The adaptation strategies provided below are intended to inform and assist communities in identifying potential alternatives. They are illustrative and are presented to help communities consider possible ways to address anticipated current and future climate threats to contaminated site management.
Adaptation Strategies for Protecting Waste Facilities
On This Page
Adaptation strategies on this page are categorized by action type.
Related Information
A range of major climate change stressors may affect landfills and contaminated sites. See adaptation strategies that target climate impacts.
Site Containment
- Armor
Fixed structures placed on or along the shoreline of flowing inland water or ocean water to mitigate effects of erosion and protect site infrastructure; “soft” armor may comprise synthetic fabrics and/or deep-rooted vegetation while “hard” armor may consist of riprap, gabions and segmental retaining walls. - Coastal hardening
Installation of structures to 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). - Concrete pad fortification
Repairing cracked pads or replacing inadequate pads (of insufficient size or with insufficient anchorage), particularly those used for monitoring purposes, and integrating retaining walls along a concrete pad perimeter where feasible. - Containment fortification
Placement of riprap adjacent to a subsurface containment barrier located along moving surface water, to minimize bank scouring that could negatively affect barrier integrity; for soil/waste capping systems vulnerable to storm surge, installation of a protective vertical wall or armored base to absorb energy of the surge and prevent cap erosion or destruction. - Entombment
Enclosure of vulnerable equipment or control devices in a concrete structure. - Evapotranspiration cover modification
Replacement of existing vegetation with a plant mix more tolerant of long-term changes in precipitation or temperature and/or soil addition to increase water storage capacity. - Fire barriers
Creating buffer areas (land free of dried vegetation and other flammable materials) around vulnerable remediation/monitoring components and installing manufactured systems (such as radiant energy shields and electrical raceway fire barriers) around heat-sensitive components. - Flare enclosure
Industrial-strength protective material that surrounds equipment used to ignite and combust excess landfill gas (LFG). - Ground anchorage
- One or more steel bars installed in cement-grouted boreholes (and in some cases accompanied by cables) to secure an apparatus on a ground surface or to reinforce a retaining wall against an earthen slope.
- Relocation
Moving selected system components to positions more distant or protected from potential hazards; for Flooding threats, this may involve elevations higher than specified in the community’s flood insurance Study. - Retaining wall
A structure (commonly of concrete, steel sheet piles or timber) built to support earth masses having a vertical or near-vertical slope and consequently hold back loose soil, rocks or debris. See how a New Jersey Superfund site used a retaining wall to adapt to increased flooding risk. - Tie down systems
Installing permanent mounts that allow rapid deployment of a cable system extending from the top of a unit to ground surface. - Well-head housing
Building insulated cover systems made of high density polyethylene or concrete for control devices and sensitive equipment situated aboveground for long periods.
- Construction at grade
Designing a new containment system to be built at rather than below ground surface, in order to minimize potential contact between groundwater and targeted waste (or an engineered liner) due to consistent rising of the water table. - Dewatering well system
Installing extraction wells at critical locations and depths to prevent or minimize groundwater upwelling into the waste zone of an aged landfill, waste consolidation unit or lined engineered landfill. - Leachate extraction upgrades
Installation of additional wells (and aboveground pumps) for leachate extraction in vulnerable areas. - Liner system reinforcement
Selection of geomembranes with a maximum feasible thickness for new liner systems, use of a secondary liner or geotextile or extension of geosynthetic materials to vulnerable sides of a waste cell. - Pipe burial
Installation of pipes below rather than above ground surface where feasible, particularly for landfill gas (LFG) transfer. - Run-on controls
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 to prevent stormwater accumulating at higher elevations from reaching a landfill/containment system.
Operations and Infrastructure
- Alarm networks
Integrating a series of sensors linked to electronic control devices that trigger shutdown of selected remediation/monitoring components, or linked to audible/visual alarms that alert workers of the need to manually shut down the components, when specified operating or ambient parameters are exceeded. - Building envelope upgrades
Replacing highly flammable materials with (or adding) fire- and mold/mildew-resistant insulating materials in a building, shed or housing envelope. - Flood controls
Building one or more earthen structures (such as vegetated berms, vegetated swales, stormwater ponds, levees or dams) or installing fabricated drainage structures (such as culverts or French drains) to retain or divert floodwater spreading from adjacent surface water or land surface depressions. See how the American Cyanamid Superfund Site reduced climate exposure using flood controls. - Hazard alerts
Using electronic systems that actively inform subscribers of extreme weather events or provide Internet postings on local/regional weather and related conditions. - Hurricane straps
Integrating or adding heavy metal brackets that reinforce physical connection between the roof and walls of a building, shed or housing unit, including structures used for leachate and landfill gas (LFG) management. - Pervious pavement
Replacing impervious pavement that has deteriorated or impeded stormwater management with permeable pavement (in the form of porous asphalt, rubberized asphalt, pervious concrete or brick/block pavers) to filter pollutants, recharge aquifers and reduce stormwater volume entering the storm drain system. - Plantings
Installing drought-resistant grasses, shrubs, trees and other deep-rooted plants to provide shading, prevent erosion, provide wind breaks and reduce fire risk. - Power from off-grid sources
Constructing a permanent system or using portable equipment that provides power generated from onsite renewable resources, as a primary or redundant power supply that can operate independent of the utility grid when needed. - Remote access
Integrating electronic devices that enable workers to suspend pumping or selected activities during extreme weather events, periods of impeded access or unexpected hydrologic conditions. - Renewable energy system safeguards
Extended concrete footing for ground-mounted photovoltaic (PV) systems, additional bracing for roof-top PV or solar thermal systems and additional masts for small wind turbines or windmills; for utility-scale systems, safeguards to address climate change vulnerabilities may be addressed in the site-specific renewable energy feasibility study. - Utility line burial
Relocating electricity and communication lines from overhead to underground positions, to prevent power outages during and often after extreme weather events. - Weather alerts
Electronic systems that actively inform subscribers of extreme weather events or provide Internet postings on local/regional weather and related conditions.
Groundwater Remediation
- Alarm networks
Integrating a series of sensors linked to electronic control devices that trigger 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. - Coastal hardening
Building “soft” seawalls (through techniques such as replenishing sand and/or vegetation), jetties or groins to stabilize and shield a shoreline from erosion; in some cases, “hard” seawalls (such as those made of reinforced concrete) may be warranted. - Concrete pad fortification
Repairing concrete cracks, replacing pads of insufficient size or with insufficient anchorage, or integrating retaining walls along the pad perimeter. - Fire barriers
Creating buffer areas (land free of dried vegetation and other flammable materials) around the treatment system and installing manufactured systems (such as radiant energy shields and raceway fire barriers) around heat-sensitive components. - Flood controls
Building one or more structures to retain or divert floodwater, such as vegetated berms, drainage swales, levees, dams or retention ponds. See how the American Cyanamid Superfund Site reduced climate exposure using a flood wall. - Power from off-grid sources
Constructing a permanent system or using portable equipment that provides power generated from onsite renewable resources, as a primary or redundant power supply that can operate independent of the utility grid when needed. - Relocation
Moving the system or its critical components to positions more distant or protected from potential hazards; for flooding threats, this may involve elevations higher than specified in the community’s flood insurance study. - Riverbank armor
Stabilizing banks of onsite segments of a river (or susceptible stream) through installation of “soft” armor (such as synthetic fabrics and/or deep-rooted vegetation) or “hard” armor (such as riprap, gabions and segmental retaining walls). - Slope fortification
Anchoring a slope through placement of concrete or rock elements against a slope and installing anchors and cables to secure the elements, or containing a slope through placement of netting to hold back rock and debris. - Tie down systems
Installing permanent mounts that allow rapid deployment of a cable system extending from the top of a unit to ground surface.
- Dewatering well system
Installing additional boreholes at critical locations and depths to maintain target groundwater levels in the extraction/containment zone and reduce groundwater upwelling while not compromising the remediation system. - Remote access
Integrating electronic devices that enable workers to suspend pumping during extreme weather events, periods of impeded access or unexpected hydrologic conditions. - Well-head housing
Building insulated cover systems made of high density polyethylene or concrete for control devices and sensitive equipment situated aboveground for long periods.
Contaminated Site Remedy
- Armor enhancement for in situ cap
Additional or deeper layers of stone and/or gravel above a sand base layer to withstand scouring forces of ice jams. - Amendment settling enhancement
In situ placement of amendments through techniques such as broadcasting the material in a pelletized form or using a thicker layer of cover sand to accelerate material settling. - Deposition controls
Engineered structures such as dams to control the flow of flood-related deposition in settings where increased underwater deposition enhances remedy performance. - Modeling expansion for MNA
Incorporation of additional subsurface parameters and sampling devices in monitoring plans to gauge the potential for re-suspension of contaminated sediment under more extreme weather/climate scenarios.
- Armor on banks and floodplains
Fixed structures placed on or along the shoreline of flowing inland water or ocean water to mitigate effects of erosion and protect site infrastructure; “soft” armor may comprise synthetic fabrics and/or deep-rooted vegetation while “hard” armor may consist of riprap, gabions and segmental retaining walls. - Coastal hardening
Installation of structures to 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). - Containment fortification
Placement of riprap adjacent to a subsurface containment barrier located along moving surface water, to minimize bank scouring that could negatively affect barrier integrity; for soil/waste capping systems vulnerable to storm surge, installation of a protective vertical wall or armored base to absorb energy of the surge and prevent cap erosion or destruction. - Ground anchorage
One or more steel bars installed in cement-grouted boreholes (and in some cases accompanied by cables) to secure an apparatus on a ground surface or to reinforce a retaining wall against an earthen slope. - Relocation
Moving selected system components to positions more distant or protected from potential hazards; for flooding threats, this may involve elevations higher than specified in the community’s flood insurance study. - Retaining wall
A structure (commonly of concrete, steel sheet piles or timber) built to support earth masses having a vertical or near-vertical slope and consequently hold back loose soil, rocks or debris. - Tie down systems
Installing permanent mounts that allow rapid deployment of a cable system extending from the top of a unit to ground surface.
- Flood controls
Building one or more earthen structures (such as vegetated berms, vegetated swales, stormwater ponds, levees or dams) or installing fabricated drainage structures (such as culverts or French drains) to retain or divert floodwater spreading from adjacent surface water or land surface depressions. See how the American Cyanamid Superfund site reduced climate exposure using flood controls. - Hurricane straps
Integrating or adding heavy metal brackets that reinforce physical connection between the roof and walls of a building, shed or housing unit, including structures used for leachate and landfill gas (LFG) management. - Plantings
Selecting native grasses, shrubs, trees and other deep-rooted plants that are resistant to drought or increased temperatures where vegetation is used for shading, erosion control or wind breaks or for treatment or local buffering in wetland or riparian settings. - Power from off-grid sources
Constructing a permanent system or using portable equipment that provides power generated from onsite renewable resources, as a primary or redundant power supply that can operate independent of the utility grid when needed. - Renewable energy system safeguards
Extended concrete footing for ground-mounted photovoltaic (PV) systems, additional bracing for roof-top PV or solar thermal systems and additional masts for small wind turbines or windmills; for utility-scale systems, safeguards to address climate change vulnerabilities may be addressed in the site-specific renewable energy feasibility study. - Utility line burial
Relocating electricity and communication lines from overhead to underground positions, to prevent power outages during and often after extreme weather events. - Weather alerts
Electronic systems that actively inform subscribers of extreme weather events or provide Internet postings on local/regional weather and related conditions.
Engineered Structures
- Jetty
A structure of concrete and/or rock at the mouth of a river or tidal inlet to help stabilize a navigation channel, by preventing channel shoaling due to littoral materials and directing and/or confining the river or tidal flow. - Levee
A wall, generally made of earthen materials, designed to prevent the flooding of a river after periods of exceptional rainfall. - Retaining wall
A structure that supports earth masses having a vertical or near-vertical slope (such as 70 degrees). The structure may consist of material such as concrete, gabions, steel sheet piles or timber (and may include a reinforcement element such as geosynthetic material) forming a gravity wall, cantilevered wall, anchored wall or mechanically stabilized wall. - Riprap
A layer, facing or protective mound of stones randomly placed along stream or river banks, a shoreline or a structure to prevent erosion, scour or sloughing. - Seawall
A structure typically built parallel to a coastal shore to prevent erosion and other damage by wave action, often retaining the earth against its shoreward face. A "hard" seawall is often made of concrete or stone and is more massive than – and therefore capable of resisting greater wave forces than – a bulkhead. A “soft” seawall consists of replenished sand and/or vegetation. - Stormwater pond
A constructed basin intended to retain or detain stormwater runoff; a retention pond ("wet pond") holds a permanent pool of water throughout the year (or at least throughout the wet season) while a detention pond ("dry pond") is designed to detain runoff for a minimum time (such as 24 hours) during storm events. - Tie down
A permanent mount that allows rapid deployment of a cable system extending from the top of a unit to the ground surface. - Vegetated swale
A broad, shallow channel with a dense stand of vegetation covering the side slopes and bottom of an earthen structure to retain or divert floodwater.
Source Documents
These strategies are adapted from The Climate Change Adaptation Technical Fact Sheet Series. For more information, please view these strategies in the context provided by the primary source document.
- Contaminated Sediment Remedies (8 pp, 869 K)
- Landfills and Containment as an Element of Site Remediation (8 pp, 853 K)
- Groundwater Remediation Systems (8 pp, 856 K)
Disclaimer
The adaptation strategies provided are intended to inform and assist communities in identifying potential alternatives. They are illustrative and are presented to help communities consider possible ways to address current and future climate threats to contaminated site management. Read the full disclaimer.
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