Incorporating climate change into the risk management strategy for a small craft harbor

Climate Change Risk Assessment of Small Craft Harbor

We were retained to complete a climate resilience assessment of the risk management strategy (RMS) for subsurface contamination at a coastal property on the south shore of Nova Scotia.

The RMS was based on a lines of evidence approach to manage the subsurface contaminants, including light non-aqueous phase liquids. The climate resilience assessment was completed using the Public Infrastructure Engineering Vulnerability Committee (PIEVC) high level screening guide. Severe storms, waves, and coastal flood impacts pose the highest risk to on-site infrastructure which is an essential part of the RMS; asset failure could lead to the release and/or migration of subsurface contaminants into to the marine environment. Increased precipitation and sea level rise impacts pose the highest risks to the subsurface elements identified in the conceptual site model (CSM).

To enhance the resilience of the RMS, a number of adaptation measures were provided, including regular inspections of the sheet pile wall, asphalt cap maintenance, long-term groundwater monitoring and groundwater modelling, to understand potential groundwater and plume migration with a changing climate. Ultimately, this project incorporated a sustainable and climate resilient approach to manage residual contaminants, protective of both human and ecological receptors.