Contact phone number: (03) 6245 8619 ... Developing a map of hazard areas. In 2009 the ... study, and proceeded to devel
Climate change impacts on the Clarence coastal area Council Snapshot Council Name: Clarence City Council Size: 386 sq km Population: 51,500 Council website: www.ccc.tas.gov.au Contact name for publication: Phil Watson, Natural Resource Planner Contact phone number: (03) 6245 8619 Contct email address:
[email protected]
Climate change and the coast It is advantageous for Councils with coastal boundaries to give special attention to how climate change might make natural coastal events and hazards more severe, and how these events will affect natural and man-made structures. We used various data sources in association with wave and wind environment modelling to identify areas that are at risk to the effects of coastal climate change under different scenarios across a range of vulnerable sites. This enabled us to keep our communities informed about properties that are likely to be affected, and establish appropriate policies so that anyone developing a property in an at-risk area would be required to complete a performance-based risk assessment that demonstrated acceptable levels of risk over the life of the asset. Essential ingredients for success in this type of project include quality data, robust modelling, a sound scientific process, an effective monitoring program and a comprehensive communication strategy.
The need for a study was clear Coastal settlements are subject to a range of risks associated with natural processes such as coastal inundation, coastal erosion and recession, windblown sand, sea water infiltrating the water table, unstable river mouths, storm surges and tsunamis. In Clarence there are many areas that are particularly vulnerable to these processes; we frequently hear from concerned residents when beaches are affected by storm events.
In 2006 the issue of climate change became more pressing. The predictions suggested that many of these natural processes will happen more frequently, or with greater severity. Fortunately, at that time our municipality was selected by the Australian Government’s Department of Climate Change as suitable for a case study to assess the vulnerability of a coastal settlement to the effects of climate change. With additional funding from the State Government’s Tasmanian Risk Mitigation Program we were enabled to develop an integrated scientific and socio-economic climate change impact assessment along the Clarence coastline.
Developing a map of hazard areas In 2009 the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment released the Chris Sharples Report: Indicative Mapping of Tasmanian Coastal Vulnerability to Climate Change and Sea Level Rise. Under its guidance we identified 18 vulnerable sites to target for our study, and proceeded to develop maps with lines on them to mark areas where houses and other areas were under threat, both today and in various future scenarios. We found that even under present day conditions there are four vulnerable areas; up to 2400 coastal properties could be at risk under one high range scenario in the year 2100. The maps are now being used by our council to help with planning decisions and policies. We now have two new climate change planning scheme overlays which cover coastal inundation and coastal erosion for the 18 vulnerable sites as well as a general overlay to cover all other coastal areas.
Tasmanian local council climate change case studies 2010
Climate change impacts on the Clarence coastal area
These overlays require that: • any proposed development within an identified hazard zone triggers the requirement for the developer to pay for a risk assessment by a coastal engineer
assessment for use by other coastal councils. Some of the processes we developed were recently used by the Break O’Day Council in their investigation of flood risks in the Lower George River floodplain.
• the performance-based risk assessment must demonstrate an acceptable level of risk over the life of the asset through design and certification
Advice for coastal council planners
• access to and along the coast is not restricted
It’s essential to conduct an integrated assessment which takes into account both detailed scientific information and socio-economic factors. Talk to concerned members of your community and find out what they value about the areas that are identified as being at risk. A well-planned communications strategy is important and should include consultation with local real estate agents, banks, financiers and legal professionals as well as other land managers within the identified vulnerable areas.
• there is no off-site risk attributable to the development to life, property or the environment.
A well-planned communications strategy One big question we’re often asked by other councils who are considering similar projects is: how do you tell the public about high risk areas identified through this type of study? We decided to engage experts. Our communications team of council staffers and consultants spent quite some time predicting and preparing for anticipated community and media response towards the release of the report. The key premise adopted was to remain fully transparent with all the project’s information by making it freely and easily available to the public through various media avenues such as the council website, individual letters to affected residents, special newsletters and a phone hotline. Immediately after we released information about the high risk areas we delivered a newsletter and invited locals to a public meeting, where we presented the facts in detail. We found that the locals really appreciated our approach – they thanked and even applauded our presenters, grateful for being accurately informed about the issues.
Other coastal councils will benefit from this study This study is currently informing the state government through the regional planning scheme process to develop a standard methodology of risk
In terms of project initiation, reading the Sharples Report is an extremely useful first step.
It is important to remember that this report is the first step in making decisions based on both political and social imperatives, and which consider present and future generations’ requirements. What problems or ongoing work will we be leaving for the next generation as a result of the decisions we make today?
Next steps Our adaptation strategy is currently being implemented in accord with the recommended actions lists in the reports Action Table. This includes further detailed beach monitoring and assessments aimed at improving the protective values of the Roches Beach dunes and Ocean Beach dunes at Cremorne. With the availability of extra resources there is also plenty of scope to refine and calibrate the report’s vulnerability mapping by examining a time series of historic aerial photographs which date back to mid 1900s, as well as investigate the coastal geomorphology in greater detail.
Tasmanian local council climate change case studies 2010
