By David Chess
Stratford Forward
Which areas are most vulnerable? And how vulnerable are they.
A large part of our town as well as critical utilities such as the Water Pollution Control Facility, electrical utilities and Hazardous waste are high risk for failure now.
VULNERABILITY AND RISK – this is detailed but highlights who and what will be underwater over the coming 100 yrs. Some much sooner. The “RED” zones are bad.
Tables 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3 present flood risk profiles for three sea level rise (SLR) time horizons (the years 2040, 2065, and 2115) for neighborhoods, essential and lifeline facilities, hazardous materials facilities, the POCD Employment Growth District, transportation systems, support, high occupancy, and vulnerable populations, and natural resources. An overview of the flood risk of Stratford’s neighborhoods and assets and flood protection priority is presented below:
Areas in Red and Orange are at sea level or slightly above and are at high flooding risk now.
High: indicates a high probability of occurrence in the near term (currently and into the next 25 years) and a significant consequence.
Moderate: indicates a high probability of occurrence and a consequence of minor significance, or a moderate probability of occurrence and a moderate consequence, or a low probability of occurrence and a significant consequence.
Low: indicates either a low probability of occurrence and/or a consequence of minor significance.
The priority of each recommended measure was identified based on flood risk levels and extent of losses prevented.
| Town Center | Employment Growth District | South End Neighborhood | Lordship Neighborhood | Historic District and Academy Hill | |||||
| Flood Risk | Priority | Flood Risk | Priority | Flood Risk | Priority | Flood Risk | Priority | Flood Risk Priority | |
| Current | Low | Low | High | High | High | High | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate Moderate |
| 2040 | Low | Low | High | High | High | High | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate Moderate |
| 2065 | Low | Low | High | High | High | High | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate Moderate |
| 2115 | Low | Low | High | High | High | High | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate Moderate |
| Table 1.1 Flood Risk Profiles of PCOD Growth Districts and Sandy Impacted Neighborhoods |
| Essential Facilities | Lifeline Facilities: Sanitary Sewer | Lifeline Facilities: Stormwater Management & Tide Gates | Lifeline Facilities: Electricity Transmission | Hazardous Materials Facilities | |||||
| Flood Risk(1) | Priority | Flood Risk | Priority | Flood Risk | Priority | Flood Risk | Priority | Flood Risk Priority | |
| Current | Low | Low | High | High | High | High | Low | Low | High High |
| 2040 | Low | Low | High | High | High | High | Low | Low | High High |
| 2065 | Low | Low | High | High | High | High | High | High | High High |
| 2115 | Low | Low | High | High | High | High | High | High | High High |
| Table 1.2 Flood Risk Profiles of Essential, Lifeline, and Hazardous Materials Facilities Note: 1. Flood risk is high in localized areas. |
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| Transportation: Interstate 95 & Amtrak/ Metro-North | Transportation: State and Primary Roads | Support, High Occupancy, and Vulnerable Populations | Natural Resources | ||||
| Flood Risk | Priority | Flood Risk | Priority | Flood Risk | Priority | Flood Risk Priority | |
| Current | Low | Low | High | High | High | High | High High |
| 2040 | Low | Low | High | High | High | High | High High |
| 2065 | Low | Low | High | High | High | High | High High |
| 2115 | Low | Low | High | High | High | High | High High |
| Table 1.3 Flood Risk Profiles of Transportation, Support, High Occupancy, and Vulnerable Populations, and Natural Resources | |||||||
It is clear from the above tables that a significant part of our town homes, businesses and infrastructure are high risk for extensive damage at this time and 6 years ago.
Plans to address this are underway. It is not one intervention, but many and they are sometimes very complicated involving many state and national entities and they are very expensive.
Addressing this as soon as is possible is essential both to the health of our communities as well as economically, it is a tenth of the cost to prevent the disaster than to have to rebuild.
More to come!
