Title
Update on Sea Level Rise Planning in Olympia
Recommended Action
Information only. No action required.
Report
Issue:
Receive briefing on sea level rise planning work initiated by the City of Olympia, the Port of Olympia and LOTT Clean Water Alliance.
Staff Contact:
Andy Haub, P.E., Water Resources Director, Public Works/Water Resources, 360.573.8475
Presenter:
Andy Haub
Background and Analysis:
Project Background
In early 2017, the City, the Port and LOTT entered into an Interlocal Agreement to jointly fund and participate in a formal sea level rise planning process for downtown Olympia and the Port peninsula. The City, Port and LOTT share common concerns regarding sea level rise, yet have unique individual vulnerabilities. A consulting firm, AECOM Technical Services, is assisting with the planning effort.
The tasks to be completed by AECOM and the City, Port and LOTT for this project include:
1. Evaluate the best available science regarding potential sea rise.
2. Develop a sea level rise planning framework incorporating community input.
3. Conduct a vulnerability and risk assessment of downtown assets.
4. Develop specific strategies for protecting downtown for approximately 100 years. As a component of this task, conceptual drawings for three physical adaptation strategies (Capitol Lake, Percival Landing and Billy Frank Jr. Trail) will be developed.
5. Complete a formal sea level rise response plan including governance needs, implementation schedules, and financing considerations.
The first four steps in the planning process are completed.
Since September 1, the potential adaptation strategies that could be used to protect downtown have been available for community review, including on the sea level rise project webpage and through three sea level rise events.
The proposed physical adaptation strategies offer conceptual, cost-effective and feasible solutions from an engineering perspective. They can be tailored to the downtown lands...
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