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addressing climate change adaptation in regional transportation plans

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Sea level rise is also expected to affect vulnerable populations along the coastthrough the immediate effects of flood<strong>in</strong>g and temporary displacement andlonger-term effects of permanent displacement and disruption of local tourism.Of particular concern are populations that do not have the resources to preparefor, respond to, and recover from disasters. Impacts could <strong>in</strong>clude temporaryand/or permanent displacement, drown<strong>in</strong>g and property damage, and coastalerosion harm<strong>in</strong>g recreational activities, tourism, and the tourism <strong>in</strong>dustry.Vulnerable populations liv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>stitutional sett<strong>in</strong>gs are disproportionatelyvulnerable dur<strong>in</strong>g evacuations from disasters. For <strong>in</strong>stance, Solano and Mar<strong>in</strong>counties have a high proportion of elderly liv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> nurs<strong>in</strong>g homes that could beaffected (English et al., 2007).Flood<strong>in</strong>gThe risk of flood<strong>in</strong>g is highest for the <strong>in</strong>land, low-ly<strong>in</strong>g areas <strong>in</strong> the eastern part ofthe region. Reduced snowpack and <strong>in</strong>creased number of <strong>in</strong>tense ra<strong>in</strong>fall events <strong>in</strong>the Northern Sierra are likely to put additional pressure on water <strong>in</strong>frastructure,<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g the Delta levees, which are already vulnerable (DWR, 2011). Theseimpacts <strong>in</strong>crease the chance of flood<strong>in</strong>g associated with breached levees or dams(e.g., <strong>in</strong> the Sacramento-San Joaqu<strong>in</strong> Delta). Flood<strong>in</strong>g and damage to <strong>in</strong>frastructurecan put large populations <strong>in</strong> adjacent regions at risk (CDPH, 2008), <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g:• The elderly and children less than five years of age, who are isolated ordependent on others for evacuation.• Populations that may lack the resources or knowledge to prepare orrespond to disaster due to language or economic status, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g hav<strong>in</strong>gaccess to <strong>transportation</strong>, which would allow them to escape flood<strong>in</strong>g, at leasttemporarily.• Vulnerable populations liv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>stitutional sett<strong>in</strong>gs who are particularlyvulnerable dur<strong>in</strong>g evacuations from disasters. For <strong>in</strong>stance, Solano, and Mar<strong>in</strong>counties have a high proportion of elderly liv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> nurs<strong>in</strong>g homes that couldbe affected (English et al., 2007).Public Health, Socioeconomic, and Equity ImpactsSome of the state’s highest percentages of impervious surfaces are <strong>in</strong> the urbanareas of the San Francisco Bay Area, <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g the potential impacts of heatislands (English et al., 2007). Santa Clara, Alameda, San Francisco, and ContraCosta counties rank fifth, sixth, n<strong>in</strong>th, and tenth <strong>in</strong> the absolute numbers of theelderly and children less than five years of age. These two populations are mostlikely to suffer from heat-related illnesses and heat events (English et. al, 2007).The highest risk of heat-related illness occurred <strong>in</strong> the usually cooler regionsfound <strong>in</strong> coastal counties and not <strong>in</strong> the Central Valley where the highest actualtemperatures were experienced (Gershunov and Cayan, 2008; CDPH, 2008).APG: UNDERSTANDING REGIONAL CHARACTERISTICS PAGE 34

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