North Atlantic Coast Comprehensive Study:
New Jersey Back Bays Focus Area Analysis
J. Bailey Smith, Regional Technical Specialist
National Planning Center for
Coastal Storm Risk Management
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
27 May 2015
US Army Corps of Engineers
US Army Corps of Engineers
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North Atlantic Coast Comprehensive Study:
New Jersey Back Bays Focus Area Analysis
Outline
NACCS Background
NJBB Focus Area
Analysis
Path Forward
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Background
“That using up to $20,000,000* of the funds provided herein, the Secretary shall conduct a
comprehensive study to address the flood risks of vulnerable coastal populations in
areas that were affected by Hurricane Sandy within the boundaries of the North Atlantic
Division of the Corps…” (*$19M after sequestration)
Goals
 Completed Jan 2015
FEMA H. Sandy Impact Data
 Provide a Risk Management
Framework , consistent with
USACE-NOAA Rebuilding Principles
 Support Resilient Coastal
Communities and robust,
sustainable coastal landscape
systems, considering future sea
level and climate change
scenarios, to reduce risk to
vulnerable population, property,
ecosystems, and infrastructure
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 End State
Background
 Address the legislative direction for a comprehensive plan to address
vulnerable coastal communities
 Formalized and consistent approach/framework for more detailed, site
specific coastal evaluations
 Integration of state-of-the-science techniques and collaboration
 Equip and link a broad audience and all levels of government with data,
tools, and other stakeholders to make INFORMED coastal risk
management decisions
www.nad.usace.army.mil/CompStudy
 NACCS is not:
 A decision document authorizing design and construction
 A NEPA document evaluating impacts of any specific solution
 A USACE-only application
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NACCS Report
Technical Products
 Depth Damage Functions
 NACCS Conceptual Regional
Sediment Budget
 Coastal Program Guide
 Environmental and Cultural
Resources Report
 Numerical Modeling
Database
 Institutional and Other Barriers
Report
 Agency Communications and
Collaboration Report
 Visioning Sessions
Documentation
 Website Animations
 Use of Natural and Nature-Based
Features in Coastal Systems
 NACCS Extreme Water Levels
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NACCS Focus Areas
9 Focus Areas:
Locations not having
partnered
projects/studies when
Hurricane Sandy
occurred
1. Rhode Island Coastline
2. Connecticut Coastline
3. New York - New Jersey
Harbor and Tributaries
4. Nassau County Back Bays,
NY
5. New Jersey Back Bays
6. Delaware Inland Bays and
Delaware Bay Coast
7. City of Baltimore, MD
8. Washington, D.C.
9. City of Norfolk, VA
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New Jersey Back Bays
Focus Area Analysis
Location Map
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Combination of Solutions
 Evaluating and comparing risk management solutions in the
context of climate change and climate change adaptation planning


Risk-based scenario planning approach to address uncertainties
Improve the ability to anticipate thresholds and tipping points
 Robust, Redundant, and Resilient



Robust and redundant features provide greater risk management when high
magnitude events occur in series
Redundancy within a coastal storm risk management system with an emphasis
on critical infrastructure will promote resilience
Compartmentalization of flood risk and modularity within communities to
ensure continuity of operations of critical infrastructure
 Systems approach provides a more reliable performance


Coordination with multiple decision-makers
Enables the opportunity for the optimization of resources
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Coastal Storm Risk Management Framework
 The framework is:




A 9-step process
Customizable for any coastal area
or watershed
Repeatable at state and local
scales
Transferable to other areas of the
country
 State-by-State Risk
Management Frameworks
focusing on regional resilience,
redundancy and robustness
 System-wide framework of
solutions and best practices
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New Jersey Back Bays
Existing Projects & Shoreline
Type Assessment
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Coastal Storm Risk Assessment
Probability & Exposure
 SLOSH CAT1-4 Maximum of Maximum  Composite Exposure
Indices
 Population density/
infrastructure
 Socioeconomic
 Env and cultural
Water levels
 FEMA DFIRM
 10-percent annual chance
 SLR inundation
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New Jersey Back Bays
Risk Assessment
Areas of Elevated Risk
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Coastal Storm Risk Management Framework
Adaptation Planning Categories
 Preserve

Includes low regret
structural measures to
address current and
future vulnerability
 Accommodate

Adaptive capacity of
the system
 Avoid

Strategic retreat
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Coastal Storm Risk Management Framework
Risk Management Measures
 Structural
 Storm surge barriers
 Levees, breakwaters, shoreline
stabilization
 Natural and Nature-Based Features
(e.g., beaches and dunes, living shorelines,
wetlands, oyster reefs, SAV restoration)
 Non-Structural (e.g., floodproofing,
acquisition and relocation, flood warning, etc.)
 Programmatic (e.g., floodplain management, land use planning,
State/municipal policy, natural resources, surface water
management, education, flood insurance programs, etc.)
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Hypothetical Northeastern
Coastal Community
Full
Portfolio
of
Measures
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Coastal Storm Risk Management Framework
Risk Management Measures
Tier 1 Analysis
 Initial Screening
 Aggregated Measures
 Evaluated
Applicability of
Measures given
Shoreline Type
 Next Step: Tier 2 and
Tier 3 Analyses at
smaller (more
localized) scales
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Coastal Storm Risk
Reduction and
Resilience Attributes
Associated with the
Full Array of
Measures
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Coastal Storm Risk Management Framework
Risk Management Measures
Natural
and
NatureBased
Features
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NNBF
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Parametric Unit Costs (Tier 1)
 14 Parametric Unit Costs Developed


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
Existing observations
Typical quantities
E&D, Contingency, S&A, and O&M
Average annual cost per foot
 Generic Design
 Benefits, Impacts and Other
Considerations
 Storm Surge Barriers
 First Cost Construction Estimates for
36 potential sites using world-wide
observations
 Non-Structural
 Elevation
 Ringwalls (Industrial and High Density
Residential)
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US Department of
Interior
Ongoing Efforts
Location Map
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New Jersey Back Bays
Focus Area Analysis
 Existing Products
 NACCS
CSRM Framework
Tier 1 analysis
Technical products
Risk Assessment
Risk Management Measures
Portfolio
Shoreline type
Resilience attributes
Parametric Costs
Ongoing Project/Effort catalog
 Next Steps
Regional and Local Analyses/
Studies
Non-Federal Sponsor
Funding
Agreement
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Coastal Resilience Integration
9 Focus Areas FY16 President’s Budget Request: NACCS Focus Areas New Start
USACE-Sponsor Feasibility Studies and/or Comprehensive Plans;
Integrated
Technical Assistance
Strategies
North Atlantic Coast
Comprehensive
Study
USACE-Sponsor
Design and
Construction
NACCS Products: Geospatial Database; Numerical Modeling of Extreme Water Levels;
Economic Depth-Damage Functions; Environmental and Cultural Resources Conditions
Report; Conceptual Regional Sediment Budget; Vulnerability, Resilience,
Natural and Nature-Based Features Assessment and Metric Development
Regional Partnerships & Collaboration
Ongoing USACE Activities
*Vulnerability Assessments,
Resilience and Climate Change
Adaptation Planning
Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Sandy Regional Infrastructure
Resilience Coordination (SRIRC)
*Technical Assistance to States
and installations; Public-Private
Partnership initiatives
Department of Interior – NFWF Grants
*Limited & General Reevaluation
Reports
FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
(4086)
*Continuing Authorities Program
and Operation & Maintenance
activities
NJ Department of Community Affairs CDBG
and University Flood Mitigation Studies
*Flood Control and Coastal
Emergency projects
*National Hurricane Program
*SAGE
2013
Rebuild By Design and NDRC
Integration of
Strategic Coastal
Investments
State
Implementation
Mid-Atlantic Regional Association
Coastal Ocean Observing System
(MARACOOS)
of Ongoing & Planned Risk
Northeast Regional Ocean Council (NROC)
and more…
2015
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Reduction
2020
2025
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Discussion/Questions
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