Strengthening Flood Management and Climate Adaptation Through Regional Collaboration

• Main Author: Litke, Steve
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Western CEDAR 2016
• Subjects: Fresh Water Studies; Life Sciences; Marine Biology; Natural Resources and Conservation; Fraser River; First Nations
• Online Access: https://cedar.wwu.edu/ssec/2016ssec/climate_change_ocean_acidification/54

A new initiative is underway to develop a Lower Mainland Flood Management Strategy to better protect communities along the lower Fraser River and coast – from Hope to Richmond and from Squamish to White Rock. The Fraser Basin Council (FBC) is facilitating this initiative, which involves collaboration among more than 40 partners from the four orders of government (First Nations, Federal, Provincial and Local) as well as industry, agriculture, NGOs and academia. The Flood Management Strategy will identify opportunities to strengthen flood management policies and practices as well as flood protection works across the Lower Mainland. An integrated, collaborative approach to flood protection is critically important, given the flood risks that Lower Mainland communities face and given that a major flood would have serious social, economic and environmental consequences for the entire region. This session will explore the findings of phase one of the strategy development process, which focuses on building a better understanding of flood hazards in a changing climate, the potential impacts, costs and other consequences from large flood events in the Lower Mainland, as well as the current status of flood protection infrastructure, policies and practices. A key aspect of the strategy is to explore how best to strengthen flood management at a regional scale in the face of increasing flood risks associated with a changing climate. The session will highlight how changes in coastal and riverine flood hazards could affect the communities and infrastructure in the region. The session will also explore some of the key issues at the interface between flood management and the environment. What are the adverse environmental impacts associated with different flood management options? What are some ways to reduce environmental impacts? Where are there opportunities for softer or greener infrastructure?