Solution

Living With The Bay: Resiliency For Nassau County

This solution addresses storm surge and associated issues in Nassau County, NY for vulnerable residents, tourists, fish and wildlife, fishing industry

Problem Description

This solution was created to answer the following questions. How do we keep Long Islanders safe in the face of future extreme weather events and sea-level rise? How do we ensure that the next big storm won’t be as devastating to the region as Sandy? And what can we do to improve the water quality and quality of life in the region? What can we do to make “bay life” safer, healthier, more fun, and more accessible? Because the region faces multiple water-based threats, there is no “silver bullet” solution. A surge barrier might protect Long Islanders from storm surge, but it won’t do much to keep us safe from nor-easters and other rain events that routinely flood our communities. Withdrawing or retreating from the coast would result in less flood damage, but the South Shore is certainly not going to throw in the towel. And neither should it. There’s a reason why people live on the South Shore: it’s a great place to live!

Building Blocks

Story

Our preferred “buffered bay” scenario presents a range of integrated adaptive measures that keep Nassau County residents safe, and add to the economic, ecological, and social quality of the region. These measures include mitigating the damage from storm surge, storm water runoff, and sea level rise by recovering the sediment system and strategically deploying protective measures like constructed marshes, dikes, and cross-structures along the urbanized edge; managing storm water in order to mitigate the damages from common rain events as well as improve the water quality in the bay; and expanding housing options in high and dry areas near public transportation.

Photos

Resources

Project Page at the RBD competition website

Organisations Involved

Solution Stage

One of the 7 stages of an innovation. Learn more

STAGE	SPECIALIST SKILLS REQUIRED	EXAMPLE ACTIVITIES	RISK LEVEL AND HANDLING	FINANCE REQUIRED	KINDS OF EVIDENCE GENERATED	GOAL
Making the case4	Business development and evaluation	Market sizing, development and testing Business case analysis Identifying cashable savings	Prepare to adapt approach, based on evaluation results and user feedback MEDIUM	Grant funding or funding out of investment MEDIUM	A stronger case with cost and benefit projections developed through practical trials and experiments, involving potential users	Clarity about what warrants implementation and funding

Submitted By

Interboro Team