Linking Water Infrastructure, Public Health, and Sea Level Rise: Integrated Assessment of Flood Resilience in Coastal Cities

Coastal community water infrastructure is increasingly vulnerable to climate-sensitive coastal hazards. Tides, storm surges, rainfall, and salt intrusion affect infrastructure and human health. In case studies of Charleston, South Carolina, and Morehead City, North Carolina, USA, this project sought...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Public works management & policy 2019-01, Vol.24 (1), p.110-139
Main Authors: Allen, Thomas R., Crawford, Thomas, Montz, Burrell, Whitehead, Jessica, Lovelace, Susan, Hanks, Armon D., Christensen, Ariel R., Kearney, Gregory D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Case studies
Cities
Health services
Indexes
Infrastructure
Internet
Medical personnel
Planners
Public health
Public utilities
Public works
Rainfall
Resilience
Risk assessment
Sea level
Simulation
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Summary:Coastal community water infrastructure is increasingly vulnerable to climate-sensitive coastal hazards. Tides, storm surges, rainfall, and salt intrusion affect infrastructure and human health. In case studies of Charleston, South Carolina, and Morehead City, North Carolina, USA, this project sought to advance risk assessment of urban water and wastewater infrastructure and identify linkages to human health impacts as risk evolves with sea level rise. The methodology integrates community infrastructure, health care, emergency resources, geospatial simulation, and a tabletop exercise with planners, emergency managers, public utilities, and health care providers. Resilience is assessed by community participants using interactive online maps, susceptibility indices, and a resilience matrix. Results highlight differential vulnerability, population susceptibility, and elevation uncertainty. We observe similar trends of increasing magnitude, frequency, and impact of flood events on water infrastructure and public health as sea level rises. Implications for tackling challenges across sectors are highlighted for improving coastal resilience.
ISSN:1087-724X
1552-7549
DOI:10.1177/1087724X18798380