FEMA has updated their bible on construction in coastal areas, the Coastal Construction Manual. Like the bible, it’s no pamphlet: this version comes in at 253 pages and a hefty 33MB. But if you’re involved in any sort of construction in coastal areas (including deciding where it should happen), you already know that you need […]
Tag Archives | research
What Do People Know About Flood Risk and How Do They Want to Learn More?
Posted on October 5, 2011
Most of the general public (69%) doesn’t believe that they are at risk of flooding, though most (68%) local official know many are wrong to feel so safe. The public wants to hear about flood risk from municipal/county officials (47% want the mayor, 32% the floodplain manager)—unfortunately, nearly half (45%) report that they “never” do. […]
Webinar: New England Coastal Hazards Resilience: Documenting Storm Damages
Posted on September 14, 2011
A new webinar for those of you in New England. For this one, we’ll be introducing a new tool we at StormSmart have been working on with the good folks at the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management, NROC and NOAA. Hope you can join us. What: New England Coastal Hazards Resilience Webinar: Documenting Coastal […]
East Coast Sea Level Rising Faster than it has in at Least 2,000 Years
Posted on June 24, 2011
This isn’t good news. According to a new study to be published online by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences this week, sea level is rising faster along the U.S. East Coast than it has for at least 2,000 years. The study concludes that the ocean began rising an average of 2.1 millimeters […]
Not Mapped in the Flood Zone, Not at Storm Surge Risk? Not so Fast.
Posted on May 5, 2011
A new report looking at the risk of homes exposed to hurricane-driven storm surge damage in ten major urban areas along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts finds that the majority of homes in those communities that are in designated surge zones are not included in local flood zones. In Virginia Beach, for example, 87 percent […]
Survey: How Resilient is Your Community?
Posted on April 30, 2011
At the request of a number of sponsoring federal agencies, the National Academies are conducting a study on increasing national resilience to hazards and disasters. The goal is to provide actionable recommendations and guidance on the best approaches to reduce adverse impacts from hazards and disasters. They are asking for help to find out more […]
Trying to Drive Climate Change Adaptation? Focus on Social, not Environmental Vision
Posted on April 21, 2011
Like most of us, I’d like to think that getting people the best information will drive them to make the right decisions. Certainly that’s been a big drive behind StormSmart Coasts. Unfortunately, the evidence suggests that things aren’t that simple. It’s easy to find examples in our own lives of knowing better but still making […]
New Research on the Benefits and Detriments of Coastal Armoring
Posted on March 4, 2011
A new paper looking at structural shore protection in Massachusetts and Hawaii finds a few things to like, and a lot to cause consternation. Among the benefits: Stabilizes the upland Protects infrastructure Maintains property values for some . . . And the detriments: Source sediment impoundment resulting in increased erosion of the fronting and adjacent […]
Quick Proof that Building Codes Work [video]
Posted on October 27, 2010
The Institute for Business and Home Safety built a proper hurricane making machine, then constructed two homes in front of it. One was built to standard building codes, the other to their “Fortified for Safer Living” code. They turned the hurricane on and, well, you can see the results. Wow. Show this the next time […]