Incorporating Principles of Environmental Justice into Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations, a Climate and Flood Adaptation Strategy
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Collaborators: Department of Geography, UGA; Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego
Some of the most severe impacts of climate change are expected through the twin hydrologic stressors of flooding and drought, the impacts of which are most acute in frontline communities. Dams and reservoirs are critical infrastructure elements that manage both flood risk and water availability, in addition to providing renewable hydroelectric power and environmental benefits. However, new dams are costly and, in many areas, no longer feasible. One proposed climate adaptation tool is Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO). Under FIRO, improved forecasts can provide reservoir operators greater flexibility. With sufficient forecast skill, water can be strategically pre-released ahead of storms, reducing flood risk and allowing operators to store more water throughout the wet season.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) is currently screening sites for FIRO viability assessments to expand FIRO across the country. However, this screening process relies mainly on technical considerations such as forecast skill and hydrology. There has been no assessment of the potential socioeconomic benefits of FIRO to frontline communities or how such benefits might be realized. In this project, we will conduct this assessment. The ultimate outcome of this project is to integrate assessment of the impacts of FIRO on frontline communities by developing a methodology that can be applied at different stages of the FIRO process that could be implemented nationally.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) is currently screening sites for FIRO viability assessments to expand FIRO across the country. However, this screening process relies mainly on technical considerations such as forecast skill and hydrology. There has been no assessment of the potential socioeconomic benefits of FIRO to frontline communities or how such benefits might be realized. In this project, we will conduct this assessment. The ultimate outcome of this project is to integrate assessment of the impacts of FIRO on frontline communities by developing a methodology that can be applied at different stages of the FIRO process that could be implemented nationally.