"Climate Change, Sea Level Rise and Sustainable Communities: Defining the Challenge and the Opportunities" presentation by Sacha Spector, Scenic Hudson from the 4/13/12 Columbia-Greene Revitalizing Hudson Riverfronts forum.

1. R EVITALIZING H UDSON R IVERFRONTS
Illustrated Conservation & Development Strategies for Creating Healthy, Prosperous Communities
Opportunities in an Era of Global Climate Change

2. Revitalizing Hudson Riverfronts
Opportunity in an Era of Climate Change

3. what’s happening now
3-strategy roadmap
co-benefits of action
The Opportunity of a
Lifetime

4. Indicators of a Warming World
Glaciers Humidity
Temperature Over Land
Snow Cover
Air Temperature Near Surface (troposphere)
Temperature Over Oceans
Tree-lines shifting poleward and upward
Sea Surface Temperature
Sea Level
Spring coming earlier
Ice Sheets
Ocean Heat Content
Species migrating poleward and upward
Sea Ice

5. Indicators of a
Warming World source: National Center for Atmospheric Research
http://www2.ucar.edu/news/1036/record-high-temperatures-far-outpace-record-lows-across-us

6. Northeast annual
avg. temp up 1.4°F
since 1970
New York winter
temperatures
almost 5oF warmer
than 30 years ago.
Observed Changes in New York

7. 1990 USDA Hardiness Zones vs.
2006 Arborday.org Hardiness Zones
differences reflect warmer climate
Later frost in fall
Earlier plant germination
and blooms
Earlier arrival of
zone change
migratory birds
+2
+1
no change Timing of lake ice
-1
-2 formation and melting
1990 2006
Changes in species
ranges
Changes in precipitation
Observed Changes in New York

8. Return Period (Years)
Return (Years)
Years) Rainfall (in.)
110 5.55
105 5.50 • More precipitation
100 5.45 (slightly)
95 5.40
• More rain in winter
90 5.35
85 5.30 • Increasing extreme
80 5.25 storms (heavy rain
75
1961 1981 2001 2021 2041 2061
5.20 in a short period of
time)
Return
Return Period in. per Y Equivalent to 1961-1990 100-year storm
Number Events > 1 of Stormear
Year
Amount of 100-year storm
10
Observed
• Summers warmer,
8
HADCM3 with drier soils and
periodic drought
6
• Summer low
4 streamflow period
2
will be longer
1961 1981 2001 2021 2041 2061 2081
Year
Year
Observed Changes in New York

9. the imperative to facilitate the persistence of the
tinue to provide ecological services that sustain
optimal balance will require locally-specific tactics
edge, and regional strategies that coordinate efforts
mework.
Hudson River Sea Level 1856-2009
Sea level is 1’ higher
Sea Level
a (in mm, observed at Manhattan) than 100 years ago
Rise
500 Rate of sea level
average = 2.79mm/yr by 2080
rise is accelerating
400
Lower emissions:
300
8-23 inches
200
Higher emissions:
100
source: NOAA
37-50 inches
0
1856 1881 1906 1931 1956 1981 2006
Figure 2. Sea level change since 1856, observed
by tidal gauge at the Battery, Manhattan, NYC.
er
Sea Level Rise on the Hudson
we can expect water levels on the Hudson River –
ral Dam at Troy - to rise by up to five feet by the end

10. SAVING THE LAND THAT MATTERS MOST 2020 2050 2080
Hudson River Sea Level Rise Projections 1155 additional acres 2641 additional acres 4647 additional acres
inundation zone
> 5000 acres by
Sea Level Rise on the Hudson 2080

11. The Hudson Valley:
A Climate Crossroads

12. 160+ miles of estuarine river
globally rare habitats
85% of NY’s vertebrate species
global hotspots
What’s at Stake?
RamsHorn Marsh

13. 82 communities
>250,000 people
$Bs of infrastructure
historic & cultural centers
What’s at Stake?

14. underpinnings of local
What’s at Stake? & regional economies

15. security
resilience
justice
Sustainable Waterfront viable economies
Communities healthy environments

16. Save taxpayer dollars
Spur local economies and
create millions of green jobs
Improve public health
Reduce risks to people and
property
Enhance national security
Create a legacy of
leadership and conservation
...and avert catastrophe.
Opportunity

17. How Do We Plan
Toward the Best of
Both Worlds?

18. Restored Tributary
SAV
Preserved Ecologically
Sensitive Area
Diverse Housing Types,
Sizes and Affordability
4
Wetland
4
Parking Garage and
On-Street Parking
Alley and Parking
Behind Buildings
4
Local Street Along
Greenways and Parks
4
4
Renovated Existing
4
4
Buildings
4 4 4
70-FOOT SETBACK
In Built Riverfront Areas
4
4
4 Special Public Spaces
Viewing Piers, Marinas
4
Tour Boat Facilities
4
4
4
4 4
Bioretention Areas
Parking Lot Screening
Restored Historic Building
100-YEAR FLOODPLAIN
100-FOOT SETBACK
In Parks, Greenways, and
Natural Areas
4
4
Plan by Raymond Curran
100” 200” 300” 400” 500”
Mixed-Use Buildings Public Buildings Residential Buildings
Resilient Soften and Protect
Riverfront Restore Tidal Wetlands
Communities Shorelines and Floodplains

19. R EVITALIZING H UDSON R IVERFRONTS
Illustrated Conservation & Development Strategies for Creating Healthy, Prosperous Communities
www.revitalizinghudonsriverfronts.org

20. Restored Tributary
SAV
Preserved Ecologically
Sensitive Area
Diverse Housing Types,
• Identify built and natural assets
Sizes and Affordability
4
Wetland
4
Parking Garage and
On-Street Parking
Alley and Parking
at risk
Behind Buildings
• Steer development away from
4
Local Street Along
Greenways and Parks
4
4
Renovated Existing shorelines and floodplains
4
4
Buildings
4 4 4
• Site new infrastructure out of
70-FOOT SETBACK
In Built Riverfront Areas
4
the 500+ year floodplain
4 4 Special Public Spaces
Viewing Piers, Marinas
4
Tour Boat Facilities
4
4
• New structures elevated or
4
resilient
4 4
Bioretention Areas
• Employ softer, greener
Parking Lot Screening shoreline treatments where
Restored Historic Building
100-YEAR FLOODPLAIN
appropriate
100-FOOT SETBACK
In Parks, Greenways, and
Natural Areas
4
4
Plan by Raymond Curran
100” 200” 300” 400” 500”
Mixed-Use Buildings Public Buildings Residential Buildings

21. Four Basic Typologies
Natural Area
The Riverfront Greenway
Community Park
RFRONT
100 / 100 rule
OR
This mostly vegetated
-looking steps waterfront
ish a riverfront greenway corridor corridor should extend inland
reenway corridor serves as continuous,
hat provides public access, recreation, Built Riverfront
to the 100-year floodplain
conditions allow, this mostly vegetated
he 100-year floodplain boundary OR
boundary OR 100 feet from
ter line, whichever is GREATER. the mean high-water line,
s can be thought of as falling into four
whichever is GREATER.
ost urban form of the riverfront
ctions as a direct extension of the Linear
Riverfront
r municipal center. It provides public Park
should include lively, mixed-use,
estinations drawing upon local cultural,
tal assets.
Long, narrow public areas within the

22. A Gradient of Riverfront Communities

23. d
T
k
3
Identify Resources,
Risks, and
Vulnerability: v y
Cornwall’s Waterfront r
on Sea Level Rise
Sea-Level Habitats Ramshorn Marsh
photo: Jeffery Anzevino

25. Inunda&on
Zone

26. Inunda&on
Zone
Tidal
Wetland

27. Inunda&on
Zone
Tidal
Wetland
Hardened
Shoreline
^^^ Natural
Shoreline

28. Inunda&on
Zone
Tidal
Wetland
Hardened
Shoreline
^^^ Natural
Shoreline
Inundated
Infrastructure
ROW

29. v
T
3 r yv d
k
Inunda&on
Zone
Tidal
Wetland
j Hardened
Shoreline
^^^ Natural
Shoreline
y Inundated
Infrastructure
ROW

30. Soften and Restore
Shorelines

31. Dead stout stake to secure geotextile fabric * Not to scale
Eroded streambank
Install additional vegetation like live stakes,
rooted seedlings, etc.
Compacted soil about 1-foot thick
Live cuttings
Geotextile fabric
Height varies: 8-feet max.
High tide
Low tide
Streambed
Rock fill
2 to 3 ft.
NOTE: Rooted/leafed condition Esopus Meadows Watertrail Preserve, Esopus
of living plant material does not 3 to 4 f
represent time of installation. eet
Geotextile fabric
recommended
High tide
Low tide
Streambed
Dead stout stake used to
secure geotextile fabric
Riprap Live stakes Foundry Dock Park, Cold Spring

32. Existing vegetation, plantings or
soil bioengineering systems
Live branch cuttings
(1/2 to 1 inch diameter)
Erosion
control
High tide fabric
Low tide Compacted fill
material
Streambed
2 to 3 feet Geotextile fabric
Gabion baskets
NOTE: Rooted/leafed condition
of living plant material does not
represent time of installation. * Not to scale

33. Protect Tidal and
Supratidal Habitats Ramshorn Marsh

34. Restore Tidal and
Supratidal Habitats Hudson South Bay

35. Current
Legend
Tidal Wetlands
Non-Tidal Wetlands
NHP Occurrences

36. 2020
Legend
Tidal Wetlands
Non-Tidal Wetlands
NHP Occurrences

37. 2050
Legend
Tidal Wetlands
Non-Tidal Wetlands
NHP Occurrences

38. 2080
Legend
Tidal Wetlands
Non-Tidal Wetlands
NHP Occurrences

39. A Roadmap
to Resilience