A partnership between the California Coastal Commission and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is working to improve understanding of transportation critical infrastructure vulnerabilities to sea level rise and to adapt the transportation system for greater resilience to those changing conditions over the next century. 

As Milwaukee’s population grew, it faced increased stormwater flooding and sewer system overflows. In 2001, the Conservation Fund and the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) launched a flood management program called Greenseams. The program protects wetlands and other lands containing water-absorbing soils by purchasing land and conservation easements from willing landowners. 

Central Meriden, Connecticut, is continuously devastated by flooding due to urbanization and loss of wetland habitats. The city led a daylighting project to re-naturalized the river that had been covered by industrialization. Businesses in the Hub were relocated and 1700 linear feet of concrete culverts over 30 feet wide were demolished, excavated, and removed.

Alachua County, Florida is facing increasing climate threats from flooding, storms, and droughts. The county government has worked to implement green infrastructure projects and policies to increase Alachua County’s resilience. The county has involved developers, landscapers, and community members to implement green stormwater projects on both public and private lands.  

Built very close to sea level, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston implemented innovative strategies to keep critical infrastructure and patient care above future flood levels. The hospital incorporated extensive green roofs as part of its feature to reduce stormwater runoff during heavy precipitation.

Johnson Creek in Portland Oregon faces frequent nuisance flooding events due to urbanization and development-caused degradation. The city of Portland began purchasing vulnerable properties and moving people out of the floodplain, in order to begin reconnecting Johnson Creek to its floodplain and restoring wetland habitat. 

King Fisher Beach in Port O’Connor, Texas is a major destination for tourists and local recreation. It is increasingly susceptible to the impacts of storm surge, sea-level rise, and erosion. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers nourished King Fisher Beach with 58,305 cubic meters of dredged sediment. 

Long Beach Island, NJ is a barrier island that is heavily impacted by coastal storms and hurricanes. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the NJ Department of Environmental Protection created berms and dunes along the island with sand from an offshore borrow source to reduce flooding, erosion, and storm impacts on the island’s communities. 

A 1960s-era levee on the Dungeness River resulted in a straighter channel, increased water velocities, reduced habitat, and a decline in the effectiveness of the levee. This project removed part of the old levee, built a setback levee, and relocated a road bisecting the floodplain. 

The MacDill Air Force Base (AFB) Oyster Reef Shoreline Stabilization Project in Tampa, Florida is a collaboration between the base and Tampa Bay Watch, a local nonprofit. This living shoreline project reduces erosion, provides protection from storms and sea-level rise, improves water quality, and enhances habitat. 

Dangerous and costly flash floods in Tulsa, Oklahoma resulted in deaths, injuries, and hundreds of millions of dollars in damage. Mingo Creek was a flood control priority waterway for the city to reduce damage and flood risk. The Tulsa Department of Stormwater Management implemented a voluntary acquisition program by purchasing flooded properties and began floodplain restoration. 

Mordecai Island in Barnegat Bay, New Jersey suffered an erosional cut that separated off a portion of the island. This project filled in said cut and restored coastal habitat on the island with dredged materials from the NJ Intracoastal Waterway. This island protects local communities from storm and sea-level rise impacts. 

Dredged material from Murrells Inlet, SC was placed at Garden City Beach and Huntington Beach State Park. These beach nourishment projects protect beach-front infrastructure from erosion and storm impacts, as well as create increased habitat for numerous bird species. Beneficial use of dredged material helps reduce future maintenance costs. 

Nason Creek was degraded into a straight, disconnected, habitat devoid stream in the 1950s due to levee, railroad, and powerline construction. Chelan county worked to restore habitat, reconnect Nason Creek to its floodplain, and relocate human constraints. This project removed a levee, rerouted a powerline corridor, and restored creek habitat. 

North Carolina Highway 24 is located between multiple waterways and is vulnerable to sea-level rise, storm surges, and coastal erosion. The NC Department of Transportation opted for nature-based solutions over traditional repairs. This project constructed 260 meters of living shoreline, comprised of granite rock and oyster reef structures and a 0.1-hectare salt marsh. 

The northern barrier bar in North Sandy Pond was experiencing flooding and erosion, and was at risk of a full breach. This project placed local sand in strategic locations to utilize Lake Ontario’s longshore currents to replenish eroded sections of the beach. Volunteers also planted native beach grasses to further stabilize the shoreline. 

In 2011, Tropical Storm Irene brought intense flooding to Otter Creek, causing severe damage to the city of Rutland, but minimal damage to Middlebury, located only 30 miles downstream. Middlebury’s conservation and restoration of Otter Creek’s floodplain and wetlands mitigated potential flood impacts and damage.  

The city of Kinston, North Carolina experienced devastating flood losses in the 1990s. After a string of three hurricanes flooded or damaged over 75% of homes in Lenoir county, Kinston took action to improve flood resiliency. The city purchased flood-prone properties and relocated neighborhoods to higher ground. This restored natural floodplain functions. 

Two major fires and subsequent flooding events wreaked havoc on a critical watershed and reservoir that supplies Denver with water. Water utilities partnered with the U.S. Forest Service and corporate sponsors to manage the watershed and improve forest health.

Pensacola faces increasing threats from sea-level rise, storm surges, and erosion along the Gulf Coast. The city of Pensacola created Project Greenshores to re-establish marsh habitat along its coastline. This project, a pioneer in constructing living shorelines in Florida, restored salt marsh habitat and enhanced shoreline protection.