Efforts to Build Infrastructure Resiliency to Future Hydroclimate Extremes

Abstract:

Record-breaking storms are increasing in frequency with climate change. Aging infrastructure, increasing population, and land use changes are all exacerbating the impacts of these events. Thus, risk is changing in ways that we have not been yet able to precisely quantify, even as design and operations guidelines remain subject to the assumption of a stationary climate. This presentation aims to highlight successful interdisciplinary efforts led by the water management community to build infrastructure resilient to an increasing frequency of record-breaking storms. Such high-intensity or compound storms have caused extreme impacts that may fall outside the paradigm of what has typically been considered a meteorological extreme. These efforts are designed to mitigate the consequences of events that would otherwise have significant negative impacts on populations, the economy, and infrastructure security. Our objective is to motivate discussion between key disciplines and sectors to identify the key variables and better understand the processes behind shifts in extremes and risk in a changing climate and how to translate these into appropriate preparation measures. Specifically, we identify information needed to build resiliency where accepted planning methods are insufficient for changing regimes. We use examples of successful partnerships between disciplines in order to help make these adjustments approachable. This paper identifies key questions that we answer when investigating these various efforts: (1) What makes the effort successful in dealing with the challenge it is trying to address - how does it frame what it means to be resilient in its context?; (2) What scientific information do these efforts require to be successful? How have the efforts built in partnerships with climate scientists? What can be added?; (3) What is general and transferable about these efforts? How can we learn from them to design appropriate standards to mitigate the consequences of new extremes?; (4) How can such efforts be prioritized across different sectors given limited resources and budgets?