San Juan Bay Estuary Program Assesses Vulnerability to Address Preparedness
The Puerto Rico Climate Change Council brought together numerous experts in 2010 to assess potential hazards and impacts and vulnerability in Puerto Rico’s State of the Climate Report. Among numerous risks, the report details several threats to the San Juan Bay Estuary Program, one of 28 National Estuary Programs (NEPs) from around the country.
Active members of the Puerto Rico Climate Change Council, the San Juan Bay Estuary Program (SJBEP) decided to follow-up the report with a risk determination and vulnerability assessment for the San Juan Bay Estuary.
SJBEP worked with the EPA’s Climate Ready Estuary Program to undertake a comprehensive vulnerability assessment and identify strategies for resilience. SJBEP used the EPA’s "Being Prepared for Climate Change Workbook" process to catalog vulnerabilities through community workshops, stakeholder meetings, and exercises.
To better understand concerns about changing environmental conditions and experiences, SJBEP engaged communities that live and work around the bay through workshops and on-site discussions. The completed vulnerability assessment better prepares the SJBEP to undertake action to prepare for changing conditions.
The report represents a first step for the SJBEP. The vulnerability assessment will help inform the development of a future plan that identifies appropriate strategies for preparedness and resilience. Meanwhile, the vulnerability assessment has encouraged the estuary program to pursue measures to improve the resiliency of coastal wetlands and coral reefs.
| How Did They Do It? | Applicable EPA Tools |
|---|---|
Conducted vulnerability assessment with extensive stakeholder engagement process.
| EPA's "Being Prepared for Climate Change Workbook" helps develop a vulnerability assessment and inform risk-based preparedness and planning to reduce the most pressing risks. |
Identified highest likelihood and highest consequence risks for non-point and point source pollution.
| EPA Better Assessment Science Integrating Point and Nonpoint Sources (BASINS) can help users create scenarios and assess the coupled effects of environment and land-use change on water quality. Better Assessment Science Integrating Point and Nonpoint Sources (BASINS) |
Used this information to inform management plans and implement resiliency measures.
| The "Synthesis of Adaptation Options for Coastal Areas Guidebook" can assist in identifying adaptation options to protect coastal areas from storm surge and inundation concerns. |
Similar Cases and More Information
San Juan utilized future projections to determine the threat likelihood and vulnerability of risks. To see another example of how a coastal community assessed downscaled vulnerability to potential hazards and impacts view the Southwest Florida Salt Marsh Vulnerability and Adaptation Plan.
Many coastal communities in the Pacific Islands and elsewhere may also have to deal with other challenges including saltwater intrusion and sea-level rise; for another coastal sea-level rise case, view MD SLAMM Model. To learn more about how another coastal community water utility adapted to saltwater intrusion and potential water quantity considerations, see how Tampa Bay Water diversified their source water to promote resiliency to current and future conditions.