Accept and Adapt: A Strategy for Managing Infrastructure Subject to Sea Level and Stream Level Rise

Abstract

An Infrastructure ChallengeCurrent evidence suggests that we are facing a greater likelihood of natural events that will cause disruptions and/or disasters for people, organizations, and economies. These events are not really "natural disasters", just the disastrous consequences of a natural and, possibly human caused event, that leads to infrastructure failure. Data from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shown in Table 1 chronicle the increasing frequency of weather-related disasters in the United States over the past 36 years that have caused a billion or more dollars in damage.It is reasonable to conclude these increases are the early effects of global and ocean warming, changes in weather patterns, and rising water levels in oceans and streams. This "call for action" discusses flood prevention strategies to avoid disaster within the context of a life cycle of infrastructure systems, introducing engineering challenges for coping with rising sea levels and higher stream flows. Life Cycle of Infrastructure SystemsAn appropriate strategy for addressing the potential for infrastructure failure and resulting disaster is to optimize investment across the life cycle of any infrastructure system endangered by natural or human caused events. These stages are categorized by three prevention actions and three response burdens (Price, 2016).

Treading Water: Planning for Sea Level Rise in the Southeastern United States

“…Based on such assessments, counties have taken planning actions that square with common tactics, such as protection of water systems and transportation networks, along with consideration of storm surge barriers and seawalls, among other things (Fisk, 2019; Siders & Keenan, 2020). Furthermore, positive sentiment can be found for proactive strategies and the limitations of reactive ones are understood (Price, 2019). Finally, collaboration with citizen groups, other municipal governments, businesses, and research organizations can contribute to better planning (John III & Yusuf, 2019; Morris et al, 2019; Vella et al, 2016; Yusuf et al, 2018).…”