Hurricane Impact Preparedness and Resilient by Nature Recovery

Resilient by Nature Innova&ve Approach Towards Climate Change Impact Solu&ons

Marco Pluijm Senior Specialist Port & Marine ⏐ Experience Based Solu<ons

Climate Change Impact Extreme Weather Impact in the Media



Much Faster, More Intense


Design Data Under Pressure

•  Design Data are based on trend analyses and scenarios

•  All trends show considerable varia6on •  Actual changes in trends are only included a8er

considerable 6me

•  Trend Breaches are by defini6on not included

•  Data are therefore basically outdated when it comes to accelerated climate change


Resilient by Nature


The Example of Dauphin Island, USA


•  “Unlike typical storm surge effects on a mainland coastline and affected waterways, on an island the surge moves around and over the land mass without the mounding up of water experienced on the mainland.“

•  “Storm surge and waves were not high enough to destroy many of the elevated homes on the less-‐protected western end of the populated part of the island”

The Example of Dauphin Island, USA Effec<veness / Post Katrina Impact Assessment

Ref. NOAA and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dauphin_Island,_Alabama#Hurricanes Marco Pluijm Senior Specialist Port & Marine ⏐ Experience Based Solu<ons

Resiliency Quality Features : •  Relevant processes and data have been analyzed and assessed

•  Characteris6cs which can be translated into hurricane resistant breakwaters in other regions and climates

•  Supported with similar cases known within the area itself and from

elsewhere •  The rela6ve small footprint also limits direct storm impact

Ref. USGS

Hurricane Shaped Barrier


Other Systems with Proven Natural Resiliency Eco-Shields / Mangroves


Eco-‐shields / Mangroves Effec<veness

www.nature.org/media/oceansandcoasts/mangroves-‐for-‐coastal-‐defence.pdf


Resiliency Quality Features : •  Effec6ve with regard to Wave Impact Reduc6on (physical distance

and mangrove type dependent)

•  Not effec6ve with regard to Accelerated Sea Level Rise

•  Suitable for similar marine habitat condi6ons elsewhere

•  Vulnerable for changes in ambient condi6ons, such as temperature and silta6on

•  Not suitable for other climate zones

USGS

Eco-‐shields / Mangroves


Eco-‐Polder •  Polder type, diked area as extreme impact relief instrument (buffer)

•  Designed to get flooded under extreme condi6ons by means of spilling levees or weirs

•  Allowing the water to come in controlled, thus reducing and slowing down the direct impact on the mainland

•  Vegeta6on in the polder can slow down the process even further •  Poten6al addi6onal use as storm water run off reservoir


Eco-‐Polder Resiliency Quality Features : •  Well tested, global concept with basically very few restric6ons

•  Extensive research has been done such as in Northern Germany [Ref. H.D. Niemeyer, 2001]

•  Extremely effec6ve in terms of wave and water level set up reduc6on


More Systems with Similar Impact Resiliency Quali<es


The “Resilient by Nature” Approach •  Learn from systems with proven built in natural resilience in terms

of dimensions, behaviour, relevant processes, etc.

•  Translate their characteris6cs to other places which are equally exposed but less resilient

•  On the basis of an holis6c approach, Implement as systems instead of individual engineered solu6ons

•  Toolbox, providing maximum flexibility and internal back-‐up and redundancy

•  As solu6on provider and overarching framework for engineered components, such as structures

•  Resilient by Nature is a Game Changer


New York City as Example

USGS

•  Hurricane Sandy (2012) has had a major impact on NYC (U$ 32 billion,

direct damage costs)

•  NYC Resiliency Program “Rebuild by Design”

•  Tradi6onal sta6c (river) waterfront approach, without afen6on for flexibility nor internal redundancy

•  With what is called the “Dry Contour” as binding factor for Manhafan

•  No Adapta6on zones included so no space for yet unknown condi6ons •  First projects to go into execu6on this year.


Source : Daily News

Source : Daily News

www.rebuildbydesign.org/project/big-team-final-proposal/


•  Fixed boundaries of the exis6ng quay-‐walls and other waterfront infrastructure

•  Tradi6onal engineered (river bank) solu6ons

•  Some landscaping planned on the dry features, but no changes in the wet contour

•  Many interfaces, hard to manage, performance risk


www.newyorksocialnetwork.com/wp-‐content/uploads/2013/05/nyc-‐aerial.jpg



Source : Daily News

Source : Daily News

New York City as Example •  New York City has the need and all condi6ons for implementa6on of

a flexible, holis6c approach

•  Big unknowns are the way the whole estuary will behave when the next hurricane and related flood waves will hit the area

•  It’s all about understanding and implemen6ng of relevant systems, not engineered fixed structures with some occasional landscaping

•  With the “Blue Dunes” ini6a6ve as a nice, first example of the Resilient by Nature approach


Economy

•  The economics behind what’s feasible or not will mainly be determined on the basis of what’s already there, how much modifica6on is required and what natural resiliency component(s) to add, including related planning and 6me scales

•  Balanced against the immense costs of the material and immaterial damage each major event causes

•  Offers the poten6al of substan<al addi<onal social and economic benefits from mul6-‐usage of the implemented systems, such as the eco-‐polder, hurricane breakwater, eco-‐shield, etc.

•  The Resilient by Nature approach is flexible, fully scalable to local

needs, means and possibili6es, thanks to its unique natural system based characteris6cs


Source : Daily News

Source : Daily News

•  Given the rapid changes and related uncertain6es and unknowns in

design data, there is definitely a need for an Holis6c Approach

•  Resilient by Nature offers the tools and experience to follow and implement such an approach

•  This will not happen overnight. More research is needed, other systems added and confidence must grow

•  Un6l full acceptance, it’s probably worth to compare and check what has been planned and designed conven6onally with the Resilient by Nature iden6fied systems and check if it makes sense what has been engineered as individual components

•  Reference Document is available for poten6al partners

Resilient by Nature, the Way Forward

Email : [email protected] Marco Pluijm Senior Specialist Port & Marine ⏐ Experience Based Solu<ons

Environment

Hurricane Impact Preparedness and Resilient by Nature Recovery