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Adapting to a Changing Climate
Building a Resilient Fort Collins
Presentation to Future’s Committee
August 10, 2015
Katy Bigner, Environmental Planner
Agenda
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Definitions: Mitigation and Adaptation Connection
Shifting Focus
What is a Resilient Community?
Urban Land Institute Study
Local Considerations and Concerns
Bright Spots
Needs and Next Steps
Resilience = Capacity to survive, adapt and grow no matter what
kinds of chronic stress and acute shocks are experienced.
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Shifting Focus to Include
Climate Change Adaptation
Communities across the world are
starting to address climate change
impacts
Focus from large research
institutions and policy foundations
such as Rockefeller, Kresge, Yale
Federal and State focus with
resiliency and preparedness plans
forthcoming.
• Colorado has large focus on
water planning
How do you achieve Resiliency?
Bouncing Forward
Reflective
Resourceful
Inclusive
Robust
Redundant
Flexible
Integrated
Resilience Scorecard
There’s Much to Love About Our
Fort Collins Climate
Why Prepare for a Changing Climate?
It’s about protecting our quality of life now and in the future
Projected Climate Change Snapshot
for Fort Collins
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Up to 6° F warmer summers by 2040
Continued declines in snowpack (our natural water storage)
Earlier spring runoff
Declines in soil moisture, water availability and quality
Poorer air quality during summer
Less certainty about precipitation
Sources: Joint Front Range Climate Change Vulnerability Study,
Fort Collins Extreme Heat Study, CWCB Climate Change in CO report
Strong Potential
for More Extreme Events
• Greater likelihood of severe storms
• Greater likelihood of extended drought
• Greater likelihood of severe wildfire
How is Fort Collins Vulnerable
to Climate Changes?
Many businesses and residents rely on our high
quality drinking water supply
Fort Collins residents love our urban forest, local
recreation, natural amenities such as parks, trails,
natural areas and the Poudre River
Low income and other vulnerable populations have
less capacity to deal with challenges
Urban Land Institute Resilience Study
for Northern Colorado
Building Resilience
• Regional approach to
river land use
• Infrastructure
• Housing
• Aggressive floodplain
management (design
with natural systems)
ULI Recommendations
Financing Resilience
• Reclamation of floodplain
• Formalized emergency
assistance structures
• Infrastructure finance
• Integrated economic
development strategy
• Small business
preparation/planning
ULI Recommendations
Leading Resilience
• Regional working group
• Annual summit
• Hardened and created
redundancies for regional
communication
• Education and
engagement
Bright Spots
City of Fort Collins is already working on
many of these problems:
-Seeking additional water storage
-Regional collaboration on fire related issues and
integration of lessons learned from 2012 fire
-FEMA CRS rating, Low Impact Dev. practices,
ongoing stormwater program
-Ongoing risk management for extreme events
-Participation in national and regional
water/climate change dialogue
-Integration of adaptation strategies into
Climate Action Plan Implementation
Needs and Next Steps
Integrated planning through identified strategies and tactics
• Move from planning to implementation
Begin folding adaptation considerations into Asset Mgmt. when possible
Extreme event planning this Fall for wildfire smoke and extreme heat
Equalize department awareness and knowledge base
Further develop collaborative relationships between Larimer County, PSD,
UCH, Health District and others
Monitor the climate science for improved modeling and projections
Questions for Future’s Committee
Who do we need to be
collaborating or partnering
with to better protect
Fort Collins and the region?
In 25-50 years, what will we
wish we had
protected/built/catalyzed
today?
Thank You!
Katy Bigner
Environmental Planner
[email protected]
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On average, ~50% of Fort Collins Utilities annual water supply from each basin
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Approx. 1,000 square miles of land area; primarily forested & undeveloped
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Critical assets that regulate stream flow and purify water supplies
Drought
Nuisance
species
Wildfires
Climate
Changes
Insect &
disease
outbreaks
Snowpack
Reservoirs
Water
quality
Floods
Protecting Watersheds from
Climate-Driven Changes
• Focus on Healthy Forests & Floodplains
• Collaboration is key!
Private
industry
Academia
Private
Citizens
Other
NGOs
State &
Federal
agencies
Water
Utilities
Nonprofits
Current Collaborations
Source Water Quality Monitoring Programs
Big Thompson Watershed Coalition (BTWF), Northern Water, City of
Greeley, Tri-Districts
Coalition for the Poudre River (CPRW)
Post-Fire Hillslope & Stream Restoration & Forest Health Improvement
projects
Poudre River Health Targets
Fort Collins Utilities & Natural Areas Department, CSU
How do you achieve Resiliency?
Bouncing Forward
Reflective: Use past experience to inform future decisions
Resourceful: Recognize alternative ways to use resources
Inclusive:
Prioritize broad consultation to create shared
ownership in decision making
Integrated: Bring together a range of distinct systems &
institutions
Robust:
Have well-conceived, constructed and managed
systems
Redundant: Have spare capacity purposively created to
accommodate disruption
Flexible:
Have willingness and ability to adopt strategies
in response to changing circumstances