt more stringent policies Adopt more stringent policies such as stormwater fees and requirements for developers to manage water onsite to the maximum extent feasible. Similarly, require developers to make decisions informed by future climate, and local governments to incorporate climate change into decision-making processes.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Provide Public Awareness and Coordination	Developers can demonstrate attractive, cost-effective, marketable solutions If the market offers innovative stormwater solutions or climate resilient developments that are attractive and effective, the public will more likely favor these best available options. A developer-driven solution may be most effective in an area that is rapidly changing. For instance, the recently developed Celebrate Senior Center in Fredericksburg, Virginia, is using 65 bioretention areas and 15 water quality swales to treat 43 acres of manicured landscape. Stafford County anticipates that this project will demonstrate that green infrastructure solutions can offer amenities that increase the value of the landscape while managing stormwater onsite.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Provide Public Awareness and Coordination	Showcase green infrastructure climate adaptation projects Use redevelopment projects as onsite demonstrations of ways to adapt to climate change using LID, green streets, or environmental site design. Such demonstrations will make these approaches highly visible to the public, politicians, decision makers, and project partners.	Camden, New Jersey Uses Green Infrastructure to Manage Stormwater
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Provide Public Awareness and Coordination	Collaborate with community groups Collaboration through activities such as tree planting or installing rain gardens can be an effective adaptation measure. In all work with individuals and community groups, be sensitive to hot button topics that may distract from the purpose of the conversation and the issues that the work intends to address. For example, if climate change is a highly political issue, it may be useful to steer the conversation towards observed and projected changes for specific endpoints of concern (e.g., changes in 25-year storm event or the intensity of brief downpours) or green infrastructure's cobenefits to a community's livability and economic vitality. Focusing on issues of vulnerability and future weather changes can help to move discussions forward and avoid some of the potential barriers that arise when using the term "climate change".
Water Utility Protection	Repair and Retrofit Facilities	Implement policies and procedures for post-flood and/or post-fire repairs Post-disaster policies should minimize service disruption due to damaged infrastructure. These contingency plans should be incorporated into other planning efforts and updated regularly to remain consistent with any changes in utility services or assets.	Iowa City, Iowa Closes Vulnerable Wastewater Facility
Water Utility Protection	Repair and Retrofit Facilities	Implement saltwater intrusion barriers and aquifer recharge As sea level rises, saltwater may intrude into coastal aquifers, resulting in substantially higher treatment costs. The injection of fresh water into aquifers can help to act as a barrier, while intrusion recharges groundwater resources.	Tampa Bay Diversifies Water Sources to Reduce Climate Risk
Water Utility Protection	Repair and Retrofit Facilities	Improve pumps for backflow prevention Sea-level rise and coastal storm surge can cause wastewater outlets to backflow. To prevent this, stronger pumps may be necessary.	Southeast Florida Compact Analyzes Sea Level Rise Risk
Water Utility Protection	Repair and Retrofit Facilities	Increase capacity for wastewater and stormwater collection and treatment Precipitation variability will increase in many areas. Even in areas where precipitation and runoff may decrease on average, the distribution of rainfall patterns (i.e., intensity and duration) can change in ways that impact water infrastructure. In particular, more extreme storms may overwhelm combined wastewater and stormwater systems.	Iowa City, Iowa Closes Vulnerable Wastewater Facility
Water Utility Protection	Repair and Retrofit Facilities	Increase treatment capabilities Existing water treatment systems may be inadequate to process water of significantly reduced quality. Significant improvement to existing treatment processes or implementation of additional treatment technologies may be necessary to ensure that quality of water supply (or effluent) continues to meet standards as climate change impacts source or receiving water quality.	Southern Nevada Water Authority Assesses Vulnerability To Climate Change
Water Utility Protection	Repair and Retrofit Facilities	Install effluent cooling systems Higher surface temperatures may make meeting water quality standards and temperature criteria more difficult. Therefore, to reduce the temperature of treated wastewater discharges, additional effluent cooling systems may be needed.
Water Utility Protection	Repair and Retrofit Facilities	Retrofit intakes to accommodate lower flow or water levels In areas where streamflow declines due to climate change, water levels may fall below intakes for water treatment plants.
Ecosystem Protection	Use "Hard" Shoreline Maintenance	Fortify dikes
Ecosystem Protection	Use "Hard" Shoreline Maintenance	Harden shorelines with bulkheads – anchored, vertical barriers constructed at the shoreline to block erosion
Ecosystem Protection	Use "Hard" Shoreline Maintenance	Harden shorelines with seawalls
Ecosystem Protection	Use "Hard" Shoreline Maintenance	Harden shorelines with revetments that armor the slope face of the shoreline
Ecosystem Protection	Use "Hard" Shoreline Maintenance	Harden shorelines with breakwaters – structures placed offshore to reduce wave action
Ecosystem Protection	Use "Hard" Shoreline Maintenance	Headland control – reinforce or accentuate an existing geomorphic feature or create an artificial headland (e.g., Geotextile tubes)
Ecosystem Protection	Use "Soft" Shoreline Maintenance	Replace shoreline armoring with living shorelines – through beach nourishment, planting vegetation, etc	San Juan Bay Estuary Program Assesses Vulnerability and Targets Adaptation Measures
Ecosystem Protection	Use "Soft" Shoreline Maintenance	Remove shoreline hardening structures such as bulkheads, dikes, and other engineered structures to allow for shoreline migration
Ecosystem Protection	Use "Soft" Shoreline Maintenance	Plant SAV (such as sea grasses) to stabilize sediment and reduce erosion	San Juan Bay Estuary Program Assesses Vulnerability and Targets Adaptation Measures
Ecosystem Protection	Use "Soft" Shoreline Maintenance	Create marsh by planting the appropriate species – typically grasses, sedges, or rushes – in the existing substrate
Ecosystem Protection	Use "Soft" Shoreline Maintenance	Create dunes along backshore of beach; includes planting dune grasses and sand fencing to induce settling of wind-blown sands
Ecosystem Protection	Use "Soft" Shoreline Maintenance	Use natural breakwaters of oysters (or install other natural breakwaters) to dissipate wave action and protect shorelines
Ecosystem Protection	Use "Soft" Shoreline Maintenance	Install rock sills and other artificial breakwaters in front of tidal marshes along energetic estuarine shores
Ecosystem Protection	Use "Soft" Shoreline Maintenance	Restrict or prohibit development in erosion zones
Ecosystem Protection	Use "Soft" Shoreline Maintenance	Redefine riverine flood hazard zones to match projected expansion of flooding frequency and extent
Ecosystem Protection	Use "Soft" Shoreline Maintenance	Increase shoreline setbacks
Ecosystem Protection	Use "Soft" Shoreline Maintenance	Composite systems – incorporate elements of two or more methods (e.g., breakwater, sand fill, and planting vegetation)
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Use Climate & Land Use Data	Address the likely need to facilitate a change in thinking to enable action in the face of uncertainties that have not been traditionally considered in decision making but now should be. There will likely never be a tool to predict storm events with precision. Communities will need to develop new ways of thinking and planning, such as analyzing decisions by their robustness over a range of potential changes, employing risk management techniques, using principles that maximize minimum losses or minimize maximum losses, and other approaches for decision making under uncertainty.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Use Climate & Land Use Data	Assemble existing data sets with information such as historic land use, planned development, topography, and location of floodplains. They are often sufficient to support a near-term conversation about how stormwater management may need to change to accommodate changes in climate. Land use has a tremendous effect on climate change impacts on stormwater management; managers can incorporate land use change maps into planning discussions. EPA's Integrated Climate and Land Use Scenarios (ICLUS) project can serve as a resource. Consider updates to data management practices to facilitate use of the best and most recent data. Integrated Climate and Land-Use Scenarios
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Use Climate & Land Use Data	Communicate the overlap of "short-term" infrastructure lifetimes with longer term climate changes. If better understood, it may motivate local planners to consider climate change when making infrastructure decisions.	Minnehaha, MN Creek Watershed District Assesses Stormwater Management Climate Vulnerability
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Use Climate & Land Use Data	Consider how current design standards are formulated a starting point to the discussion Rather than starting a conversation with a discussion of climate change projections, understand the current design standard for stormwater management. Then, engage decision makers to seek agreement on a threshold (e.g., the community will prepare for X storm) that is informed by historic data and reflects the risk tolerance of the community (e.g., what level of damage or disruption the community can tolerate at different costs). This also entails understanding the current design standard and whether performance can be enhanced for projects in the region.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Use Climate & Land Use Data	Demonstrate the use of dynamical downscaling on research projects at the site scale. Decision makers can use local resources for climate change data from researchers at organizations within the area, such as universities, state meteorological agencies, and other organizations that may be involved in downscaling of climate change scenarios.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Use Climate & Land Use Data	Develop a "wish-list" of data that should be collected to improve understanding of climate changes Stormwater managers and geographic information system (GIS) staff can begin to collect this needed local data (e.g., establish and maintain more local weather gauges and monitoring stations). Partners in the community or neighboring jurisdictions may also be interested in pooling resources to develop or improve data sets.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Use Climate & Land Use Data	Develop regional scenarios These scenarios (complete with uncertainty bounds) can be used by communities across a region, minimizing the need for individual communities to spend limited resources to determine which climate model results are appropriate to their planning needs (see SFWMD, 2011 for example of regional climate and sea level rise scenarios produced for south Florida counties and municipalities by the South Florida Water Management District).	Southeast Florida Compact Analyzes Sea Level Rise Risk
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Use Climate & Land Use Data	Expand staff expertise in GIS or other data management processes (via training, new hires, or sharing of staff across the county or a group of municipalities).
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Use Climate & Land Use Data	Mine existing data sources to ensure that decisions are based on the best available data. Local decision makers are often working with old data. Simply updating storm standards to match current precipitation patterns can result in a marked improvement. Accurate historical climate information can help serve as a bridge to discussions regarding future climate projections (which are less certain and may be less readily received by skeptical planners and decision makers).
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Use Climate & Land Use Data	Routinely re-evaluate accuracy of land use maps Re-evaluating accuracy of land use maps, especially in areas experiencing rapid development, can ensure the best available data about the extent and location of impervious surfaces is used.
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Use Climate & Land Use Data	Seek partnerships that can contribute to the field of knowledge. For example, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been helping communities better understand hydrologic modeling (U.S. ACE, 2015) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) helps with preparedness planning for extreme events (FEMA, 2015). Communities can work with universities to make sure that research is applicable to local needs. Such partnerships can be fruitful when there are several crucial players working with the data to identify solutions (check local university websites for potential resources and partnering opportunities).
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Use Climate & Land Use Data	Use land use build-out models to understand the maximum allowable use This can include projections of the amount and location of development that may occur in a specified area as permitted by current land development ordinances. This information will inform stormwater managers regarding projected increases in impervious surfaces and the associated stormwater management needs.	Southern Nevada Water Authority Assesses Vulnerability To Climate Change
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Use Climate & Land Use Data	Use land use build-out models to understand the maximum likely development in a region. This can help stormwater managers consider the potential needs associated with projected increases in impervious surfaces. Example resources include EPA's Integrated Climate and Land Use Scenarios (ICLUS) project and EPA's Impervious Surface Growth Model (ISGM).	Southern Nevada Water Authority Assesses Vulnerability To Climate Change
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Use Climate & Land Use Data	Use resources to show historical and future trend lines To understand future climate changes, techniques that use historic data, such as analogue events or other sensitivity and threshold information in the historic record, can be used as illustrations (e.g., see the IPCC [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change] report Climate Change 2001: Working Group II: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability, Section 3.5. EPA's SWC and SWMM-CAT provide regional downscaled climate projections. EPA is also developing a web application for visualizing and downloading climate model output . Working Group II: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability Global Change Explorer	Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts Assesses Climate Vulnerability
Stormwater Management and Water Quality	Use Climate & Land Use Data	Use scenarios to develop a set of possible futures, rather than seeking consensus on a particular projection. In addressing future precipitation changes in stormwater management, decision makers may need assistance determining which climate change scenarios to evaluate, where to get appropriate climate data, and assessing whether the climate projections coincide with locally driven concerns.
Indoor air quality	Educate and provide technical assistance	Develop an education plan around indoor air quality issues and disseminate materials in multiple languages. In particular, emphasize how 1) extreme weather events can causing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems to fail and result in indoor air pollution build-up, 2) backup generators can produce excess carbon monoxide, 3) floods can lead to indoor mold growth, and 4) stores can stock portable backup generators, proper ventilation materials, and other products to help prevent or lessen air quality issues. Learn more about indoor air quality tools and guides from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Indoor air quality	Support greener and healthier building practices	Adopt policies for internal use and for the jurisdiction that include structural and financial incentives for buildings that incorporate designs focused on reducing negative impacts on the environment through technologies and green infrastructure. Examples include green roofs, white roofs, pollution prevention measures, and more. Learn more about green building from the U.S. Green Building Council.
Indoor air quality	Support greener and healthier building practices	Establish minimum mandatory criteria for indoor air quality for buildings to include ventilation, moisture, and chemicals of concern.
Indoor air quality	Support greener and healthier building practices	Leverage and support local weatherization and retrofit programs.
Indoor air quality	Support greener and healthier building practices	Work with housing agencies to develop minimum building codes and healthy homes programs through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Check with your staff attorney to see if your local government has the ability to influence the state building code or introduce policies that are more stringent.
Indoor air quality	Upgrade city facilities and strengthen staff understanding of indoor air quality	Ensure there are updated ventilation, dust, and mold management technologies in all new and existing municipal facilities.
Indoor air quality	Upgrade city facilities and strengthen staff understanding of indoor air quality	Train local government staff such as building scientists, engineers, and environmental health and safety experts on indoor air quality standards and strategies.
Outdoor air quality	Collaborate within jurisdictions and regionally	Participate in voluntary agreements to improve air quality and reduce emissions. Develop formal agreements to create emissions inventories and implement voluntary control measures focused on reducing emissions throughout the region. Example: 8-hour Ozone Flex Program.
Outdoor air quality	Improve technologies and incentivize behavior	Implement public transportation and commuter benefits program. Promote public transportation and other forms of non-single occupancy vehicle transportation (such as bicycles and buses) by offering tax-free employee transportation incentives and allowing flexible schedule and telecommuter options.
Outdoor air quality	Improve technologies and incentivize behavior	Implement a woodstove pollution prevention programs. These programs educate residents on the health and pollution risks associated with non-certified woodstoves and fireplace inserts. Provide financial incentives, or provide free stove upgrades to residents using non-certified options.
Outdoor air quality	Improve technologies and incentivize behavior	Address emissions from off-road diesel engines, equipment, and vehicle. Local governments can install retrofit technology on the off-road, heavy-duty diesel paving vehicles required in infrastructure updates. Offer incentives or vouchers for residents to swap out older machines that emit more pollutants (e.g. Louisville’s Lawn Care for Cleaner Air program).
Outdoor air quality	Improve technologies and incentivize behavior	Implement anti-idling efforts and improve access to parking spaces with electrification for semi-truck. Undertake anti-idling education through awareness campaigns, programs, and laws. Offer electrification stops for heavy-duty trucks and buses that provide drivers with necessary services such as heating, air conditioning, and power, without the need for engine idling.
Outdoor air quality	Modify land use	Adopt Smart Growth principles to encourage a mix of building types and uses with multiple transit options. To reduce emissions and pollution, plan for infill and brownfield redevelopment in urban cores that will reduce the need for development in the urban fringe and vehicle miles traveled to arrive at a destination. Create complementary transportation plans that provide a variety of options for residents to commute to work and access the community. Preserve and develop greenways and open spaces.
Outdoor air quality	Modify land use	Improve neighborhood connectivity. Address connectivity through long-term planning, committing to accessible public transportation, and making inter-modal transportation links available so residents are able to fully commute through public transportation. Increase density near transit stations and improve parking management to provide more opportunities for people to access public transit. Participate in regional planning efforts to enable residents to travel beyond the jurisdiction with public transportation.
Outdoor air quality	Modify land use	Increase and improve tree canopy coverage. Develop forestry plans and implement jurisdiction-wide tree planting programs and public education efforts about trees and air quality.	Goshen, Indiana conducted a tree canopy inventory and assessment.
Outdoor air quality	Monitor and maintain air quality	Improve the effectiveness of air monitoring and air quality emergency response. Require and promote collaboration among government agencies and external stakeholders responsible for air quality monitoring and measures. Create an Air Quality Advisory Action Plan for situations with poor air quality to warn residents and provide information on what to do. Utilize tools such as Smogwatch from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and AIRNOW from USEPA to monitor the air quality.
Outdoor air quality	Repair and retrofit facilities and vehicles	Develop and implement energy plans that reduce emissions in government facilities and vehicle. Work to reduce consumption, increase the energy performance of government buildings, use vehicles not powered by gasoline or diesel fuels, implement renewable energy technologies, and ensure procurement policies prioritize low impact decisions. Complete an energy savings performance contract to upgrade facilities' energy equipment or, if a contract is not feasible yet, identify the specific make and model of a more efficient HVAC or other energy equipment to be installed when existing equipment fails.
Outdoor air quality	Repair and retrofit facilities and vehicles	Implement programs to help reduce emissions from airport ground equipment. Expand the use of non-gasoline or diesel fuels and low emission technologies. Participate in airport improvement programs such as the FAA Airport Improvement Program, U.S. Green Building Council Clean Airport Partnership, and more.
Outdoor air quality	Repair and retrofit facilities and vehicles	Retrofit car, truck, and bus fleets and add necessary infrastructure. Add diesel oxidation catalysts to trucks and buses; electrify auto fleets; install charging infrastructure throughout the jurisdiction; and participate in national or regional partnerships dedicated to reducing diesel and other emissions.
Waste and wastewater	Apply green infrastructure strategies	Evapotranspiration cover modification. Replacing existing vegetation with a plant mix more tolerant of long-term changes in precipitation or temperature, and/or soil addition will increase water storage capacity.
Waste and wastewater	Apply green infrastructure strategies	Installing drought-resistant grasses, shrubs, trees, and other deep-rooted plants will provide shading, prevent erosion, provide windbreaks and reduce fire risk.	Bloomington, Indiana Naturalized a Creek Bank to Manage Stormwater and Establish Native Plants
Waste and wastewater	Construct new infrastructure	Designing a new containment system to be built at the surface, instead of belowground, will minimize potential contact between groundwater and targeted waste (or an engineered liner) and prevent contamination.
Waste and wastewater	Construct new infrastructure	Engineered structures, such as dams, will control the flow of flood-related deposition in settings where increased underwater deposition enhances remedy performance.
Waste and wastewater	Construct new infrastructure	Building one or more structures to retain or divert floodwater, such as vegetated berms, drainage swales, levees, dams or retention ponds will reduce the risk of damage from flooding.	American Cyanamid Superfund Site Reduced Climate Exposure, Blue Plains Wastewater Facility in Washington DC Reinforced its Facility Against Floods, New Jersey Superfund site used flood controls to adapt to higher precipitation levels
Waste and wastewater	Construct new infrastructure	Constructing a permanent system or using portable equipment provides power generated from on-site renewable resources, as a primary or redundant power supply, that can operate independent of the utility grid when needed so the system can keep running even if power is lost.
Waste and wastewater	Construct new infrastructure	Building a structure (commonly of concrete, steel sheet piles or timber) to support earth masses having a vertical or near-vertical slope will hold back loose soil, rocks or debris and prevent damage to the system.	American Cyanamid Superfund Site Reduced Climate Exposure
Waste and wastewater	Construct new infrastructure	Building extended concrete footing for ground-mounted photovoltaic systems, adding additional bracing for roof-top photovoltaic or solar thermal systems, and adding additional masts for small wind turbines or windmills will help protect the systems from damage. For utility-scale systems, safeguards to address climate change vulnerabilities may be addressed in the site-specific renewable energy feasibility study.
Waste and wastewater	Construct new infrastructure	Building one or more earthen structures (such as vegetated berms, vegetated swales, or stormwater ponds) or installing fabricated drainage structures (such as culverts or French drains) at vulnerable locations will prevent stormwater accumulating at higher elevations from reaching a wastewater treatment system and causing damage.
Waste and wastewater	Construct new infrastructure	Installing permanent mounts that allow rapid deployment of a cable system extending from the top of a unit to ground surface will hold structures in place in extreme weather events.
Waste and wastewater	Construct new infrastructure	Building insulated cover systems made of high-density polyethylene or concrete will protect control devices and sensitive equipment situated aboveground for long periods. and sensitive equipment situated aboveground for long periods.
Waste and wastewater	Improve site operations	Integrating a series of sensors linked to electronic control devices that trigger a shutdown of the system, or linked to audible/visual alarms that alert workers of the need to manually shut down the system, when specified operating or ambient parameters are exceeded will help prevent contaminants from leaving the system.
Waste and wastewater	Improve site operations	Using electronic systems that actively inform subscribers of extreme weather events or provide internet postings on local/regional weather and related conditions will inform managers when risk is high and they need to implement protective measures.
Waste and wastewater	Improve site operations	Incorporating additional subsurface parameters and sampling devices in monitoring plans will gauge the potential for re-suspension of contaminated sediment under more extreme weather/climate scenarios.
Waste and wastewater	Improve site operations	Integrating electronic devices that enable workers to suspend pumping or selected activities during extreme weather events, periods of impeded access or unexpected hydrologic conditions can prevent contaminants from being released from the system.
Waste and wastewater	Improve site operations	Electronic systems actively inform subscribers of extreme weather events or provide internet postings on local/regional weather and related conditions to help prepare the system in the event of extreme weather.
Waste and wastewater	Repair and retrofit facilities	Energy efficiency improvements in wastewater treatment facilities save energy, generate cost savings, reduce emissions, and improve overall energy security in the community.	Michigan City, IN Reduced Energy Use and Generated Cost Savings from Water Treatment Operation Efficiency Updates
Waste and wastewater	Repair and retrofit facilities	Moving selected system components to positions more distant or protected from potential hazards will help decrease the risk of damage to the system. For flooding threats, this may involve moving to elevations higher than specified in the community's flood insurance study.	Iowa City, Iowa Removed a Vulnerable Wastewater Treatment Facility
Waste and wastewater	Repair and retrofit facilities	Relocating electricity and communication lines from overhead to underground positions will prevent power outages during and after extreme weather events.
Waste and wastewater	Shoreline stabilization	Placing fixed structures on or along the shoreline of flowing inland water will help mitigate the effects of erosion and protect site infrastructure. Soft armor may comprise of synthetic fabrics and/or deep-rooted vegetation while hard armor may consist of riprap, gabions and segmental retaining walls.	American Cyanamid Superfund Site Reduced Climate Exposure
Waste and wastewater	Shoreline stabilization	Installing structures will stabilize a shoreline and shield it from erosion, through "soft" techniques (such as replenishing sand and/or vegetation) or "hard" techniques (such as building a seawall or installing riprap).	Bloomington, Indiana Naturalized a Creek Bank to Manage Stormwater and Establish Native Plants
Waste and wastewater	Site fortification	Adding additional or deeper layers of stone and/or gravel above a sand base layer will help withstand scouring forces of ice jams.
Waste and wastewater	Site fortification	In situ placement of amendments through techniques such as broadcasting the material in a pelletized form or using a thicker layer of coversand will accelerate material settling.
Waste and wastewater	Site fortification	Repairing concrete cracks, replacing pads of insufficient size or with insufficient anchorage, or integrating retaining walls along the pad perimeter will prevent future failures.	American Cyanamid Superfund Site Reduced Climate Exposure
Waste and wastewater	Site fortification	Placing riprap adjacent to a subsurface containment barrier located along moving surface water will help minimize bank scouring that could negatively affect barrier integrity. For soil/waste capping systems vulnerable to storm surge, installing a protective vertical wall or armored base to absorb the energy of the surge to prevent cap erosion or destruction.
Waste and wastewater	Site fortification	Enclosing vulnerable equipment or control devices in a concrete structure will prevent exposure to outside factors that could damage it.
Waste and wastewater	Site fortification	Installing one or more steel bars in cement-grouted boreholes (and in some cases accompanied by cables) will secure an apparatus on a ground surface or reinforce a retaining wall against an earthen slope.	American Cyanamid Superfund Site Reduced Climate Exposure
Waste and wastewater	Site fortification	Installing permanent mounts that allow rapid deployment of a cable system extending from the top of a unit to ground surface will hold structures in place in extreme weather events.
Estuaries	Preserve and create habitat	Design estuaries with dynamic boundaries and buffers.
Estuaries	Preserve and create habitat	Replicate habitat types in multiple areas to spread risks associated with climate change.
Estuaries	Preserve river banks and lake shores	Create permitting rules that constrain locations for landfills, hazardous waste dumps, mine tailings and toxic chemical facilities in areas near estuaries and waterways that flow into estuaries.
Estuaries	Preserve river banks and lake shores	Integrate bank and shore management into land-use planning to prevent activities that can cause erosion and drainage from entering estuaries.
Estuaries	Preserve river banks and lake shores	Implement a land acquisition program to purchase banks and shoreland that are damaged or prone to damage and use it for conservation.
Estuaries	Preserve river banks and lake shores	Implement land exchange programs where owners exchange property in the floodplain for county-owned land outside of the floodplain to implement conservation on those areas and prevent potential negative impacts from entering the estuaries.
Estuaries	Preserve river banks and lake shores	Manage realignment and deliberately realign engineering structures affecting rivers and estuaries.
Estuaries	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Stabilize dunes that help prevent erosion along lakeshores by planting dune grasses and building sand fencing to induce settling of wind-blown sands that flow into estuaries.
Estuaries	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Preserve or restore wetlands to help filter out pollutants and excess nutrients before they enter the estuary.
Estuaries	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Increase shoreland setbacks to provide a stretch of undeveloped land along river banks and lakeshores to prevent erosion and preserve water quality.
Estuaries	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Plant submerged aquatic vegetation (such as seagrasses) to stabilize banks and reduce erosion.
Estuaries	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Restrict or prohibit development in erosion zones.
Invasive species and pests	Adopt a management plan	Adopt an integrated invasive management strategy or plan that discusses the tradeoffs associated with managing for different species.
Invasive species and pests	Adopt a management plan	Monitor the known locations and invasives identified in the plan.
Invasive species and pests	Contact your state department of natural resources	Local governments do not always have the regulatory authority or knowledge to deal with invasive species. The department of natural resources can prescribe or implement proper treatment. Check with your state’s department before implementing any measures.
Invasive species and pests	Identify and monitor invasive species	Identify invasive species in your area by contacting your state’s department of natural resources, a local university, or local invasive species management group.
Invasive species and pests	Identify and monitor invasive species	Conduct an assessment with the assistance of your state’s department of natural resources, a local university, or local invasive species management group. An assessment can refer to a number of activities to gather and evaluate information on the nature, quality, ability, extent, or significance of the invasive species. Learn more from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s guide on assessments for invasive plants.
Invasive species and pests	Identify and monitor invasive species	Monitor known locations of invasives within your jurisdiction. By knowing where the invasives are, it can help identify what conditions allow them to be present, where they could spread, and what management could be done to prevent them.
Invasive species and pests	Reduce the presence of invasive species	Develop programs to regularly apply strategies to remove and control non-native plants in conjunction with organizations or state/federal government departments responsible for invasive management.	Knox County, Indiana banned the distribution of invasive plants in their county
Invasive species and pests	Reduce the presence of invasive species	Offer an invasive species education program to inform residents about plants that are invasive but are still sold commercially. Check with local environmental organizations to find websites and handouts that list management strategies for invasive species present in your area.
Lakes, rivers, and streams	Identify waterways available for improved ecological management	The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) develops Indiana’s 303(d) List of Impaired Waters (the “303(d) list”) as part of the state's Integrated Water Monitoring and Assessment Report (IR), which is submitted to the USEPA every two years in accordance with the Clean Water Act (CWA). Local governments can support the removal of stream segments from the 303(d) list by identifying and contributing to restoration and protection initiatives and plans. Other states will have a 303(d) list, which can be found under the appropriate agency or from the USEPA's water quality assessment information.
Lakes, rivers, and streams	Maintain water quality and availability	Build a combined sewer overflow tunnel to receive and store the overflow from a combined sewer system during heavy precipitation events.
Lakes, rivers, and streams	Maintain water quality and availability	Develop adaptive stormwater management practices to prevent contaminants from entering the water system (e.g. Green stormwater infrastructure designed to catch and manage stormwater on-site – where it falls, street cleanings to clear storm drains, and more).
Lakes, rivers, and streams	Maintain water quality and availability	Develop a watershed-wide approach to water quality management with neighboring jurisdictions.
Lakes, rivers, and streams	Maintain water quality and availability	Identify and map the community's green spaces, which function to protect water quality. Green spaces can include public and private parks and forests, green infrastructure (e.g., rain gardens and bioswales), undeveloped green spaces, and urban gardens. Look for areas where greenery could be planted and makes plans to plant it. Pay attention to the diversity, composition, connectivity, and equitable distribution of green spaces across the community.
Lakes, rivers, and streams	Maintain water quality and availability	Implement an educational campaign for farmers and landowners to promote the responsible use of fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. Offer community education on the correct application of fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. Include information on preventing polluted runoff by maintaining rainwater on properties via native plants’ deeper root system and other water-retention mechanisms. Work through local lawn-care companies, partner groups, and include specific outreach to farmer networks.
Lakes, rivers, and streams	Maintain water quality and availability	Maintain, restore, and protect wetlands. Healthy wetlands support exceptionally robust ecosystems that protect and improve water quality, provide fish and wildlife habitats, store floodwaters, and maintain surface water flow during dry periods. Taking steps to understand your community’s existing wetlands and expand or improve their functionality provides multiple community benefits.	Lake County, Illinois created a mapping tool for the wetlands in their jurisdiction
Lakes, rivers, and streams	Preserve habitat	Adopt protections of important zones (e.g., riverbanks, lakeshores) and critical habitats. Note that the locations of these areas change with the seasons, and as the climate changes.
Lakes, rivers, and streams	Preserve habitat	Remove barriers to migration and ecosystem diversity, such as dams, to allow species to survive and reproduce.	Corydon, IN removed two dams to assist their river habitats
Lakes, rivers, and streams	Preserve habitat	Restore riverbanks and floodplains to help reduce erosion and buffer extreme flooding while creating seasonal habitat for wetland creatures.
Lakes, rivers, and streams	Preserve habitat	Reconnect wetlands and freshwater estuaries to restore water movement, improve filtration, and provide shelter and food for aquatic organisms.
Lakes, rivers, and streams	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Plant submerged aquatic vegetation to stabilize sediment, reduce erosion, absorb excess nutrients, and offer food and shelter to wildlife and aquatic organisms.
Lakes, rivers, and streams	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Use natural breakwaters on the coasts of lakes to reduce erosion due to waves.
Maintaining biodiversity	Adopt controls of listed invasive species	Monitor known locations of invasive plants.
Maintaining biodiversity	Adopt controls of listed invasive species	Adopt an invasive plant management strategy or plan that discusses the tradeoffs associated with managing different native and non-native species.	Knox County, Indiana banned the distribution of invasive plants in their county
Maintaining biodiversity	Develop conservation and restoration plans to maintain natural resource acreage, restore degraded vegetation and habitats, and preserve restored areas	Adopt a habitat connectivity plan or specify habitat connectivity goals and initiatives in a related conservation plan.
Maintaining biodiversity	Develop conservation and restoration plans to maintain natural resource acreage, restore degraded vegetation and habitats, and preserve restored areas	Implement zoning ordinances to support habitat connectivity goals.
Maintaining biodiversity	Develop conservation and restoration plans to maintain natural resource acreage, restore degraded vegetation and habitats, and preserve restored areas	Designate vegetation protection areas.
Maintaining biodiversity	Develop conservation and restoration plans to maintain natural resource acreage, restore degraded vegetation and habitats, and preserve restored areas	Offer incentives for meeting the requirements that increase when developers exceed the requirements. Vegetation protection areas should have one or more zones that are fully protected from development.
Maintaining biodiversity	Develop conservation and restoration plans to maintain natural resource acreage, restore degraded vegetation and habitats, and preserve restored areas	Implement an invasive species education program.
Maintaining biodiversity	Identify and protect ecologically significant ("critical") areas such as nursery grounds, spawning grounds, and areas of high species diversity	Identify threatened or endangered flora and fauna and the habitat of threatened or endangered species. Local governments can work with their state department of natural resources to identify threatened and endangered species.
Maintaining biodiversity	Identify and protect ecologically significant ("critical") areas such as nursery grounds, spawning grounds, and areas of high species diversity	Consider the species and their habitat in all planning and land-use decisions with an emphasis on protection and conservation.
Maintaining biodiversity	Identify and protect ecologically significant ("critical") areas such as nursery grounds, spawning grounds, and areas of high species diversity	Adopt policies to protect and maintain significant habitat existence, and develop plans to expand these locations or replicate these habitat types.
Maintaining biodiversity	Integrate habitat protection strategies into zoning strategies into zoning codes, comprehensive plans, and ordinances	Require new developments to complete a habitat impact analysis and mitigate the habitat that they damage or destroy.
Maintaining biodiversity	Integrate habitat protection strategies into zoning strategies into zoning codes, comprehensive plans, and ordinances	Limit Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) near sensitive natural areas.
Maintaining biodiversity	Integrate habitat protection strategies into zoning strategies into zoning codes, comprehensive plans, and ordinances	Restrict septic systems near areas with high biodiversity or critical habitat.
Maintaining biodiversity	Integrate habitat protection strategies into zoning strategies into zoning codes, comprehensive plans, and ordinances	Use setbacks, an on-site building restriction to set the minimum distance a building may be from a designated area, to protect sensitive habitats.
Maintaining biodiversity	Integrate habitat protection strategies into zoning strategies into zoning codes, comprehensive plans, and ordinances	Allow for landowners to sell their development rights to the local government to permanently protect the land. This strategy is called a transfer of development rights or purchase of development rights.
Maintaining biodiversity	Promote habitat restoration through native landscaping and conservation on public and private property	Make a formal commitment to use native plants in new public or publicly-supported landscaping projects and convert existing non-native landscapes on public property.
Maintaining biodiversity	Promote habitat restoration through native landscaping and conservation on public and private property	Conduct educational outreach on the importance of native landscaping and healthy habitats to support sensitive species.
Maintaining biodiversity	Promote habitat restoration through native landscaping and conservation on public and private property	Support private-sector or residential habitat restoration projects.
Maintaining biodiversity	Use mapping assessments to identify what exists in the area to help future planning	If no current map exists, creating maps for categories such as total existing vegetated area, primary vegetation types, native plants, degraded vegetation, and degraded aquatic ecosystems. These maps can be created with GIS and then used as a baseline for conservation planning.	Lake County, Illinois created a mapping tool for the wetlands in their jurisdiction
Parks, trees, and forests	Encourage continuous blocks of forests and fragmentation	Run programs and/or integrate projects into existing practices that support the protection and/or expansion of continuous blocks of forests.
Parks, trees, and forests	Measure, maintain, protect, and expand the jurisdiction's tree canopy	Conduct a tree canopy assessment and map tree locations.	Goshen, Indiana conducted a tree canopy assessment
Parks, trees, and forests	Measure, maintain, protect, and expand the jurisdiction's tree canopy	Complete a strategy or formal plan to continue or fortify measurement, maintenance, and planting initiatives.
Parks, trees, and forests	Measure, maintain, protect, and expand the jurisdiction's tree canopy	Implement pathogen monitoring and management initiatives.
Parks, trees, and forests	Measure, maintain, protect, and expand the jurisdiction's tree canopy	Select and recommend tree plantings based on native species listed as appropriate for anticipated climatic changes.
Parks, trees, and forests	Measure, maintain, protect, and expand the jurisdiction's tree canopy	Identify and implement reforestation opportunities.
Parks, trees, and forests	Measure, maintain, protect, and expand the jurisdiction's tree canopy	Adopt tree and or forest protection policies.
Parks, trees, and forests	Measure, maintain, protect, and expand the jurisdiction's tree canopy	Work with developers to lessen tree removal during new construction.
Parks, trees, and forests	Pass a tree canopy protection ordinance	An ideal ordinance would cover trees on public and private property, and offer incentives for private property development that exceeds an established minimum tree canopy.
Parks, trees, and forests	Preserve habitat	Expand the planning horizons of land use planning to incorporate longer climate predictions.
Parks, trees, and forests	Preserve habitat	Purchase development rights or property rights.
Parks, trees, and forests	Preserve habitat	Adopt protections of important zones and critical habitats as the locations of these areas change with climate.
Parks, trees, and forests	Preserve habitat	Connect landscapes with natural corridors to enable migrations.
Parks, trees, and forests	Preserve habitat	Adopt a habitat connectivity plan.
Parks, trees, and forests	Preserve habitat	Implement zoning ordinances to support habitat connectivity goals.
Parks, trees, and forests	Preserve habitat	Integrate habitat protection strategies into zoning codes, comprehensive plans, and ordinances.
Parks, trees, and forests	Preserve habitat	Require new developments to complete a habitat impact analysis and mitigate the loss of habitat that they damage or destroy.
Parks, trees, and forests	Preserve habitat	Limit Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) near sensitive natural areas.
Parks, trees, and forests	Preserve habitat	Restrict septic systems near areas with high biodiversity or critical habitat.
Parks, trees, and forests	Preserve habitat	Use setbacks to protect sensitive habitats.
Parks, trees, and forests	Preserve habitat	Allow for landowners to sell their development rights to the local government to permanently protect the land through a purchase of development rights.
Parks, trees, and forests	Set minimum green space thresholds	Determining a set amount of green space in the area will help limit the effects of extreme heat, flooding, water quality, and more.	Goshen, Indiana conducted a tree canopy assessment
Urban ecosystems	Identify natural resource preservation opportunities	Examples can include rainwater collection and reuse opportunities, maintaining and increasing urban green infrastructure, and more. These efforts help improve air quality, water quality, and provide benefits for wildlife in urban areas.
Urban ecosystems	Maintain water quality and availability	Consider climate change scenarios into water supply system planning and maintenance.
Urban ecosystems	Maintain water quality and availability	Manage water demand (through water reuse, recycling, and rainwater harvesting, for example).
Urban ecosystems	Maintain water quality and availability	Prevent or limit groundwater extraction from shallow aquifers.
Urban ecosystems	Measure, maintain, protect, and expand the jurisdiction's tree canopy	Conduct a tree canopy assessment and map tree locations.	Goshen, Indiana conducted a tree canopy assessment
Urban ecosystems	Measure, maintain, protect, and expand the jurisdiction's tree canopy	Complete a strategy or formal plan to continue or fortify measurement, maintenance, and planting initiatives.
Urban ecosystems	Measure, maintain, protect, and expand the jurisdiction's tree canopy	Implement pathogen monitoring and management initiatives.
Urban ecosystems	Measure, maintain, protect, and expand the jurisdiction's tree canopy	Select and recommend tree plantings based on native species listed as appropriate for anticipated climatic changes.
Urban ecosystems	Measure, maintain, protect, and expand the jurisdiction's tree canopy	Identify and implement reforestation opportunities.
Urban ecosystems	Measure, maintain, protect, and expand the jurisdiction's tree canopy	Adopt tree and or forest protection policies.
Urban ecosystems	Measure, maintain, protect, and expand the jurisdiction's tree canopy	Work with developers to lessen tree removal during new construction.
Urban ecosystems	Preserve habitat	Expand the planning horizons of land use planning to incorporate longer climate predictions.
Urban ecosystems	Preserve habitat	Purchase development rights or property rights.
Urban ecosystems	Preserve habitat	Adopt protections of important zones and critical habitats as the locations of these areas change with climate.
Urban ecosystems	Preserve habitat	Connect landscapes with natural corridors to enable migrations.
Urban ecosystems	Preserve habitat	Adopt a habitat connectivity plan.
Urban ecosystems	Preserve habitat	Implement zoning ordinances to support habitat connectivity goals.
Urban ecosystems	Preserve habitat	Integrate habitat protection strategies into zoning codes, comprehensive plans, and ordinances.
Urban ecosystems	Preserve habitat	Require new developments to complete a habitat impact analysis and mitigate the loss of habitat that they damage or destroy.
Urban ecosystems	Preserve habitat	Limit Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) near sensitive natural areas.
Urban ecosystems	Preserve habitat	Restrict septic systems near areas with high biodiversity or critical habitat.
Urban ecosystems	Preserve habitat	Use setbacks to protect sensitive habitats.
Urban ecosystems	Preserve habitat	Allow for landowners to sell their development rights to the local government to permanently protect the land through a purchase of development rights.
Wetlands	Develop a watershed health index	A watershed health index helps compile measurable, comparable, and consistent ecological information that summarized the primary attributes of the watershed’s condition. The six essential attributes are landscape condition, habitat, hydrology, geomorphology, water quality, and biological condition. Additional values can be used depending on the values of the community. The information can be input into GIS as a visual tool as well. This information can be used to plan for wetland protection, restoration, and creation.	Lake County, Illinois created a mapping tool for the wetlands in their jurisdiction
Wetlands	Maintain and restore wetlands	Create a regional sediment management (RSM) plan.
Wetlands	Maintain and restore wetlands	Develop adaptive stormwater management practices such as promoting natural buffers and adequate culvert sizing.
Wetlands	Maintain and restore wetlands	Establish rolling easements that ensure wetlands can expand as buildings, roads, and other structures are removed.
Wetlands	Maintain and restore wetlands	Incorporate wetland protection into infrastructure planning (e.g., transportation planning, sewer utilities) policies.
Wetlands	Maintain and restore wetlands	Ensure that the proper zoning is in place to protect wetlands and seasonal ponds.
Wetlands	Maintain and restore wetlands	Adopt an environmental protection overlay that includes wetlands and seasonal ponds.
Wetlands	Maintain and restore wetlands	Require that the elimination of a wetland prompts the construction or reconstruction of another wetland within the same watershed.
Wetlands	Maintain and restore wetlands	Install new wetlands and restore wetlands that were drained for agriculture or development.
Alternative and renewable energy sources	Provide financing tools for renewable energy sources	Take advantage of your state’s Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program (see if your state has one), which can allow local governments to offer the residential and/or commercial sectors renewable energy, energy efficiency, and water conservation upgrades at no or little up-front cost (installations are paid back through property tax bills or other annual property assessment). PACE programs must be enacted by the state legislature.
Alternative and renewable energy sources	Provide financing tools for renewable energy sources	Implement a Solarize program, which diversifies energy supply at city facilities and provides a group-buy discount for residents.
Alternative and renewable energy sources	Provide financing tools for renewable energy sources	Adopt inclusive financing, a tool that allows residents to sign up for renewable energy installation while a utility pays for the installation. The resident then uses part of the savings to pay back the utility over time.
Alternative and renewable energy sources	Remove policy barriers for energy efficiency and clean energy	Work with SolSmart, a program funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, to understand which policies could be adjusted and obtain a SolSmart designation.
Alternative and renewable energy sources	Remove policy barriers for energy efficiency and clean energy	Establish working groups to review city, town, and county policies that could act as barriers to energy efficiency and clean energy.
Alternative and renewable energy sources	Upgrade city operations to support on-site renewable energy installations, such as solar	Installing on-site renewable energy can increase grid resilience to climate impacts and potentially save on energy bills.	Bloomington, Indiana diversified its energy supply with residential and municipal solar, and Vigo County, Indiana installed solar power on its Solid Waste District Management building
Alternative and renewable energy sources	Upgrade city operations to support on-site renewable energy installations, such as solar	Local governments in Indiana can use a guaranteed energy savings contract (GESC) to fund the installation. A GESC allows the local government to start the installation without a large upfront cost and pay off the cost over a period of time with the energy savings.
Alternative and renewable energy sources	Use financial and structural incentives or mandates to encourage renewable energy in the community	Reduce permitting fees, minimize inspections, and/or simplify permitting processes for renewable energy systems.
Alternative and renewable energy sources	Use financial and structural incentives or mandates to encourage renewable energy in the community	Align local permitting processes with the permitting policies of others in the region to ease the burden on contractors and installers of renewable energy.
Alternative and renewable energy sources	Use financial and structural incentives or mandates to encourage renewable energy in the community	Provide an expedited review process for renewable energy development.
Alternative and renewable energy sources	Use financial and structural incentives or mandates to encourage renewable energy in the community	Create property tax exemptions for renewable energy systems to prevent the taxable property value from increasing with the installation of a renewable energy system.
Alternative and renewable energy sources	Use financial and structural incentives or mandates to encourage renewable energy in the community	Provide assistance programs to reduce the upfront burden of renewable energy costs for vulnerable populations.	Bloomington, Indiana diversified its energy supply with residential and municipal solar
Distribution mechanisms	Ensure 100% coverage of population for electricity and other utility services	Cities are increasingly being evaluated on their energy access, power surety, and reliability performance. Some communities have not achieved 100% coverage and are being asked to provide roadmaps for achieving that goal. Learn more from LEED for Cities.
Distribution mechanisms	Work internally with the local utility to increase power supply preparedness and decrease the risk of power outages during extreme weather events	Implement comprehensive power supply preparedness initiatives, track their success, and ensure that the programs are focused, at least in part, on the most vulnerable parts of the community.
Distribution mechanisms	Work internally with the local utility to increase power supply preparedness and decrease the risk of power outages during extreme weather events	Make weatherization and/or energy efficiency initiatives commonplace in building renovations and new construction, and ensure the community is served by multiple fuel and generation sources.
Distribution mechanisms	Work internally with the local utility to increase power supply preparedness and decrease the risk of power outages during extreme weather events	Work with the local utility to ensure it has undergone system hardening efforts to reduce the occurrence and duration of power outages and has a plan in place to maintain existing systems.
Distribution mechanisms	Work internally with the local utility to increase power supply preparedness and decrease the risk of power outages during extreme weather events	Work with community-based organizations to assess community plans to financially assist vulnerable populations during or after extreme weather or related events.
Distribution mechanisms	Work internally with the local utility to increase power supply preparedness and decrease the risk of power outages during extreme weather events	Identify the community’s critical loads or emergency facilities that require backup power.
Distribution mechanisms	Work internally with the local utility to increase power supply preparedness and decrease the risk of power outages during extreme weather events	Monitor the energy system continuously and record when and for how long interruptions occur.
Distribution mechanisms	Use a diversity of power systems to supply power to the grid	Determine costs and technologies for resilient power systems.
Distribution mechanisms	Use a diversity of power systems to supply power to the grid	Identify the technology, such as solar and battery storage, locations where they could be installed, and get price estimates.
Distribution mechanisms	Work with local utilities and state policy makers to encourage grid harmonization strategies	Use grid harmonization strategies – building systems and processes that are responsive to grid capacity and stability – to make the electric grid more resilient. Some examples are infrastructure and programs for dynamic pricing, demand response, net metering, and interconnection policies.
Distribution mechanisms	Work with the local utility and with community members to diversify energy distribution mechanisms	Add energy distribution technologies that generate electricity near or where that energy is used. In the residential sector, common distributed energy systems are emergency back-up generators, solar panels, and small wind turbines. Common distributed generation resources in the commercial and industrial sectors include combined heat and power systems, geothermal energy heating and cooling systems, municipal solid waste incineration, hydropower, fuel cells, back-up generators, and solar and wind.
Distribution mechanisms	Work with the local utility and with community members to diversify energy distribution mechanisms	Consider and construct a district energy system, which uses a network of underground pipes to pump steam, hot water, and/or chilled water to multiple buildings in a defined geographic area. Providing heating and cooling from a central plant that is close by requires less fuel and displaces the need to install separate heating, cooling, and hot water systems in each building.	Ball State University installed a geothermal energy system to replace its coal-fired boilers
Energy efficiency	Encourage data transparency	Adopt an energy benchmarking ordinance for jurisdictionally-owned and private buildings to allow prospective and current building owners, typically above 50,000 square feet, to compare the energy use of buildings of similar sizes. The data transparency can create an incentive for buildings with higher energy usage to implement energy efficiency upgrades to be more in line with the others. See a database of communities that have adopted benchmarking ordinances.
Energy efficiency	Encourage data transparency	Require or encourage third party certification on government-owned or privately-owned building renovations and/or new construction to promote awareness and visibility of efficiency strategies while also encouraging the buildings to reach higher certification levels.
Energy efficiency	Provide financing tools	Take advantage of your state’s Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program (see if your state has one), which can allow local governments to offer the residential and/or commercial sectors renewable energy, energy efficiency, and water conservation upgrades at no or little up-front cost (installations are paid back through property tax bills or other annual property assessment). PACE programs must be enacted by the state legislature.
Energy efficiency	Raise revenue for energy efficiency operations	Local governments served by a private utility can implement or increase utility franchise fees on utility bills and direct the revenue towards energy efficiency initiatives. Fees can either be a flat rate or as a percentage of the bill.
Energy efficiency	Upgrade city operations	Implement energy efficiency measures on all city facilities through budget-neutral energy savings performance contracts. Note: Local governments in Indiana can use a guaranteed energy savings contract (GESC) to fund the installation. A GESC allows the local government to start the installation without a large upfront cost and payoff the cost over a period of time with the energy savings.	Michigan City, Indiana reduced their energy use and saved costs by improving the efficiency of their wastewater treatment plant
Energy efficiency	Upgrade city operations	Replace all public lighting with LEDs through local laws or incentives.	Indianapolis, Indiana converted their street lamps to LEDs
Energy efficiency	Upgrade city operations	Update water and wastewater pumps to the most efficient technology available.	Michigan City, Indiana reduced their energy use and saved costs by improving the efficiency of their wastewater treatment plant
Energy efficiency	Use financial structures or mandates	Provide tax credits for buildings that implement energy efficiency measures.
Energy efficiency	Use financial structures or mandates	Reduce permitting fees and/or simplify permitting processes for energy efficiency upgrades.
Energy efficiency	Use financial structures or mandates	Require energy efficiency in rental licensing.
Energy efficiency	Use financial structures or mandates	Adopt the most energy-efficient building code allowed by state law.
Energy efficiency	Use financial structures or mandates	Mandate that all applicable zoning standards related to efficiency apply to all types of dwellings and establishments.
Energy efficiency	Use financial structures or mandates	Address gaps in other utility assistance programs across your jurisdiction by financially assisting underserved communities and by providing energy efficiency education and upgrades.
Energy efficiency	Work with developers, building owners and managers to help them reduce their energy use	Launch a 2030 District, or an organization that facilitates energy efficiency, water, and greenhouse gas emissions goal setting and achievement among a pre-identified group of buildings within a community.
Food distribution and access	Increase local food purchasing and enhance access	Adopt one or more ordinance, resolution, or policy that supports the procurement of local food.
Food distribution and access	Increase local food purchasing and enhance access	Utilize the Good Food Purchasing Program to have more transparent and equitable food systems.
Food distribution and access	Increase local food purchasing and enhance access	Identify food deserts – parts of a community where it is difficult to find and/or afford good-quality vegetables and other food – and develop and enact plans to reduce them.
Food distribution and access	Increase local food purchasing and enhance access	Establish appropriate food prices for all income levels.
Food distribution and access	Increase understanding of community food sources and the food distribution system	Develop a list of companies and farmers that provide food to locations within the jurisdiction and exported to other communities. The list should include contact information and food types provided.
Food distribution and access	Increase understanding of community food sources and the food distribution system	Develop a plan in conjunction with partner agencies and the community to address local and global food supply emergencies. The plan should be shared with the public and surrounding governments.
Food distribution and access	Increase understanding of community food sources and the food distribution system	Collect and distribute food access data and to determine which areas are the most affected by food insecurity.
Food distribution and access	Increase understanding of community food sources and the food distribution system	Implement policies and programs that support a diversity of food outlets (supermarkets, farmers markets, farm stands, etc.).
Food distribution and access	Increase understanding of community food sources and the food distribution system	Review zoning codes and other land use regulations and eliminate or reduce policies that restrict urban food production.
Rural agriculture	Protect rural farmland	Set metrics-based goals to protect farmland, including land that produces locally-sold agricultural products and a diversity of agricultural products.
Rural agriculture	Protect rural farmland	Adopt ordinances, zoning updates, or other mechanisms to support farmland preservation and food production from future development.
Rural agriculture	Protect rural farmland	Review land use regulations and eliminate or reduce policies that restrict food production.
Rural agriculture	Understand rural agriculture using maps	Create or find existing maps that document prime farmland, unique farmland, and farmland of local importance. This information can be used in future planning decisions. Work with your local soil and water conservation district or your local USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service office for additional information on agricultural land, silvicultural land, and mapping.
Urban gardens and farms	Protect urban farmland	Set metrics-based goals to protect urban farming, including buildings and gardens that produce locally-sold agricultural products and a diversity of agricultural products.
Urban gardens and farms	Protect urban farmland	Adopt ordinances, zoning updates, or other mechanisms to support urban farming preservation and urban food production from future development. Examples could include: making gardening a primary use and farming a conditional/permitted use on city land, reducing barriers to animal keeping, removing restrictions that impede composting, allowing hours of sales of produce grown on-site, and allowing structures such as hoop houses and tunnels.
Urban gardens and farms	Protect urban farmland	Review zoning codes and other land use regulations and eliminate or reduce policies that restrict urban food production.
Urban gardens and farms	Provide alternative areas for farming	Facilitate rooftop farming, vertical farming, and other urban farming practices that can create opportunities for food access in the area instead of relying on importing food.
Urban gardens and farms	Provide alternative areas for farming	Create incentives for buildings and developments to incorporate urban gardens and farms.
Disaster preparedness and emergency response	Conduct community preparedness outreach	Conduct a whole community preparedness approach and work with multiple community partners to extend reach and acceptance. Ensure that the outreach accommodates traditionally underserved populations and is accessible across different languages and abilities. Collect feedback at least annually and update the plan accordingly.
Disaster preparedness and emergency response	Conduct community preparedness outreach	Educate residents about steps they can take to improve personal emergency preparedness.
Disaster preparedness and emergency response	Conduct community preparedness outreach	Update the outreach plan accordingly with the intent of reaching and educating the most residents. Partner with local groups to increase outreach.
Disaster preparedness and emergency response	Design and launch a community volunteer response program	Hold regular response trainings for new volunteers and refresher trainings for existing volunteers. Test the plan of action for each potential climate hazard annually through emergency response drills and update the plan accordingly. Conduct additional outreach to encourage more community members to volunteer. These programs often exist at a county level so communicate with the county government to determine what currently exists and identify needed improvements.
Disaster preparedness and emergency response	Identify and protect critical infrastructure and vulnerable neighborhoods	Create a list and map of all critical infrastructure and determine if any of it is in a flood-prone area or is susceptible to extreme heat.
Disaster preparedness and emergency response	Identify and protect critical infrastructure and vulnerable neighborhoods	Review FEMA’s Flood Insurance Rate Map to identify possible emergency areas.
Disaster preparedness and emergency response	Identify and protect critical infrastructure and vulnerable neighborhoods	Create a map that identifies both critical assets (e.g., hospitals, fire stations, shelters, and distribution centers) and transportation routes between them. Include identification of neighborhoods and routes that are likely to be inundated under various scenarios to help the local government evaluate how to get resources to those areas. In the case of regional events, plans should specify the procurement of supplies from outside the region via reliable transportation routes.
Disaster preparedness and emergency response	Identify and protect critical infrastructure and vulnerable neighborhoods	Reinforce any critical infrastructure that is in a flood-prone area.
Disaster preparedness and emergency response	Identify and protect critical infrastructure and vulnerable neighborhoods	Identify detours to reach critical infrastructure during a hazardous event and have a plan to notify staff and travelers when the detours are in place.
Disaster preparedness and emergency response	Identify and protect critical infrastructure and vulnerable neighborhoods	Upgrade critical infrastructure to ensure higher temperatures will not substantially degrade or prevent their functionality.
Disaster preparedness and emergency response	Identify and protect critical infrastructure and vulnerable neighborhoods	Involve critical facility and emergency infrastructure managers in climate change preparedness and management.
Disaster preparedness and emergency response	Identify the strengths and weaknesses of internal and external communication networks, and fortify the system	Routinely test the communication systems.
Disaster preparedness and emergency response	Identify the strengths and weaknesses of internal and external communication networks, and fortify the system	Create a public communications plan and an internal and partner agency communications plan for when traditional communication and internet/data-based networks fail and when radio waves become overwhelmed. Ensure that the plans establish communication priorities during emergencies and are tested and updated annually.
Disaster preparedness and emergency response	Identify the strengths and weaknesses of internal and external communication networks, and fortify the system	Adopt post-event recovery policies and procedures to repair communications services. Regularly update the policies and procedures, and ensure they are appropriate for reaching diverse and vulnerable populations, including residents for whom English is not their first language.
Disaster preparedness and emergency response	Identify the strengths and weaknesses of internal and external communication networks, and fortify the system	Assess communications needs, and develop and distribute a complete list of local, state, and federal agency contacts that could be needed before, during, and after an extreme weather event. Updates the list annually, at minimum.
Disaster preparedness and emergency response	Identify the strengths and weaknesses of internal and external communication networks, and fortify the system	Integrate these actions into a multi-hazard mitigation plan.
Disaster preparedness and emergency response	Work with the county government to develop and adopt a multi-hazard mitigation plan	Ensure the multi-hazard mitigation plan addresses emergency response needs during floods, heatwaves, droughts, low-head dam spills, and other climate-related events.
Disaster preparedness and emergency response	Work with the county government to develop and adopt a multi-hazard mitigation plan	Create a list of possible hazardous events and ensure the plan adequately and equitably protects would-be affected areas and residents.
Disaster preparedness and emergency response	Work with the county government to develop and adopt a multi-hazard mitigation plan	Include transportation and logistics for critical resources, a map identifying critical facilities and transportation between them, neighborhoods and routes likely to be inundated and how to get resources to them, and how to get supplies from outside of the region. Local governments often tailor the framework of their state’s plan to their jurisdiction.
Greenhouse gas inventories and mitigation	Conduct a greenhouse gas inventory and set goals to reduce emissions	Complete a community-wide inventory and a local government operations inventory.
Greenhouse gas inventories and mitigation	Conduct a greenhouse gas inventory and set goals to reduce emissions	Document all assumptions made and steps taken to complete the inventory.
Greenhouse gas inventories and mitigation	Conduct a greenhouse gas inventory and set goals to reduce emissions	Set a community-wide greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal and a local government operations emissions reduction goal.
Greenhouse gas inventories and mitigation	Conduct a greenhouse gas inventory and set goals to reduce emissions	Identify specific actions the local government can take to achieve that goal by reducing internal operations emissions and the emissions occurring across the community. These actions are often used to create a climate action plan.
Greenhouse gas inventories and mitigation	Conduct a greenhouse gas inventory and set goals to reduce emissions	Develop education resources and/or a communications strategy to encourage residents to take personal responsibility for reducing their own emissions footprints.
Resilience planning	Develop model procedures	Ensure onsite managers of critical facilities and emergency infrastructure employ best practices in the event of flooding, power outages, extreme heat, or other climate-related emergencies.
Resilience planning	Develop model procedures	Test and update procedures annually.
Resilience planning	Integrate resilience into other governmental planning	Integrate funding for resilience strategies and actions into the local government’s financial planning.
Resilience planning	Integrate resilience into other governmental planning	Integrate adaptation and resilience actions into long-term plans.
Resilience planning	Integrate resilience into other governmental planning	Work with administrative offices in local government to ensure resilience metrics are captured across all departments using similar terminology.
Resilience planning	Integrate resilience into other governmental planning	Implement adaptation and resilience actions and strategies from the resilience and sustainability plans.
Resilience planning	Set adaptation and mitigation goals, and develop a resilience plan for the community	Using a previously completed vulnerability assessment, and including participation from residents, businesses, and community organizations, identify strategies and actions the local government and the community can complete to increase community resilience. Compile the goals into a planning document. This type of planning document often contains an acknowledgment by the local government of known climate risks and describes the impacts and adaptation actions relevant to protecting the community’s most vulnerable populations.
Risk and vulnerability assessments	Identify and understand risks and vulnerabilities	Use maps, historical data, projections, and advice from experts to understand your community’s climate exposure and identify potential threats.
Risk and vulnerability assessments	Identify and understand risks and vulnerabilities	Understand how extreme weather events and climate change impacts are likely to affect your community’s residents, infrastructure, the economy, and the natural environment.
Risk and vulnerability assessments	Identify and understand risks and vulnerabilities	Identify an existing economic development board or establish a task force of residents, business owners, and industry representatives to evaluate how the climate change vulnerabilities specific to its community will impact the local economy. Develop a report or other way to communicate findings to the community.
Risk and vulnerability assessments	Identify and understand risks and vulnerabilities	Pay close attention to the most exposed and affected areas and people in the community to determine their risks.
Risk and vulnerability assessments	Identify and understand risks and vulnerabilities	Estimate or rank the probability of occurrence of extreme events.
Risk and vulnerability assessments	Release a vulnerability assessment and use it to develop a climate resilience plan	Release a draft vulnerability assessment to the public to ensure that it resonates with what residents know about their community.
Risk and vulnerability assessments	Release a vulnerability assessment and use it to develop a climate resilience plan	Use the vulnerability assessment to help draft a climate resilience plan (See Resilience Planning above.)
Risk and vulnerability assessments	Understand what your community is already doing to increase its resilience to risks and vulnerabilities	Indiana communities can complete the Hoosier Resilience Index’s tailored Readiness Assessment. Midwestern communities from other states can work through the Hoosier Resilience Index’s generic Readiness Assessment.
Risk and vulnerability assessments	Understand what your community is already doing to increase its resilience to risks and vulnerabilities	Complete the USEPA’s Flood Resilience Checklist.
Risk and vulnerability assessments	Understand what your community is already doing to increase its resilience to risks and vulnerabilities	Participate in the National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System.
State and local policies	Adopt local ordinances and policies to ensure resilience	Visit the Sustainable Development Code website to see a list of best practices for ordinances, zoning codes, and comprehensive plans. See strategies and example policy language for seven categories: environmental health and natural resources, natural hazards, land use and community character, mobility and transportation, community, healthy neighborhoods and food security, and energy.
State and local policies	Form a working group to explore policies and programs that could address your community's resilience needs	Include local policymakers in the conversation early on to get their buy-in and expertise.
State and local policies	Form a working group to explore policies and programs that could address your community's resilience needs	Ensure that the voices of all impacted communities are included in the conversation.
State and local policies	Form a working group to explore policies and programs that could address your community's resilience needs	Establish partnerships with organizations and businesses to support your community’s resilience needs.
State and local policies	Resolutions	Work with youth, policymakers, businesses, environmental groups, and other community members to draft and introduce a resolution that states the intention of the local governing body to prepare the community for climate impacts and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.	Several youth leaders have gotten climate resolutions passed in their Indiana hometowns
State and local policies	Work within existing planning documents	Integrate greenhouse gas reduction and resilience strategies and actions into your comprehensive plan, zoning codes, and any other community planning documents.
State and local policies	Work with community members and local experts to identify state policies and programs that could help address your community's resilience needs	Participate in existing relevant municipal leagues. An example is the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy.
State and local policies	Work with community members and local experts to identify state policies and programs that could help address your community's resilience needs	Organize regional or state-wide coalitions, such as a mayoral caucus, of local jurisdictions to participate in the development of state policies and programs.
State and local policies	Contact your representatives and encourage residents to do the same to advocate for the issues you care about	Identify which municipal referenda are influenced primarily by state aid.
State and local policies	Contact your representatives and encourage residents to do the same to advocate for the issues you care about	Understand if your city employs lobbyists and explore potential pathways for their work on resilience issues.
State and local policies	Contact your representatives and encourage residents to do the same to advocate for the issues you care about	Create opportunities (resources and events) for local constituents to interface with leaders of local resilience efforts in order to further inform residents on relevant local and state policies.
Air quality	Assessing vulnerabilities	Incorporate future population growth patterns and collaborate with transportation officials, air quality managers, state officials, and industry to better assess the expected performance of regulatory standards under changing climate conditions.	Minnesota Assessed Climate Risk to Public Health
Air quality	Assessing vulnerabilities	Analyze current fire management capabilities and monitoring efforts and model expected conditions and anticipate potential future fire events to better understand the range of predicted emissions of particulate matter.	California Prepared for Increased Wildfire Risk to Air Quality From Climate Change
Air quality	Assessing vulnerabilities	Determine current vulnerability to ozone by assessing location-based vulnerabilities, such as the extent of the urban heat island effect.
Air quality	Assessing vulnerabilities	Monitor current conditions to better evaluate baselines and inform future projections.
Air quality	Assessing vulnerabilities	Identify populations and communities that may be more vulnerable to these impacts due to existing vulnerabilities, such as pre-existing health concerns and sensitive life stages, or due to behavior, such as individuals who spend extensive time outdoors due to profession or trade.
Air quality	Raising awareness	Notify the public about impaired air quality through an advance warning program for elevated pollution days. When the public is aware of potentially dangerous air quality, they are able to modify their behavior to avoid exposure and prevent it from worsening.
Air quality	Raising awareness	Use the USEPA Air Quality Index, EnviroFlash, or SmogWatch (Indiana only) to see air quality values for your area. These tools assign a numbering system to the criteria air pollutants in your area. This information can help make determinations on how to proceed with notifying the public and help to make determinations on other implementation measures.
Air quality	Raising awareness	Create an air awareness program. This is a public outreach effort to engage residents in voluntary actions to reduce air pollution and issue health advisories and warnings. It can also be used to create partnerships with other governments, industries, and organizations within your area.
Air quality	Raising awareness	Educate Residents about the health impacts of poor air quality. Educating residents about the health risks of poor air quality can reduce the adverse health impacts of air pollution.
Air quality	Raising awareness	Develop and implement a plan for high air pollution days that calls for both public and private action. It is important to advise residents of things they can do on high air pollution days to limit local emissions and encourage taking action to protect their health and the health of the community. It is also important for the local government to have policies in place to curtail their own high-emitting activities on “bad air” days. Examples can include: postponing the use of gasoline-powered landscaping equipment, refueling, or painting until after peak air pollution hours.
Air quality	Raising awareness	Implement a public education plan for health impacts of indoor air pollution. Educating people about the causes and prevention of indoor air pollution can help reduce illnesses.
Air quality	Pollution reduction initiatives	Converting fleets to hybrid and/or alternative fuel vehicles.	School District in East Chicago, Indiana, Purchased Propane Buses to Address Local Public Health Concerns
Air quality	Pollution reduction initiatives	Establishing infrastructure for bicycles (e.g. bike lanes, bike racks, bike shares, and more) can allow for more people to bike instead of drive. This will reduce the emissions coming from cars.	Aurora and Lawrenceburg, Indiana Developed a Joint Bike Share Program
Air quality	Pollution reduction initiatives	Promoting electric vehicle infrastructure. These vehicles emit no pollution and air pollution from the electricity they use has less impact on local neighborhoods. Offering incentives for the purchase and use of EVs, installing charging stations, and purchasing electric vehicles for government operations will reduce air pollution.
Air quality	Pollution reduction initiatives	Traffic flow efforts. Traffic congestion increases emissions and degrades air quality. Putting systems in place to reduce congestion will increase air quality.
Air quality	Pollution reduction initiatives	Idling cars, busses, and trucks wastes fuel and emits unnecessary pollution. Creating ordinances and programs to reduce idling, especially near sensitive areas such as schools, daycares, hospitals, etc., will cut down on emissions.
Air quality	Pollution reduction initiatives	Public transportation reduces the number of cars on the streets to cut down on emissions.
Air quality	Pollution reduction initiatives	In areas where there are no sidewalks, people are forced to drive, even over short distances. Having sidewalks in place can reduce the number of trips people need to make by car to curtail emissions.
Air quality	Pollution reduction initiatives	Cutting down on the amount of wind-blown dust from construction sites, industrial sites, unpaved roads, open burning, and more will reduce the amount of pollution emitted in the area.
Air quality	Pollution reduction initiatives	Maintaining an action line where residents can report air pollution problems such as excessive dust, vehicle idling, or industrial emissions events.
Extreme heat	Conduct a heat vulnerability assessment	A heat vulnerability assessment uses available data to quantify and map the heat risk throughout the community.
Extreme heat	Develop a heat management plan	A heat response plan can include strategies and procedures to respond to extreme heat-related emergencies. A key component is cooling centers and access to them for vulnerable populations. Plans could also include other measures (or “non-emergency measures”) such as increasing the availability and affordability of air conditioning, encouraging or requiring heat-sensitive building techniques such as green or white roofs, increasing tree coverage, and addressing urban heat islands.
Extreme heat	Establish urban forestry, tree, and landscape programs	These programs generally have broad goals that emphasize the multiple benefits trees can provide, including helping to cool cities. Moreover, many states give grants to communities and organizations that promote or maintain urban forests. Many local governments have enacted tree and landscape ordinances, which can ensure public safety, protect trees or views, and provide shade. Three types of ordinances, in particular, are most useful from a heat island perspective: tree protection, street trees, and parking lot shade.	New York City has used its vulnerability assessment to anticipate and prepare for changing conditions by using adaptation, and Goshen, Indiana Improved Ecosystem Resilience with Tree Canopy Inventory and Assessment
Extreme heat	Include extreme heat concerns in air quality improvement plans	As summertime temperatures rise, the rate of ground-level ozone formation, or smog, increases. By lowering temperatures, urban heat island mitigation strategies can help reduce ground-level ozone concentrations. Many cities and counties are struggling to attain National Ambient Air Quality Standards, particularly for ground-level ozone. Most of these areas have adopted a wide range of emission control strategies on traditional air pollution sources and are seeking innovative ways to further reduce air pollution levels. Communities are considering urban forestry and cool roofs, in particular, as technologies that can help them reach attainment.
Extreme heat	Provide incentives and awards	These might include below-market loans, tax breaks, product rebates, grants, and giveaways. Awards can reward exemplary work, highlight innovation, and promote solutions across the public and private sectors.	Chicago assessed public health vulnerability to extreme heat events and is adapting by utilizing green infrastructure to reduce urban heat island hot-spots in anticipation of future climate risk.
Extreme heat	Raising awareness	Communicating to the public can help people understand the risk factors and symptoms of heat-related illnesses to reduce their exposure and know how to act when a situation occurs.
Extreme heat	Raising awareness	A city or county council, or organizations such as air quality boards or planning commissions, can issue resolutions or public statements. A resolution does not necessarily indicate that a program will be supported financially, but it can be the first step in getting an initiative started.	New York City has used its vulnerability assessment to anticipate and prepare for changing conditions by using adaptation
Extreme heat	Retrofitting public buildings	Many local governments interested in mitigating heat islands started by procuring cool technologies for municipal buildings. Since state and local governments usually put construction work and material supplies out for bid, they can revise bid specifications to include cool products.	Chicago, Illinois Uses Green Infrastructure to Reduce Extreme Heat and New York City Adapted to Deal with Projected Increase of Heat Waves
Extreme heat	Setting policy, planning, and building standards and codes	Building codes are regulations adopted by local and state governments that establish standards for construction, modification, and repair of buildings and other structures. An energy code is a portion of the building code that relates to energy usage and conservation requirements and standards. Some cities and states have begun including cool roofing in their building codes because of its potential to save energy, particularly during peak loads.
Extreme heat	Setting policy, planning, and building standards and codes	Since state and local governments usually put construction work and material supplies out for bid, they can revise bid specifications to include cool and green infrastructure such as green roofs, cool coatings on pavement, pervious pavement, trees, parking lot shading requirements.
Extreme heat	Setting policy, planning, and building standards and codes	Comprehensive plans, sometimes called general plans in California and other states, are adopted by a legislative body of a local government, and set forth policies, goals, and objectives to direct development and conservation that occurs within its planning jurisdiction. They generally have a broad scope and long-term vision. Design guidelines provide a connection between general planning policies and implementing regulations, such as zoning codes and subdivision regulations. Design guidelines convey a sense of the preferred quality for a place by being descriptive and suggestive.	Chicago, Illinois Adapts to Improve Extreme Heat Preparedness and Minnesota Assesses Climate Risk to Public Health
Extreme heat	Setting policy, planning, and building standards and codes	Zoning codes can also promote heat island mitigation strategies in various ways. For example, cities such as Sacramento have adopted parking lot shading requirements as part of their zoning codes.
Extreme heat	Setting policy, planning, and building standards and codes	Green building initiatives place a high priority on human and environmental health and resource conservation over the life cycle of a building. Many local, state and federal governments have adopted green building programs, or standards, that capture heat island reduction strategies.	Chicago, Illinois Uses Green Infrastructure to Reduce Extreme Heat
Extreme heat	Setting policy, planning, and building standards and codes	Weatherization usually involves making the homes of qualifying residents, generally low-income families, more energy efficient at no cost to the residents. States use weatherization funds provided by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Weatherization Assistance Program to help recipients cover heating bills and invest in energy efficiency actions that lower costs. States can also use the funds to install cooling efficiency measures, such as screening and shading devices.
Mosquitoes, ticks, and other vectors	Assess risk	Create a public health adaptation plan. These plans help assess the community’s vulnerability to vector-borne diseases and decide on the best plan of attack for vector reduction.	Massachusetts Surveyed Climate Readiness of Public Health Departments and Minnesota Assesses Climate Risk to Public Health
Mosquitoes, ticks, and other vectors	Chemical management considerations	These are at best a temporary solution and should only be used if there are no other alternatives available. In all cases, there must be proper considerations of the area and safety measures must be followed exactly. Use larvicide to reduce the level of larval vectors. Use adulticide to target adult mosquitoes. This is less efficient than larvicide and should only be used for supplemental or emergency purposes. They are applied as ultra-low volume (ULV) sprays to dispense extremely small droplets.
Mosquitoes, ticks, and other vectors	Public outreach	Search for and dispose of discarded or unused tin cans, old tires, tarps, boat covers, or other artificial water containers.
Mosquitoes, ticks, and other vectors	Public outreach	Make weekly inspections of the water in flower pots and plant containers.
Mosquitoes, ticks, and other vectors	Public outreach	Change the water in birdbaths and wading pools weekly and drain them when not in use.
Mosquitoes, ticks, and other vectors	Public outreach	Stock garden and lily ponds with top-feeding minnows.
Mosquitoes, ticks, and other vectors	Public outreach	Keep rain gutters unclogged and flat roofs dry.
Mosquitoes, ticks, and other vectors	Public outreach	Eliminate stagnant pools, puddles, ditches, or swamps places around the home and property.
Mosquitoes, ticks, and other vectors	Public outreach	Keep margins of small ponds clear of vegetation.
Mosquitoes, ticks, and other vectors	Public outreach	Place tight covers over cisterns, cesspools, septic tanks, fire barrels, rain barrels, and tubs where water is stored.
Mosquitoes, ticks, and other vectors	Public outreach	Chlorinate and filter swimming pools and outdoor hot tubs.
Mosquitoes, ticks, and other vectors	Public outreach	Remove all tree stumps that may hold water.
Mosquitoes, ticks, and other vectors	Source reduction	Conduct a survey for breeding places. A survey will allow public health officials to determine what areas are good breeding areas for the different vectors. Once these are known, they can be used as locations for reduction strategies.
Mosquitoes, ticks, and other vectors	Source reduction	Ditch and clean stagnant streams to ensure a continuous flow of water.
Mosquitoes, ticks, and other vectors	Source reduction	Drain or fill back-water pools and swamps where stagnant water accumulates.
Mosquitoes, ticks, and other vectors	Source reduction	Keep overgrown and heavy vegetation cleared and cut in tick-infested areas.
Mosquitoes, ticks, and other vectors	Source reduction	Remove vegetation and debris from along the shores of lakes and ponds to discourage breeding.
Mosquitoes, ticks, and other vectors	Source reduction	Stock small lakes and ponds with top-feeding minnows, if allowable.
Mosquitoes, ticks, and other vectors	Source reduction	Improve wetlands and marshes to encourage the development of predators (e.g. frogs, predatory insects, predatory fish).
Mosquitoes, ticks, and other vectors	Use structural barriers	Install window and door screens.
Mosquitoes, ticks, and other vectors	Use structural barriers	Cover all gaps in walls, doors, and windows.
Mosquitoes, ticks, and other vectors	Use structural barriers	Make sure screens are “bug tight.”
Water quality and public health	Assessing vulnerabilities	Model anticipated climate changes to better understand expected climate vulnerabilities to water quality conditions.
Water quality and public health	Assessing vulnerabilities	Work with water utilities and water resource managers to better assess the expected performance of infrastructure and natural systems under changing climate conditions.
Water quality and public health	Assessing vulnerabilities	Identify populations and communities that may be more vulnerable. Some groups that are more vulnerable are populations with pre-existing health concerns and/or insensitive life stages, or communities close to locations used for swimming or fishing.
Water quality and public health	Assessing vulnerabilities	Monitor current conditions to better evaluate baselines and inform future projections.
Water quality and public health	Maintain water quality	Develop models to understand potential water quality changes.	Southern Nevada Water Authority Assesses Vulnerability to Climate Change
Water quality and public health	Maintain water quality	Increase treatment capabilities.
Water quality and public health	Maintain water quality	Install effluent cooling systems.
Water quality and public health	Maintain water quality	Manage reservoir water quality.
Water quality and public health	Maintain water quality	Monitor surface water conditions,
Water quality and public health	Maintain water quality	Retrofit intakes to accommodate lower flow or water levels.
Water quality and public health	Model climate risk	Conduct extreme precipitation events analyses.	Camden, New Jersey Uses Green Infrastructure to Manage Stormwater
Water quality and public health	Model climate risk	Develop models to understand potential water quality changes.	Southern Nevada Water Authority Assesses Vulnerability to Climate Change
Contaminated site management	Apply green infrastructure strategies	Installing drought-resistant grasses, shrubs, trees, and other deep-rooted plants will provide shading, prevent erosion, provide windbreaks, and reduce fire risk.	Bloomington, Indiana Naturalized a Creek Bank to Manage Stormwater and Establish Native Plants
Contaminated site management	Apply green infrastructure strategies	Replacing existing vegetation with a plant mix more tolerant of long-term changes in precipitation or temperature, and/or soil addition will increase water storage capacity.
Contaminated site management	Construct new infrastructure	Designing a new containment system to be built at the surface, instead of belowground, will minimize potential contact between groundwater and targeted waste (or an engineered liner) and prevent contamination.
Contaminated site management	Construct new infrastructure	Engineered structures, such as dams, will control the flow of flood-related deposition in settings where increased underwater deposition enhances remedy performance.
Contaminated site management	Construct new infrastructure	Installing extraction wells at critical locations and depths will prevent or minimize groundwater upwelling into the waste zone of an aged landfill, waste consolidation unit, or lined engineered landfill.
Contaminated site management	Construct new infrastructure	Putting industrial-strength protective material that surrounds equipment used to ignite and combust excess landfill gas will help prevent contamination from escaping.
Contaminated site management	Construct new infrastructure	Building one or more structures to retain or divert floodwater, such as vegetated berms, drainage swales, levees, dams or retention ponds will reduce the risk of damage from flooding.	American Cyanamid Superfund Site Reduced Climate Exposure, Blue Plains Wastewater Facility in Washington DC Reinforced Facility Against Floods, and New Jersey Superfund site used flood controls to adapt to higher precipitation levels
Contaminated site management	Construct new infrastructure	Installation of additional wells (and aboveground pumps) for leachate extraction in vulnerable areas will help prevent contamination from entering the water table.
Contaminated site management	Construct new infrastructure	Installation of pipes below rather than above ground surface where feasible, particularly for landfill gas transfer, will reduce exposure to potential damage.
Contaminated site management	Construct new infrastructure	Constructing a permanent system or using portable equipment provides power generated from on-site renewable resources, as a primary or redundant power supply, that can operate independent of the utility grid when needed so the system can keep running even if power is lost.
Contaminated site management	Construct new infrastructure	Building extended concrete footing for ground-mounted photovoltaic systems, adding additional bracing for roof-top photovoltaic or solar thermal systems, and adding additional masts for small wind turbines or windmills will help protect the systems from damage. For utility-scale systems, safeguards to address climate change vulnerabilities may be addressed in the site-specific renewable energy feasibility study.
Contaminated site management	Construct new infrastructure	Building a structure (commonly of concrete, steel sheet piles or timber) to support earth masses having a vertical or near-vertical slope will hold back loose soil, rocks or debris and prevent damage to the system.	American Cyanamid Superfund Site Reduced Climate Exposure
Contaminated site management	Construct new infrastructure	Building one or more earthen structures (such as vegetated berms, vegetated swales, or stormwater ponds) or installing fabricated drainage structures (such as culverts or French drains) at vulnerable locations will prevent stormwater accumulating at higher elevations from reaching a landfill/containment system and causing damage.
Contaminated site management	Construct new infrastructure	Installing permanent mounts that allow rapid deployment of a cable system extending from the top of a unit to ground surface will hold structures in place in extreme weather events.
Contaminated site management	Construct new infrastructure	Building insulated cover systems made of high-density polyethylene or concrete will protect control devices and sensitive equipment situated aboveground for long periods.
Contaminated site management	Improve site operations	Integrating a series of sensors linked to electronic control devices that trigger a shutdown of the system, or linked to audible/visual alarms that alert workers of the need to manually shut down the system, when specified operating or ambient parameters are exceeded will help prevent contaminants from leaving the system.
Contaminated site management	Improve site operations	Using electronic systems that actively inform subscribers of extreme weather events or provide internet postings on local/regional weather and related conditions will inform managers when risk is high and they need to implement protective measures.
Contaminated site management	Improve site operations	Incorporating additional subsurface parameters and sampling devices in monitoring plans will gauge the potential for re-suspension of contaminated sediment under more extreme weather/climate scenarios.
Contaminated site management	Improve site operations	Integrating electronic devices that enable workers to suspend pumping or selected activities during extreme weather events, periods of impeded access or unexpected hydrologic conditions can prevent contaminants from being released from the system.
Contaminated site management	Improve site operations	Electronic systems actively inform subscribers of extreme weather events or provide internet postings on local/regional weather and related conditions to help prepare the system in the event of extreme weather.
Contaminated site management	Repair and retrofit facilities	In situ placement of amendments through techniques such as broadcasting the material in a pelletized form or using a thicker layer of coversand will accelerate material settling.
Contaminated site management	Repair and retrofit facilities	Adding additional or deeper layers of stone and/or gravel above a sand base layer will help withstand scouring forces of ice jams.
Contaminated site management	Repair and retrofit facilities	Relocating electricity and communication lines from overhead to underground positions will prevent power outages during and after extreme weather events.
Contaminated site management	Site fortification	Placing fixed structures on or along the shoreline of flowing inland water will help mitigate effects of erosion and protect site infrastructure. Soft armor may comprise of synthetic fabrics and/or deep-rooted vegetation while hard armor may consist of riprap, gabions and segmental retaining walls.	American Cyanamid Superfund Site Reduced Climate Exposure
Contaminated site management	Site fortification	Adding additional or deeper layers of stone and/or gravel above a sand base layer will help withstand scouring forces of ice jams.
Contaminated site management	Site fortification	In situ placement of amendments through techniques such as broadcasting the material in a pelletized form or using a thicker layer of coversand will accelerate material settling.
Contaminated site management	Site fortification	Installing structures will stabilize a shoreline and shield it from erosion, through "soft" techniques (such as replenishing sand and/or vegetation) or "hard" techniques (such as building a seawall or installing riprap).
Contaminated site management	Site fortification	Repairing concrete cracks, replacing pads of insufficient size or with insufficient anchorage, or integrating retaining walls along the pad perimeter will prevent future failures.	American Cyanamid Superfund Site Reduced Climate Exposure
Contaminated site management	Site fortification	Placing riprap adjacent to a subsurface containment barrier located along moving surface water will help minimize bank scouring that could negatively affect barrier integrity. For soil/waste capping systems vulnerable to storm surge, installing a protective vertical wall or armored base to absorb the energy of the surge to prevent cap erosion or destruction.
Contaminated site management	Site fortification	Enclosing vulnerable equipment or control devices in a concrete structure will prevent exposure to outside factors that could damage it.
Contaminated site management	Site fortification	Installing one or more steel bars in cement-grouted boreholes (and in some cases accompanied by cables) will secure an apparatus on a ground surface or reinforce a retaining wall against an earthen slope.	American Cyanamid Superfund Site Reduced Climate Exposure
Contaminated site management	Site fortification	Anchoring a slope through the placement of concrete or rock elements against a slope and installing anchors and cables to secure the elements, or containing a slope through the placement of netting will hold back rock and debris to prevent damage to the system.
Contaminated site management	Site fortification	Installing permanent mounts that allow the rapid deployment of a cable system extending from the top of a unit to the ground surface will hold structures in place in extreme weather events.
Disaster debris management	Conduct pre-planning activities	Conduct a community-specific hazard assessment that looks at realistic worst-case scenarios and hazards, their likelihood, and the potential volumes and masses of wastes generated. Consider whether you want a single plan that addresses all hazards (recommended) or separate scenario-specific plans.
Disaster debris management	Conduct pre-planning activities	Consult individuals or groups who represent transportation, sanitation, emergency response, environmental health, public health, public works, zoning, agriculture, industry, and business among others.
Disaster debris management	Conduct pre-planning activities	Include plans of bordering jurisdictions, including bordering states, countries and tribal lands if applicable.
Disaster debris management	Conduct pre-planning activities	By identifying opportunities for source reduction (e.g., updating building codes for resilient building design and construction), hazard mitigation (e.g., eliminating potential problematic wastes), and developing infrastructure for composting, recycling and reuse of materials, your community will be better suited to withstand a disaster.
Disaster debris management	Conduct pre-planning activities	Understanding what legal and regulatory aspects apply ahead of time will allow for easier cleanup.
Disaster debris management	Conduct pre-planning activities	Review the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) eligibility requirements, specifically those pertaining to debris removal, for applicable situations, such as a federal emergency or major disaster declaration.
Disaster debris management	Conduct pre-planning activities	Identify unique local circumstances and issues that may affect waste management during an incident.
Disaster debris management	Develop a comprehensive pre-incident waste management plan	Use available tools to aid in plan development. USEPA’s Pre-incident All Hazards Waste Management Plan Guidelines: Four Step Waste Management Planning Process provides a suggested outline for a scalable, adaptable pre-incident plan that includes recommended plan contents and identifies issues to consider while developing the plan. The specific contents and organization of a WMP are flexible. This document provides a general example to help emergency managers and planners get started.	Northeast Indiana counties developed debris management plans
Disaster debris management	Develop a comprehensive pre-incident waste management plan	Consult haulers, owners, and operators of waste management facilities, including reuse and recycling facilities, and other entities as they are identified while developing the plan. For unique waste streams, specialized expertise may be needed for transport and other waste management activities. Make sure all entities receive a copy of the relevant portions of the plan when it is completed.
Disaster debris management	Develop a comprehensive pre-incident waste management plan	Identify options for reuse, recycling, and composting for different materials and wastes. Consult with facilities and appropriate regulatory authorities about establishing acceptance criteria for these materials and wastes.	Northeast Indiana counties developed debris management plans
Disaster debris management	Keep the waste management plan updated	Reach out to stakeholders across the whole community to review and update the pre-incident WMP regularly.
Disaster debris management	Keep the waste management plan updated	Schedule waste management-related exercises and track the schedule, scenarios exercised and stakeholders involved.	Northeast Indiana counties developed debris management plans
Disaster debris management	Keep the waste management plan updated	Develop a training plan to address training needs for staff and equipment.
Disaster debris management	Keep the waste management plan updated	Incorporate any waste management lessons learned, after action reports and improvement plans into the pre-incident WMP.
Disaster debris management	Implement the waste management plan during an incident	Identify the pre-incident waste management plan (WMP) that best aligns with the specific incident, if applicable.
Disaster debris management	Implement the waste management plan during an incident	Identify waste management-related policy or implementation issues that require resolution.
Disaster debris management	Implement the waste management plan during an incident	Create the incident-specific WMP based on the pre-incident WMP.
Disaster debris management	Implement the waste management plan during an incident	Present the incident-specific plan to the appropriate Incident Command staff.
Disaster debris management	Implement the waste management plan during an incident	Notify waste management facilities of anticipated needs and utilize contract support where necessary.
Disaster debris management	Implement the waste management plan during an incident	Implement the waste management-related community communications and outreach plan in line with the broader, overall incident communications plan.
Disaster debris management	Implement the waste management plan during an incident	Identify waste sampling requirements and notify labs of anticipated analysis needs.
Disaster debris management	Implement the waste management plan during an incident	Conduct waste management oversight activities, such as site visits to, inspections of, and environmental monitoring at waste management sites as appropriate.
Disaster debris management	Implement the waste management plan during an incident	Implement a comprehensive waste and material tracking and reporting system.
Disaster debris management	Implement the waste management plan during an incident	Ensure protection of human health and the environment at the incident site over the long-term through continued environmental monitoring, cleanup, inspections, and other activities as necessary.
Disaster debris management	Develop a comprehensive pre-incident waste management plan	Collaborate with neighboring jurisdictions.	Northeast Indiana counties developed debris management plans
Disaster debris management	Develop a comprehensive pre-incident waste management plan	Enter a mutual aid agreement.
Disaster debris management	Develop a comprehensive pre-incident waste management plan	Identify debris types and forecast amounts.	Northeast Indiana counties developed debris management plans
Disaster debris management	Develop a comprehensive pre-incident waste management plan	Select alternate debris management facilities.
Waste reduction and recycling	Pre-planning activity	Consult haulers, owners, and operators of waste management facilities, including reuse and recycling facilities, and other entities. For unique waste streams, specialized expertise may be needed for transport and other waste management activities. Make sure all entities understand their roles in the event of an extreme weather event. Determine what opportunities exist outside of the immediate area as local facilities could be damaged during an extreme weather event.
Waste reduction and recycling	Pre-planning activity	Identify options for reuse, recycling, and composting for different materials and wastes. Consult with facilities and appropriate regulatory authorities about establishing acceptance criteria for these materials and wastes. Consider available reuse and recycling opportunities in other regions, states, and countries, including materials (or waste) exchanges as local facilities might not be operational or accessible.	Northeast Indiana counties developed debris management plans
Waste reduction and recycling	Operation planning	Integrating a series of sensors linked to electronic control devices that trigger a shutdown of the system, or linked to audible/visual alarms that alert workers of the need to manually shut down the system, when specified operating or ambient parameters are exceeded will help prevent damage to the system.
Waste reduction and recycling	Operation planning	Using electronic systems that actively inform subscribers of extreme weather events or provide internet postings on local/regional weather and related conditions will inform managers when risk is high and they need to implement protective measures.
Waste reduction and recycling	Operation planning	Integrating electronic devices that enable workers to suspend pumping or selected activities during extreme weather events, periods of impeded access or unexpected hydrologic conditions can prevent contaminants from being released from the system.
Waste reduction and recycling	Operation planning	Electronic systems actively inform subscribers of extreme weather events or provide internet postings on local/regional weather and related conditions to help prepare the system in the event of extreme weather.
Waste reduction and recycling	Protecting equipment	Building one or more structures to retain or divert floodwaters, such as vegetated berms, drainage swales, levees, dams or retention ponds will reduce the risk of damage from flooding.	American Cyanamid Superfund Site Reduced Climate Exposure, Blue Plains Wastewater Facility in Washington DC Reinforced Facility Against Floods, and New Jersey Superfund site used flood controls to adapt to higher precipitation levels
Waste reduction and recycling	Protecting equipment	Building a structure (commonly of concrete, steel sheet piles or timber) to support earth masses having a vertical or near-vertical slope will hold back loose soil, rocks or debris and prevent damage to the system.	American Cyanamid Superfund Site Reduced Climate Exposure
Waste reduction and recycling	Protecting equipment	Building one or more earthen structures (such as vegetated berms, vegetated swales, or stormwater ponds) or installing fabricated drainage structures (such as culverts or French drains) at vulnerable locations will prevent stormwater accumulating at higher elevations from reaching a system and causing damage.
Waste reduction and recycling	Resilient energy	Constructing a permanent system or using portable equipment provides power generated from on-site renewable resources, as a primary or redundant power supply, that can operate independent of the utility grid when needed so the system can keep running even if power is lost.
Waste reduction and recycling	Resilient energy	Building extended concrete footing for ground-mounted photovoltaic systems, adding additional bracing for roof-top photovoltaic or solar thermal systems, and adding additional masts for small wind turbines or windmills will help protect the systems from damage. For utility-scale systems, safeguards to address climate change vulnerabilities may be addressed in the site-specific renewable energy feasibility study.
Alternative fuels	Provide electrical vehicle equipment	Install electric charging stations for city fleet operations and around the area. Increase resilience by installing solar power to fuel the electric vehicle charging stations.
Alternative fuels	Provide electrical vehicle equipment	Ensure charging stations have appropriate charging capacity for demand.
Alternative fuels	Provide electrical vehicle equipment	Ensure vehicle-to-grid technologies can respond to time-of-use markets (i.e. varying rates according to the time of day, season, and day type) or other demand response and/or load flexibility strategies.
Alternative fuels	Upgrade city operations	Electrify city fleet vehicles through the purchase of new electric vehicles and by phasing out gas and diesel vehicles.
Alternative fuels	Upgrade city operations	Electrify school and transit buses.
Multi-modal transportation	Encourage compact, mixed-use, transit-oriented development with high levels of connectivity.	Plan community spaces and development that promote diverse transportation options. For example, the community could prioritize or require that all new developments be easily accessible to existing or planned mass transit stations such as bus stops and rail stations, bike-share, car-share, and other transportation options.
Multi-modal transportation	Ensure that all transportation options encourage safe transportation	Adopt policies that prioritize off-road hike and bike trails for transportation and include safety barriers between driving lanes and bike lanes.
Multi-modal transportation	Ensure that all transportation options encourage safe transportation	Implement infrastructure and storage spaces for shared various forms of public and private modes of transit (i.e. bike shares, scooters, car shares, etc.).
Multi-modal transportation	Improve transit facility quality	Identify existing vulnerable facilities and systems that might be exposed to extreme conditions (e.g. bus stops without cover from precipitation or sun, transit hubs located in floodplains, etc.).
Multi-modal transportation	Improve transit facility quality	Build new infrastructure for multiple forms of transportation to climate-ready standards.
Multi-modal transportation	Improve transit facility quality	Adapt new infrastructure designs for multiple forms of transportation that anticipate changing environmental and operational conditions.
Multi-modal transportation	Improve transit facility quality	Adapt existing infrastructure and operations for multiple forms of transportation that respond to current and anticipated conditions, including changed maintenance practices and retrofits.
Multi-modal transportation	Ensure intermodal connectivity	Plan transit such that individual stations are connected to multiple modes of transportation such as bus, rail, bike, scooter, etc.
Multi-modal transportation	Ensure plentiful and equitable access to transit stops across the jurisdiction, and appropriate trip frequency at all transit stops	Create bus/train/other transit routes that provide access to all city locations and resources.
Multi-modal transportation	Ensure plentiful and equitable access to transit stops across the jurisdiction, and appropriate trip frequency at all transit stops	Make sure that there are either multiple routes using individual stops and/or that the same route picks up frequently enough at individual stops so that people can reasonably plan for transit throughout the day.
Multi-modal transportation	Ensure plentiful and equitable access to transit stops across the jurisdiction, and appropriate trip frequency at all transit stops	Roadways and transit routes can be disrupted by extreme weather, infrastructure failure, and more. Ensure that the transportation systems have been planned for as complete as possible access to the jurisdiction and that all transit stops have access to multiple routes should one be disrupted.
Multi-modal transportation	Promote and implement smart mobility policies	Build efficient transportation systems that automate and streamline processes (e.g. remove cash fares and implement the use of transit cards or apps, and reduce underused redundancy of rides or routes), thereby freeing up resources and ensuring access to transit.
Multi-modal transportation	Promote and implement smart mobility policies	Adopt useful policies and systems such as passenger information systems, automated speed enforcement, traffic surveillance, global positioning systems incorporated into public vehicles, transit signal synchronization and priority, integrated ticketing systems, real-time parking management, and radio frequency identification. By creating more efficient traffic flow, city transit will become more understandable and ideally reliable, especially in the case of extreme events.
Multi-modal transportation	Promote robust and diverse transportation options	Plan for multiple transportation options to function all the time, and especially when extreme weather or other unexpected events or long-term community stressors occur. Transportation options, apart from the typical single-occupancy gasoline or diesel fuel vehicles, include electric public transportation, carpool programs, gasoline or electric car-share, bike-share, a strong sidewalk network, a strong bike lane, and off-road trail network, and robust infrastructure for electric vehicles.
Algal blooms	Maintain water quality and availability	Develop models to understand potential water quality changes.	See how Southern Nevada Water Authority Assesses Vulnerability To Climate Change
Algal blooms	Maintain water quality and availability	Increase treatment capabilities.
Algal blooms	Maintain water quality and availability	Install effluent cooling systems.
Algal blooms	Monitor operational capabilities	Manage reservoir water quality.
Algal blooms	Repair and retrofit facilities	Retrofit intakes to accommodate lower flow or water levels.
Drinking water	Construct new infrastructure	Build flood barriers to protect infrastructure	See how Anacortes, Washington Rebuilds Water Treatment Plant for Climate Change and Blue Plains Wastewater Facility in Washington D.C. Reinforces Facility Against Floods
Drinking water	Construct new infrastructure	Build infrastructure needed for aquifer storage and recovery.
Drinking water	Construct new infrastructure	Diversify options for water supply and expand current sources.	See how Tampa Bay Diversifies Water Sources to Reduce Climate Risk
Drinking water	Construct new infrastructure	Increase water storage capacity.	See how Fredericktown, Missouri Prepares for Climate Change Drought Risk
Drinking water	Construct new infrastructure	Plan and establish alternative or on-site power supply.
Drinking water	Construct new infrastructure	Relocate facilities to higher elevations.	See how Iowa City, Iowa Closed a Vulnerable Wastewater Facility
Drinking water	Increase system efficiency	Improve energy efficiency and optimization of operations.	See how Michigan City, Indiana Reduces Energy Use and Generates Cost Savings from Water Treatment Operation Efficiency Updates
Drinking water	Increase system efficiency	Finance and facilitate systems to recycle water.
Drinking water	Increase system efficiency	Practice conjunctive use.	See how Tampa Bay Diversifies Water Sources to Reduce Climate Risk
Drinking water	Maintain water quality and availability	Develop models to understand potential water quality changes.	See how Southern Nevada Water Authority Assesses Vulnerability To Climate Change
Drinking water	Maintain water quality and availability	Diversify options for water supply and expand current sources.	See how Tampa Bay Diversifies Water Sources to Reduce Climate Risk
Drinking water	Maintain water quality and availability	Implement saltwater intrusion barriers and aquifer recharge	See how Tampa Bay Diversifies Water Sources to Reduce Climate Risk
Drinking water	Maintain water quality and availability	Increase treatment availability.	See how Southern Nevada Water Authority Assesses Vulnerability To Climate Change
Drinking water	Maintain water quality and availability	Increase water storage capacity.	See how Fredericktown, Missouri Prepares for Climate Change Drought Risk
Drinking water	Maintain water quality and availability	Install effluent cooling systems.
Drinking water	Maintain water quality and availability	Manage reservoir water quality.
Drinking water	Maintain water quality and availability	Model and monitor groundwater conditions.	See how Tampa Bay Diversifies Water Sources to Reduce Climate Risk
Drinking water	Maintain water quality and availability	Monitor surface water conditions.	See how Southern Nevada Water Authority Assesses Vulnerability To Climate Change
Drinking water	Maintain water quality and availability	Retrofit intakes to accommodate lower flow or water levels.
Drinking water	Model climate risk	Conduct extreme precipitation events analyses.	See how Camden, New Jersey Uses Green Infrastructure to Manage Stormwater
Drinking water	Model climate risk	Conduct sea-level rise and storm surge modeling.	See how Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts Assesses Climate Vulnerability
Drinking water	Model climate risk	Develop models to understand potential water quality changes.	See how Southern Nevada Water Authority Assesses Vulnerability To Climate Change
Drinking water	Model climate risk	Model and monitor groundwater conditions.	See how Tampa Bay Diversifies Water Sources to Reduce Climate Risk
Drinking water	Model climate risk	Model and reduce inflow/infiltration in the sewer system.
Drinking water	Model climate risk	Use hydrologic models to project runoff and future water supply.	See how Southern Nevada Water Authority Assesses Vulnerability To Climate Change
Drinking water	Modify land use	Acquire and manage ecosystems.
Drinking water	Modify land use	Implement green infrastructure on site and in municipalities.	See how Camden, New Jersey Uses Green Infrastructure to Manage Stormwater, Washington D.C. Uses Green Infrastructure to Manage Stormwater, Gary, Indiana Installs Green Infrastructure to Revitalize Blighted Areas and Manage Stormwater
Drinking water	Modify land use	Implement watershed management.
Drinking water	Modify land use	Integrate flood management and modeling into land use planning.	See how Iowa City, Iowa Closed a Vulnerable Wastewater Facility
Drinking water	Modify land use	Study response of nearby wetlands to storm surge events.
Drinking water	Modify land use	Update fire models and practice fire management plans.
Drinking water	Modify water demand	Encourage and support practices to reduce water use at local power plants.
Drinking water	Modify water demand	Model and reduce agricultural and irrigation water demand.
Drinking water	Modify water demand	Model future regional electricity demand.
Drinking water	Modify water demand	Practice water conservation and demand management.
Drinking water	Monitor operational capabilities	Conduct stress testing on wastewater treatment biological systems to assess tolerance to heat.
Drinking water	Monitor operational capabilities	Manage reservoir water quality.
Drinking water	Monitor operational capabilities	Monitor and inspect the integrity of existing infrastructure.
Drinking water	Monitor operational capabilities	Monitor current weather conditions.
Drinking water	Monitor operational capabilities	Monitor flood events and drivers.
Drinking water	Monitor operational capabilities	Monitor surface water conditions.	See how Southern Nevada Water Authority Assesses Vulnerability To Climate Change
Drinking water	Monitor operational capabilities	Monitor vegetation changes in watersheds.
Drinking water	Monitor saltwater intrusion	Diversify options for water supply and expand current sources.	See how Tampa Bay Diversifies Water Sources to Reduce Climate Risk
Drinking water	Monitor saltwater intrusion	Implement saltwater intrusion barriers and aquifer recharge.	See how Tampa Bay Diversifies Water Sources to Reduce Climate Risk
Drinking water	Monitor saltwater intrusion	Increase treatment capabilities.	See how Southern Nevada Water Authority Assesses Vulnerability To Climate Change
Drinking water	Monitor saltwater intrusion	Model and monitor groundwater conditions	See how Tampa Bay Diversifies Water Sources to Reduce Climate Risk
Drinking water	Monitor saltwater intrusion	Monitor surface water conditions	See how Southern Nevada Water Authority Assesses Vulnerability To Climate Change
Drinking water	Plan for climate change	Adopt insurance mechanisms and other financial instruments.
Drinking water	Plan for climate change	Conduct climate change impacts and adaptation training.	See how Southern Nevada Water Authority Assesses Vulnerability To Climate Change
Drinking water	Plan for climate change	Develop coastal restoration plans.
Drinking water	Plan for climate change	Develop emergency response plans.
Drinking water	Plan for climate change	Develop energy management plans for key facilities.
Drinking water	Plan for climate change	Establish mutual aid agreements with neighboring utilities.
Drinking water	Plan for climate change	Identify and protect vulnerable facilities.	See how Anacortes, Washington Rebuilds Water Treatment Plant for Climate Change
Drinking water	Plan for climate change	Integrate climate-related risks into capital improvement plans.	See how Anacortes, Washington Rebuilds Water Treatment Plant for Climate Change, Blue Plains Wastewater Facility in Washington D.C. Reinforces Facility Against Floods, Washington D.C. Utilizes Green Infrastructure to Manage Stormwater, Iowa City, Iowa Closed a Vulnerable Wastewater Facility
Drinking water	Plan for climate change	Participate in community planning and regional collaborations.
Drinking water	Plan for climate change	Update drought contingency plans.	See how Fredericktown, Missouri Prepares for Climate Change Drought Risk
Drinking water	Repair and retrofit facilities	Implement policies and procedures for post-flood and/or post-fire repairs.	See how Iowa City, Iowa Closed a Vulnerable Wastewater Facility
Drinking water	Repair and retrofit facilities	Implement saltwater intrusion barriers and aquifer recharge.	See how Tampa Bay Diversifies Water Sources to Reduce Climate Risk
Drinking water	Repair and retrofit facilities	Improve pumps for backflow prevention.	See how the Southeast Florida Compact Analyzes Sea Level Rise Risk
Drinking water	Repair and retrofit facilities	Increase capacity for wastewater and stormwater collection and treatment.	See how Iowa City, Iowa Closed a Vulnerable Wastewater Facility
Drinking water	Repair and retrofit facilities	Increase treatment capabilities.	See how Southern Nevada Water Authority Assesses Vulnerability To Climate Change
Drinking water	Repair and retrofit facilities	Install effluent cooling systems.
Drinking water	Repair and retrofit facilities	Retrofit intakes to accommodate lower flow or water levels.
Drought	Construct new infrastructure	Build infrastructure needed for aquifer storage and recovery.
Drought	Construct new infrastructure	Diversify options for water supply and expand current sources.	See how Tampa Bay Diversifies Water Sources to Reduce Climate Risk
Drought	Construct new infrastructure	Increase water storage capacity.	See how Fredericktown, Missouri Prepares for Climate Change Drought Risk
Drought	Increase system efficiency	Finance and facilitate systems to recycle water.
Drought	Increase system efficiency	Practice conjunctive use.	See how Tampa Bay Diversifies Water Sources to Reduce Climate Risk
Drought	Model climate risk	Develop models to understand potential water quality changes.	See how Southern Nevada Water Authority Assesses Vulnerability To Climate Change
Drought	Model climate risk	Model and monitor groundwater conditions.	See how Tampa Bay Diversifies Water Sources to Reduce Climate Risk
Drought	Modify land use	Implement watershed management.
Drought	Modify water demand	Encourage and support practices to reduce water use at local power plants
Drought	Modify water demand	Model and reduce agricultural and irrigation water demand.
Drought	Modify water demand	Model future regional electricity demand.
Drought	Modify water demand	Practice water conservation and demand management.
Drought	Monitor operational capacity	Monitor surface water conditions.	See how Southern Nevada Water Authority Assesses Vulnerability To Climate Change
Drought	Plan for climate change	Develop emergency response plans.
Drought	Plan for climate change	Update drought contingency plans.	See how Fredericktown, Missouri Prepares for Climate Change Drought Risk
Drought	Repair and retrofit facilities	Implement saltwater intrusion barriers and aquifer recharge.	See how Tampa Bay Diversifies Water Sources to Reduce Climate Risk
Drought	Repair and retrofit facilities	Retrofit intakes to accommodate lower flow or water levels.
Erosion and sedimentation	Apply green infrastructure strategies	Use underground storage systems to detain runoff in underground receptacles.
Erosion and sedimentation	Apply green infrastructure strategies	Use a retention pond to manage stormwater.	See how Washington D.C. Uses Green Infrastructure to Manage Stormwater
Erosion and sedimentation	Consider the costs and benefits of green infrastructure	Consider long-term benefits of green infrastructure in an economic analysis of stormwater management plans. Train local appraisers/commissioners to capture the full value of green infrastructure. Incorporate co-benefits into ROI calculations, such as ecosystem services and quality of life factors.
Erosion and sedimentation	Maintain and restore wetlands	Create a regional sediment management (RSM) plan.
Erosion and sedimentation	Maintain and restore wetlands	Develop adaptive stormwater management practices (e.g., promoting natural buffers, adequate culvert sizing).	See how Barre City, Vermont Accounts for Climate Change within a Brownfield Redevelopment Plan
Erosion and sedimentation	Maintain and restore wetlands	Develop a wetlands plan to determine which wetlands would be suited for restoration or preservation.	See how Lake County, Illinois Created a Wetlands Decision Support Tool
Erosion and sedimentation	Maintain and restore wetlands	Maintain Sediment Transport.
Erosion and sedimentation	Maintain and restore wetlands	Promote wetland accretion by introducing sediment.
Erosion and sedimentation	Maintain and restore wetlands	Prohibit hard shore protection.
Erosion and sedimentation	Maintain and restore wetlands	Trap or add sand through beach nourishment – the addition of sand to a shoreline to enhance or create a beach area.
Erosion and sedimentation	Maintain water quality and availability	Design a new coastal drainage system.
Erosion and sedimentation	Use "hard" shoreline maintenance	Harden shorelines with breakwaters – structures placed offshore to reduce wave action.
Erosion and sedimentation	Use "hard" shoreline maintenance	Harden shorelines with bulkheads – anchored, vertical barriers constructed at the shoreline to block erosion.
Erosion and sedimentation	Use "hard" shoreline maintenance	Harden shorelines with revetments that armor the slope face of the shoreline.
Erosion and sedimentation	Use "hard" shoreline maintenance	Harden shorelines with seawalls.
Erosion and sedimentation	Use natural infrastructure	Control soil erosion in the watershed.
Erosion and sedimentation	Use natural infrastructure	Control stream bank erosion.
Erosion and sedimentation	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Composite systems – incorporate elements of two or more methods (e.g., breakwater, sand fill, and planting vegetation).
Erosion and sedimentation	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Create dunes along backshore of beach; includes planting dune grasses and sand fencing to induce settling of wind-blown sands.
Erosion and sedimentation	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Increase shoreline setbacks.
Erosion and sedimentation	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Plant submerged aquatic vegetation (such as sea grasses) to stabilize sediment and reduce erosion.	See how San Juan Bay Estuary Program Assesses Vulnerability and Targets Adaptation Measures
Erosion and sedimentation	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Redefine river flood hazard zones to match the projected expansion of flooding frequency and extent.
Erosion and sedimentation	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Remove shoreline hardening structures such as bulkheads, dikes, and other engineered structures to allow for shoreline migration.
Erosion and sedimentation	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Replace shoreline armoring with living shorelines – through beach nourishment, planting vegetation, etc.	See how San Juan Bay Estuary Program Assesses Vulnerability and Targets Adaptation Measures
Erosion and sedimentation	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Restrict or prohibit development in erosion zones.
Erosion and sedimentation	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Use natural breakwaters of oysters (or install other natural breakwaters) to dissipate wave action and protect shorelines.
Flooding	Apply green infrastructure strategies	Use Bioretention to collect stormwater runoff.
Flooding	Apply green infrastructure strategies	Use a blue roof to hold precipitation after a storm event and discharge it at a controlled rate.
Flooding	Apply green infrastructure strategies	Use permeable pavement to allow runoff to flow through and be temporarily stored prior to discharge.
Flooding	Apply green infrastructure strategies	Use underground storage systems to detain runoff in underground receptacles.
Flooding	Apply green infrastructure strategies	Use a stormwater tree trench to store and filter stormwater runoff.
Flooding	Apply green infrastructure strategies	Use a retention pond to manage stormwater.	See how Washington D.C. Uses Green Infrastructure to Manage Stormwater
Flooding	Apply green infrastructure strategies	Use extended detention wetlands to reduce flood risk and provide water quality and ecological benefits.	See how Lake County, Illinois Created a Wetlands Decision Support Tool
Flooding	Consider stormwater management logistics	Assess whether green infrastructure could be included as a control measure in Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s).	See how Washington D.C. Uses Green Infrastructure to Manage Stormwater
Flooding	Consider stormwater management logistics	Consider offering incentives for green infrastructure to manage stormwater.
Flooding	Consider stormwater management logistics	Consider regulatory changes at the federal or state level.
Flooding	Consider stormwater management logistics	Convene stakeholders from across the watershed to address barriers.
Flooding	Consider stormwater management logistics	Coordinate across federal, state, local and tribal agencies.
Flooding	Consider stormwater management logistics	Coordinate regional policies to minimize the impact on individual communities.
Flooding	Consider stormwater management logistics	Develop a methodology and schedule for maintenance that includes details about who is responsible for maintenance and new protocols.
Flooding	Consider stormwater management logistics	Find ways that the state or county can provide incentives to Incorporate green infrastructure and Low Impact Development into existing plans.
Flooding	Consider stormwater management logistics	Incorporate green infrastructure and Low Impact Development into existing plans.	See how Washington D.C. Uses Green Infrastructure to Manage Stormwater
Flooding	Consider stormwater management logistics	Look for opportunities to develop a regional or watershed-scale plan for stormwater management.
Flooding	Consider stormwater management logistics	Provide individual homeowners and businesses with information about how to correctly maintain green infrastructure design elements.
Flooding	Consider stormwater management logistics	Request modifications to reporting requirements.
Flooding	Consider stormwater management logistics	Seek opportunities to incorporate climate change adaptation measures into existing plans.
Flooding	Consider stormwater management logistics	Use pilot projects.	See how Washington D.C. Uses Green Infrastructure to Manage Stormwater
Flooding	Construct new infrastructure	Build flood barriers to protect infrastructure.	See how Anacortes, Washington Rebuilds Water Treatment Plant for Climate Change and Blue Plains Wastewater Facility in Washington D.C. Reinforces Facility Against Floods
Flooding	Construct new infrastructure	Build infrastructure needed for aquifer storage and recovery.
Flooding	Construct new infrastructure	Plan and establish alternative or on-site power supply.
Flooding	Construct new infrastructure	Relocate facilities to higher elevations.	See how Iowa City, Iowa Closed a Vulnerable Wastewater Facility
Flooding	Maintain water quality and availability	Design new coastal drainage system.
Flooding	Maintain water quality and availability	Develop adaptive stormwater management practices (e.g., remove impervious surfaces, replace undersized culverts).
Flooding	Maintain water quality and availability	Plug drainage canals.
Flooding	Maintain and restore wetlands	Develop adaptive stormwater management practices (e.g., promoting natural buffers, adequate culvert sizing).	See how Barre City, Vermont Accounts for Climate Change within a Brownfield Redevelopment Plan
Flooding	Maintain and restore wetlands	Maintain sediment transport.
Flooding	Model climate risk	Conduct extreme precipitation events analyses.	See how Camden, New Jersey Uses Green Infrastructure to Manage Stormwater
Flooding	Model climate risk	Develop models to understand potential water quality changes.	See how Southern Nevada Water Authority Assesses Vulnerability to Climate Change and Gary, Indiana Installs Green Infrastructure to Revitalize Blighted Areas and Manage Stormwater
Flooding	Model climate risk	Model and monitor groundwater conditions.	See how Tampa Bay Diversifies Water Sources to Reduce Climate Risk
Flooding	Model climate risk	Model and reduce inflow/infiltration in the sewer system.
Flooding	Modify land use	Acquire and manage ecosystems.
Flooding	Modify land use	Implement green infrastructure on site and in municipalities.	See how Camden, New Jersey Uses Green Infrastructure to Manage Stormwater, Washington D.C. Utilizes Green Infrastructure to Manage Stormwater, and Gary, Indiana Installs Green Infrastructure to Revitalize Blighted Areas and Manage Stormwater
Flooding	Modify land use	Implement watershed management.
Flooding	Modify land use	Integrate flood management and modeling into land use planning.	See how Iowa City, Iowa Closed a Vulnerable Wastewater Facility
Flooding	Modify land use	Study response of nearby wetlands to storm surge events.
Flooding	Monitor operational capabilities	Monitor current weather conditions.
Flooding	Monitor operational capabilities	Monitor flood events and drivers.
Flooding	Plan for climate change	Adopt insurance mechanisms and other financial instruments.
Flooding	Plan for climate change	Conduct climate change impacts and adaptation training.	See how Southern Nevada Water Authority Assesses Vulnerability to Climate Change
Flooding	Plan for climate change	Develop coastal restoration plans.
Flooding	Plan for climate change	Develop emergency response plans.
Flooding	Plan for climate change	Develop energy management plans for key facilities.
Flooding	Plan for climate change	Establish mutual aid agreements with neighboring utilities.
Flooding	Plan for climate change	Identify and protect vulnerable facilities.	See how Anacortes, Washington Rebuilds Water Treatment Plant for Climate Change
Flooding	Plan for climate change	Integrate climate-related risks into capital improvement plans.	See how Anacortes, Washington Rebuilds Water Treatment Plant for Climate Change, Blue Plains Wastewater Facility in Washington D.C. Reinforces Facility Against Floods, Washington D.C. Utilizes Green Infrastructure to Manage Stormwater, Iowa City, Iowa Closed a Vulnerable Wastewater Facility
Flooding	Plan for climate change	Participate in community planning and regional collaborations.
Flooding	Preserve coastal land development	Incorporate consideration of climate change impacts into planning for new infrastructure (e.g., homes, businesses).
Flooding	Provide public awareness and coordination	Adopt more stringent policies.
Flooding	Provide public awareness and coordination	Build awareness and knowledge via climate change and stormwater management curriculum.
Flooding	Provide public awareness and coordination	Collaborate with community groups.
Flooding	Provide public awareness and coordination	Create opportunities for staff to exchange experiences and ideas for programs.
Flooding	Provide public awareness and coordination	Developers can demonstrate attractive, cost-effective, marketable solutions.
Flooding	Provide public awareness and coordination	Engage in existing peer-to-peer networks.
Flooding	Provide public awareness and coordination	Showcase green infrastructure climate adaptation projects.	See how Camden, New Jersey Uses Green Infrastructure to Manage Stormwater
Flooding	Provide public awareness and coordination	Take advantage of existing resources that promote information sharing.
Flooding	Repair and retrofit facilities	Implement policies and procedures for post-flood and/or post-fire repairs.	Iowa City, Iowa Closed a Vulnerable Wastewater Facility
Flooding	Repair and retrofit facilities	Implement saltwater intrusion barriers and aquifer recharge.	See how Tampa Bay Diversifies Water Sources to Reduce Climate Risk
Flooding	Repair and retrofit facilities	Improve pumps for backflow prevention.	See how the Southeast Florida Compact Analyzes Sea Level Rise Risk
Flooding	Repair and retrofit facilities	Increase capacity for wastewater and stormwater collection and treatment.	Iowa City, Iowa Closed a Vulnerable Wastewater Facility
Flooding	Repair and retrofit facilities	Increase treatment capabilities.	See how Southern Nevada Water Authority Assesses Vulnerability To Climate Change
Flooding	Use climate and land use data	Address the likely need to facilitate a change in thinking to enable action in the face of uncertainties that have not been traditionally considered in decision making but now should be.
Flooding	Use climate and land use data	Assemble existing data sets with information such as historic land use, planned development, topography, and location of floodplains.
Flooding	Use climate and land use data	Communicate the overlap of "short-term" infrastructure lifetimes with longer-term climate changes.	See how Minnehaha, Minnesota Creek Watershed District Assesses Stormwater Management Climate Vulnerability
Flooding	Use climate and land use data	Consider how current design standards are formulated a starting point to the discussion.
Flooding	Use climate and land use data	Demonstrate the use of dynamical downscaling on research projects at the site scale.
Flooding	Use climate and land use data	Develop a "wish-list" of data that should be collected to improve understanding of climate changes.
Flooding	Use climate and land use data	Develop regional scenarios.	See how the Southeast Florida Compact Analyzes Sea Level Rise Risk
Flooding	Use climate and land use data	Expand staff expertise in GIS or other data management processes.
Flooding	Use climate and land use data	Mine existing data sources to ensure that decisions are based on the best available data.
Flooding	Use climate and land use data	Routinely re-evaluate the accuracy of land use maps.
Flooding	Use climate and land use data	Seek partnerships that can contribute to the field of knowledge.
Flooding	Use climate and land use data	Use land use build-out models to understand the maximum allowable use.	See how the Southeast Florida Compact Analyzes Sea Level Rise Risk
Flooding	Use climate and land use data	Use land use build-out models to understand the maximum likely development in a region.	See how the Southeast Florida Compact Analyzes Sea Level Rise Risk
Flooding	Use climate and land use data	Use resources to show historical and future trend lines.	See how Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts Assesses Climate Vulnerability
Flooding	Use climate and land use data	Use scenarios to develop a set of possible futures, rather than seeking consensus on a particular projection.
Flooding	Use natural infrastructure	Build swales and rain gardens.
Flooding	Use natural infrastructure	Control groundwater withdrawal.
Flooding	Use natural infrastructure	Control soil erosion in the watershed.
Flooding	Use natural infrastructure	Control stormwater runoff.
Flooding	Use natural infrastructure	Control stream bank erosion.
Flooding	Use natural infrastructure	Create deep pools or artificial logjams.
Flooding	Use natural infrastructure	Plant forest and floodplain habitat.
Flooding	Use natural infrastructure	Plant trees.
Flooding	Use natural infrastructure	Promote stormwater infiltration.
Flooding	Use natural infrastructure	Remove unneeded channelization.
Flooding	Use natural infrastructure	Removing unneeded dams and impoundments.
Flooding	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Redefine river flood hazard zones to match the projected expansion of flooding frequency and extent.
Green infrastructure	Add green infrastructure	Use a retention pond to manage stormwater.	See how DC Utilizes Green Infrastructure to Manage Stormwater
Green infrastructure	Add green infrastructure	Use a stormwater tree trench to store and filter stormwater runoff.
Green infrastructure	Add green infrastructure	Use bioretention to collect stormwater runoff.
Green infrastructure	Add green infrastructure	Use a blue roof to hold precipitation after a storm event and discharge it at a controlled rate.
Green infrastructure	Add green infrastructure	Use extended detention wetlands to reduce flood risk and provide water quality and ecological benefits.	See how Lake County, Illinois Created a Decision Support Tool to analyze their wetland functions
Green infrastructure	Add green infrastructure	Use permeable pavement to allow runoff to flow through and be temporarily stored prior to discharge.
Green infrastructure	Add green infrastructure	Use underground storage systems to detain runoff in underground receptacles.
Green infrastructure	Build staff capacity	Conduct pilot studies.	See how DC Utilizes Green Infrastructure to Manage Stormwater
Green infrastructure	Build staff capacity	Consider using or developing a stormwater model ordinance for green infrastructure.
Green infrastructure	Build staff capacity	Hire new staff with green infrastructure design and implementation experience.
Green infrastructure	Build staff capacity	Offer incentives for engineers or contractors to use green infrastructure designs.
Green infrastructure	Build staff capacity	Provide training for municipal staff on green infrastructure.
Green infrastructure	Build staff capacity	Publicize a list of "certified or qualified" green infrastructure contractors and engineers.
Green infrastructure	Consider the costs and benefits	Collaborate across departments to coordinate the collection of data on the costs and benefits of green infrastructure.
Green infrastructure	Consider the costs and benefits	Conduct research and collect data.
Green infrastructure	Consider the costs and benefits	Consider long-term benefits of green infrastructure in an economic analysis of stormwater management plans.
Green infrastructure	Consider the costs and benefits	Develop tools to assist with quantifying costs and benefits.
Green infrastructure	Consider the costs and benefits	Ensure existing case studies are readily available.
Green infrastructure	Consider the costs and benefits	Identify opportunities to integrate green infrastructure into other projects.
Green infrastructure	Consider the costs and benefits	Incorporate cost and benefit information into tools (e.g., visualization tools) that can support project planning and assist in communications with multiple audiences.
Green infrastructure	Consider the costs and benefits	Present cost statistics in formats that can be shared with colleagues, elected officials and the public.
Green infrastructure	Consider the costs and benefits	Share existing information about how natural systems can be cost-effective and efficient methods of stormwater control and flood mitigation.
Green infrastructure	Consider the costs and benefits	Use cost planning scenarios that are based on real projects for the state or region.
Green infrastructure	Consider the costs and benefits	Collaborate across departments to coordinate the collection of data on the costs and benefits of green infrastructure.
Saltwater intrusion	Maintain and restore wetlands	Allow coastal wetlands to migrate inland (e.g., through setbacks, density restrictions, land purchases).	See how Maryland Analyzes Coastal Wetlands Susceptibility to Climate Change
Saltwater intrusion	Maintain and restore wetlands	Create a regional sediment management plan.
Saltwater intrusion	Maintain and restore wetlands	Develop adaptive stormwater management practices (e.g., promoting natural buffers, adequate culvert sizing).	See how Barre City, Vermont Accounts for Climate Change within a Brownfield Redevelopment Plan
Saltwater intrusion	Maintain and restore wetlands	Establish rolling easements.
Saltwater intrusion	Maintain and restore wetlands	Identify and protect ecologically significant ("critical") areas such as nursery grounds, spawning grounds, and areas of high species diversity.	See how San Juan Bay Estuary Program Assesses Vulnerability and Targets Adaptation Measures
Saltwater intrusion	Maintain and restore wetlands	Incorporate wetland protection into infrastructure planning (e.g., transportation planning, sewer utilities).
Saltwater intrusion	Maintain and restore wetlands	Maintain sediment transport.
Saltwater intrusion	Maintain and restore wetlands	Preserve and restore the structural complexity and biodiversity of vegetation in tidal marshes, seagrass meadows, and mangroves.	See how Southwest Florida Assesses Salt Marsh Vulnerability to Sea Level Rise
Saltwater intrusion	Maintain and restore wetlands	Prohibit hard shore protection.
Saltwater intrusion	Maintain and restore wetlands	Promote wetland accretion by introducing sediment.
Saltwater intrusion	Maintain and restore wetlands	Remove hard protection or other barriers to tidal and riverine flow (e.g., riverine and tidal dike removals).
Saltwater intrusion	Maintain and restore wetlands	Trap or add sand through beach nourishment – the addition of sand to a shoreline to enhance or create a beach area.
Saltwater intrusion	Maintain and restore wetlands	Trap sand through the construction of groins – a barrier type structure that traps sand by interrupting longshore transport.
Saltwater intrusion	Maintain water quality and availability	Create water markets – transferring land and water from agricultural to community use.
Saltwater intrusion	Maintain water quality and availability	Design a new coastal drainage system.
Saltwater intrusion	Maintain water quality and availability	Develop adaptive stormwater management practices (e.g., remove impervious surfaces, replace undersized culverts).
Saltwater intrusion	Maintain water quality and availability	Establish or broaden "use containment areas" to allocate and cap water withdrawal Incorporate sea level rise into planning for new infrastructure (e.g., sewage systems).	See how Southeast Florida Compact Analyzes Sea Level Rise Risk
Saltwater intrusion	Maintain water quality and availability	Integrate climate change scenarios into the water supply system.	See how Southeast Florida Compact Analyzes Sea Level Rise Risk
Saltwater intrusion	Maintain water quality and availability	Manage water demand (through water reuse, recycling, rainwater harvesting, desalination, etc.).
Saltwater intrusion	Maintain water quality and availability	Plug drainage canals.
Saltwater intrusion	Maintain water quality and availability	Prevent or limit groundwater extraction from shallow aquifers.
Saltwater intrusion	Preserve coastal land and development	Create permitting rules that constrain locations for landfills, hazardous waste dumps, mine tailings, and toxic chemical facilities.
Saltwater intrusion	Preserve coastal land and development	Incorporate consideration of climate change impacts into planning for new infrastructure (e.g., homes, businesses).
Saltwater intrusion	Preserve coastal land and development	Integrate coastal management into land use planning.	See how Maryland Analyzes Coastal Wetlands Susceptibility to Climate Change
Saltwater intrusion	Preserve coastal land and development	Integrated Coastal Zone Management – using an integrated approach to achieve sustainability.
Saltwater intrusion	Preserve coastal land and development	Land acquisition program – purchase coastal land that is damaged or prone to damage and use it for conservation.
Saltwater intrusion	Preserve coastal land and development	Land exchange programs – owners exchange property in the floodplain for county-owned land outside of the floodplain.
Saltwater intrusion	Preserve coastal land and development	Manage realignment and deliberately realign engineering structures affecting rivers, estuaries, and coastlines.
Saltwater intrusion	Preserve habitat	Adapt protections of important biogeochemical zones and critical habitats as the locations of these areas change with climate.
Saltwater intrusion	Preserve habitat	Design estuaries with dynamic boundaries and buffers.
Saltwater intrusion	Preserve habitat	Connect landscapes with corridors to enable migrations.	See how Southwest Florida Assesses Salt Marsh Vulnerability to Sea Level Rise
Saltwater intrusion	Preserve habitat	Expand the planning horizons of land use planning to incorporate longer climate predictions.	See how Maryland Analyzes Coastal Wetlands Susceptibility to Climate Change
Saltwater intrusion	Preserve habitat	Purchase upland development rights or property rights.
Saltwater intrusion	Preserve habitat	Replicate habitat types in multiple areas to spread risks associated with climate change.	See how Pennsylvania Protects Coldwater Fisheries and Water Quality from Climate Change
Saltwater intrusion	Preserve habitat	Retreat from, and abandonment of, coastal barriers.
Saltwater intrusion	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Composite systems – incorporate elements of two or more methods (e.g., breakwater, sand fill, and planting vegetation)
Saltwater intrusion	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Create dunes along backshore of beach; includes planting dune grasses and sand fencing to induce settling of wind-blown sands.
Saltwater intrusion	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Create marsh by planting the appropriate species – typically grasses, sedges, or rushes – in the existing substrate Increase shoreline setbacks.
Saltwater intrusion	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Install rock sills and other artificial breakwaters in front of tidal marshes along energetic estuarine shores.
Saltwater intrusion	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Plant submerged aquatic vegetation (such as sea grasses) to stabilize sediment and reduce erosion.	See how San Juan Bay Estuary Program Assesses Vulnerability and Targets Adaptation Measures
Saltwater intrusion	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Redefine riverine flood hazard zones to match the projected expansion of flooding frequency and extent.
Saltwater intrusion	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Remove shoreline hardening structures such as bulkheads, dikes, and other engineered structures to allow for shoreline migration.
Saltwater intrusion	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Replace shoreline armoring with living shorelines – through beach nourishment, planting vegetation, etc.	See how San Juan Bay Estuary Program Assesses Vulnerability and Targets Adaptation Measures
Saltwater intrusion	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Measures that restrict or prohibit development in erosion zones.
Saltwater intrusion	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Use natural breakwaters of oysters (or install other natural breakwaters) to dissipate wave action and protect shorelines.
Sea-level rise	Construct new infrastructure	Build flood barriers to protect infrastructure.	See how Anacortes, Washington Rebuilds Water Treatment Plant for Climate Change
Sea-level rise	Construct new infrastructure	Relocate facilities to higher elevations.	See how Iowa City, Iowa Closed a Vulnerable Wastewater Facility
Sea-level rise	Maintain and restore wetlands	Allow coastal wetlands to migrate inland (e.g., through setbacks, density restrictions land purchases).	See how Maryland Analyzes Coastal Wetlands Susceptibility to Climate Change
Sea-level rise	Maintain and restore wetlands	Establish rolling easements.
Sea-level rise	Maintain and restore wetlands	Remove hard protection or other barriers to tidal and riverine flow (e.g., riverine and tidal dike removals).
Sea-level rise	Maintain water quality and availability	Incorporate sea level rise into planning for new infrastructure (e.g., sewage systems).	See how Southeast Florida Compact Analyzes Sea Level Rise Risk
Sea-level rise	Model climate risk	Conduct sea-level rise and storm surge modeling.	See how Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts Assesses Climate Vulnerability
Sea-level rise	Model climate risk	Model and monitor groundwater conditions.	See how Tampa Bay Diversifies Water Sources to Reduce Climate Risk
Sea-level rise	Model climate risk	Model and reduce inflow/infiltration in the sewer system.
Sea-level rise	Modify land use	Study response of nearby wetlands to storm surge events.
Sea-level rise	Monitor operational capabilities	Monitor flood events and drivers.
Sea-level rise	Plan for climate change	Develop coastal restoration plans.
Sea-level rise	Plan for climate change	Integrate climate-related risks into capital improvement plans.	See how Anacortes, Washington Rebuilds Water Treatment Plant for Climate Change
Sea-level rise	Preserve coastal land and development	Incorporate consideration of climate change impacts into planning for new infrastructure (e.g., homes, businesses).
Sea-level rise	Preserve coastal land and development	Integrated Coastal Zone Management – using an integrated approach to achieve sustainability
Sea-level rise	Preserve coastal land and development	Land acquisition program – purchase coastal land that is damaged or prone to damage and use it for conservation
Sea-level rise	Preserve habitat	Retreat from, and abandonment of, coastal barriers
Sea-level rise	Repair and retrofit facilities	Implement saltwater intrusion barriers and aquifer recharge.	See how Tampa Bay Diversifies Water Sources to Reduce Climate Risk
Sea-level rise	Repair and retrofit facilities	Improve pumps for backflow prevention.	See how Southeast Florida Compact Analyzes Sea Level Rise Risk
Sea-level rise	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Create dunes along backshore of beach; includes planting dune grasses and sand fencing to induce settling of wind-blown sands.
Sea-level rise	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Increase shoreline setbacks.
Sea-level rise	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Plant submerged aquatic vegetation (such as seagrasses) to stabilize sediment and reduce erosion.	See how San Juan Bay Estuary Program Assesses Vulnerability and Targets Adaptation Measures
Sea-level rise	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Redefine river flood hazard zones to match the projected expansion of flooding frequency and extent.
Sea-level rise	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Remove shoreline hardening structures such as bulkheads, dikes, and other engineered structures to allow for shoreline migration.
Sea-level rise	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Replace shoreline armoring with living shorelines – through beach nourishment, planting vegetation, etc.	See how San Juan Bay Estuary Program Assesses Vulnerability and Targets Adaptation Measures
Sea-level rise	Use "soft" shoreline maintenance	Use natural breakwaters of oysters (or install other natural breakwaters) to dissipate wave action and protect shorelines.

About Adaptation Strategies

It is also important to note:

None of the provided alternatives are likely to be appropriate in all circumstances; the appropriateness of each alternative should be considered in the local context for which it is being considered.
The potential strategies are largely drawn from USEPA, Indiana University and other federal resources. Before adopting any particular strategy, it should be considered in the context provided by the primary source document from which it originated. Source document(s) are indicated.
The presented strategies should not be relied on exclusively in conducting risk assessments, developing response plans, or making adaptation decisions.

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