Washington Sea Grant
Washington Sea Grant, in collaboration with the Department of Ecology and with funding from NOAA, has developed a Coastal Hazards Resilience Network. The primary function of the network is to increase coordination and collaboration among state, federal and academic experts responsible for managing coastal hazards along the Washington Coast.Â
In 2013, Washington Sea Grant and the Department of Ecology received CRest (Coastal Resilience Networks) funding from NOAA to establish a Coastal Hazard Resilience Network in Washington State. The grant contains two primary objectives:Â
Objective One: Create a Coastal Hazards Resilience Network in Washington State. Better coordination, integration and understanding of coastal hazards and climate change impacts, as well as multi-hazard planning, preparedness, adaptation, response and recovery are critical needs in Washington State. Coastal resilience network approaches include the following:
- Build a shared awareness and understanding of available programs, projects, research, tools, plans, training, guidance and assessments that relate to coastal hazards and climate change impacts, risk reduction, mitigation, adaptation, response and recovery.
- Better integrate existing hazards and climate risk data, tools, plans, assessments and guidance for local governments and other end users; improve consistency, delivery and transfer of data and expertise to end users.
- Establish a forum and support tools to promote collaboration and the exchange of information and best practices.
- Increase collective capacity to improve the state of coastal community resilience. Over the long term, establishing the network will enable Washington State to:
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The first meeting of the state and federal network partners was on October 29, 2013. Presentations from that meeting are available to the public.Â
In early 2015, the second meeting will be taking place. Please check the Events page for specific information coming soon.
Objective 2: Increase understanding of coastal hazard vulnerability and strengthen local capacity to improve coastal resilience in Southwest Washington. Improved data and tools to understand and assess coastal hazards and climate change impacts are needed for the southwest Washington coast. Local communities lack the capacity, expertise and resources to incorporate hazards data and vulnerability assessments into planning processes and implement adaptation measures. The approaches for achieving Objective 2 are to:Â
- Work with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to improve their Risk MAP Resiliency Outcomes.
- Engage members of the state coastal resilience network to serve in a technical advisory capacity for pilot communities, Pacific and Grays Harbor Counties.
- Produce coastal hazards and climate change impact information and projections for Grays Harbor County.
- Generate comprehensive risk and vulnerability assessments in Grays Harbor County.
- Provide resources and training to support the utilization of risk and vulnerability assessments to inform local planning efforts, such as shoreline master programs and hazard mitigation plans in pilot communities.
- Facilitate connection between state coastal resilience network, local jurisdictions and non-profit entities engaged in SW Washington.
- Leverage current work in Pacific County, Washington and Tillamook County, Oregon to develop transferable processes that are usable in pilot communities and future applications in other communities.Â
