COLUMBUS
COLUMBUS
Climate Adaptation Plan
Completed December 2018
Contents
How to Read this Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Terms and Abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Recommended Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Extreme Heat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Air Quality & Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
25
27
30
38
Flooding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Water Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
51
53
54
59
Water Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
59
61
62
66
Ecosystems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
67
69
71
76
Emergency Preparedness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
78
80
81
89
Vulnerable Populations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Looking Forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Recommended Citation: Cervenec, J., A. B.
Wilson, G. R. Dipre, A. Shockey, D. Celebrezze.
Columbus Climate Adaptation Plan. 2018.
DOI:
Available online at byrd.osu.edu/columbus.
How to Read
October 2018
Dear Reader,
The Columbus Climate Adaptation Plan (CCAP) is the result of four years of effort that involved looking
critically at climate change impacts, risks, and vulnerabilities in Columbus. The result is a set of prioritized
actions that should be taken by city government, regional organizations, and residents to make the city
more climate resilient. This document utilizes our understanding of Earth processes and climate change to
help inform our local public policies. The CCAP Task Force sought involvement of stakeholders, technical
experts, and the general public in developing this plan.
The CCAP includes a significant amount of information, and the Task Force acknowledges that readers
have limited time. Therefore, the document is a series of thematic chapters designed to be read
independently of each other. On page 4, readers will find a list of terms and abbreviations that are
used throughout the document. Chapter 1 provides an overview of the science of climate change and
local impacts felt in Columbus, as well as a table that includes all of the action statements. Chapters 2
through 9 discuss the action statements specific to each theme. Chapter 10 discusses accountability and
considerations for future work to improve climate resiliency.
While 43 actions are recommended to be taken by the City, the list is prioritized into necessary (denoted
with an N) and aspirational actions (denoted with an A), based on the methodology outlined in Appendix
A. The necessary actions are those deemed most impactful and easiest to implement based on expertise,
cost, and will, and are therefore given higher priority. Approximately 16 actions were deemed to be of
lowest priority and have been included in Appendix B for reference only.
Active participation by City departments will be necessary to make these actions a reality¡ªincluding
allocation of staffing, assets, and funding. Furthermore, this document provides valuable information for
everyone living, working, and playing in Columbus, regardless of their involvement with city government.
Many of the actions are educational initiatives and collaborative ventures that require involvement from
other levels of government, non-profit organizations, businesses, and private citizens. It is the hope of
this Task Force that the CCAP provides value in educating all members of our community in addition to
providing a roadmap for how the City can accelerate our preparation for a changing climate.
The CCAP is based on the best information available to the Task Force and our contributors at the time
the document was written. As additional information is gathered, our climate changes, and the community
responds to these changes, the CCAP will need to be updated. Lastly, the CCAP outlines actions that can
be taken to adapt to climate change, but does not outline the city¡¯s approach to mitigating our emissions of
greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. This is a separate but related conversation that is of
critical importance to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.
Regards,
Jason Cervenec
Chair, Columbus Climate Adaptation Plan Task Force
Education & Outreach Director, Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center
Columbus Climate Adaptation Plan | How to Read
3
Terms and Abbreviations
A
AEP American Electric Power
AMI Advanced Metering Infrastructure
AMP American Municipal Power
B
BMPs Best Management Practices
BPCRC Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center
C
CCAP Columbus Climate Action Plan
CDC Center for Disease Control and
Prevention
CDOP Columbus Division of Power
COBE Central Ohio BioEnergy
COTA Central Ohio Transit Authority
CPH Columbus Public Health
CRPD Columbus Recreation and Parks
Department
CSO Combined Sewer Overflow
D
DPU Department of Public Utilities
DPS Department of Public Safety
DOSD Division of Sewerage and Drainage
E
ESF1 Emergency Support Function 1
(developed by FCEM & HS)
EV Electric Vehicles
F
FC CERT Franklin County Community
Emergency Response Team
FCC Federal Communications Commission
Columbus Climate Adaptation Plan | Terms and Abbreviations
FCEM & HS Franklin County Emergency
Management and Homeland Security
FCEO Franklin County Engineer¡¯s Office
FCPH Franklin County Public Health
FSWCD Franklin Soil and Water Conservation
District
FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency
G
GHG Greenhouse Gas
GI Green Infrastructure
GIS Geographic Information System (a tool for
visualizing/mapping data to help interpret patterns
and trends)
GLISA Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and
Assessments
GPD Gallons Per Day
GPS Global Positioning System
H
HAB Harmful Algal Bloom
HEAP Home Energy Assistance Program
HVAC Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning
HWAP Home Weatherization Assistance Program
I
InFACT OSU¡¯s Initiative for Food and Agricultural
Transformation
IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change
L
LED Light-emitting Diode
LEED Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design
4
M
V
MGD Million Gallons per Day
MORPC Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission
VOCs Volatile Organic Compounds
W
N
WAM Work Asset Management system
WHO World Health Organization
WQAL Water Quality Assurance Lab
WWMP Wet Weather Management Plan
NAAQS National Ambient Air Quality Standards
NFIP National Flood Insurance Program
NOx Nitrogen Oxides
NWF National Wildlife Federation
NWS National Weather Service
NYPA New York Power Authority
climate change mitigation
A human intervention to reduce the sources or
enhance the sinks of greenhouse gases.1
O
ODA Ohio Department of Agriculture
ODH Ohio Department of Health
ODOT Ohio Department of Transportation
OEMA Ohio Emergency Management Agency
OEPA Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
Ohio WARN Ohio Water/Wastewater Emergency
Response Network
OOT Office of the Ohio Treasurer
OP3 Ohio Public-Private Partnership
OPHA Ohio Public Health Association
OSU Ohio State University
climate change adaptation
The process of adjustment to actual or expected
climate and its effects. In human systems,
adaptation seeks to moderate or avoid harm or
exploit beneficial opportunities. In some natural
systems, human intervention may facilitate
adjustment to expected climate and its effects.2
co-benefit
Benefits that are not the direct goal of a
recommended action in this document but rather
a beneficial side effect.
P
PACE Property Assessed Clean Energy
PM Particulate Matter
PUCO Public Utilities Commission of Ohio
S
SCOO State Climate Office of Ohio
SCPZ Stream Corridor Protection Zone
SSO Sanitary Sewer Overflow
SWDM Stormwater Drainage Manual
U
1
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
2014. Fourth Assessment Report. .
ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/publications_
and_data_reports.shtml. Accessed Jun. 2018.
2
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
2014. Fourth Assessment Report. .
ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/publications_
and_data_reports.shtml. Accessed Jun. 2018.
UHI Urban heat island
USGS United States Geological Survey
Columbus Climate Adaptation Plan | Terms and Abbreviations
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