The document discusses the massive infrastructure project undertaken in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina to adapt to climate change and reduce flood risk. The project utilized natural and man-made flood protection elements in a holistic, systems-based approach. Elements included levees, floodwalls, gates, wetlands, dunes, and pumps designed to provide protection against storms and rising sea levels over their 50-year lifespan. Through expedited planning and collaboration between different groups, the project was completed in only a few years and proved effective during Hurricane Isaac in 2012, avoiding greater damages than its costs.

1. CHANGING
CLIMATE
–
RISING
TIDE

5. Large
Scale
Stormwater
Wetland

17. Charles Darwin: “It is not the strongest species
that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the
ones most able to adapt to change.”
Organizations inspired by nature are resilient,
optimizing, adaptive, systems-based,
values-based, and life-supporting.
The more resilient an organization is, the
more able it is to successfully deal
With disturbances and volatility.

19. Case
Study
• Greater
New
Orleans
post-­‐Katrina
Infrastructure
and
Coastal
Restora?on
System
– Biggest
Untold
Story
of
Success
and
Possibility!
– Massive
undertaking
can
serve
as
example
for
Climate
Change
Adapta?on
Measures
to
reduce
actual
risk—
not
just
insure
financial
exposures
– Started
in
2007,
func?onal
in
2011
–AMAZING!!
– U?lized
Expedited
NEPA
– During
Hurricane
Isaac
in
2012
avoided
damages
far
greater
than
its
cost
–
an
excellent
ROI

21. Plan
Formula?on
• Congress
Mandated
1%
annual
risk
• What
is
service
life?
Steel/Concrete
=
50
yrs
• What
will
condi?ons
be
at
END
OF
SERVICE?
CHANGED!
• How
to
op?mize
budget
provided?
• Project
Re-­‐Defined
Risk-­‐Based
Infrastructure
Formula?on
• Factored
in
SLR,
subsidence,
etc
• Forecasts
for
basis
of
design
• Truly
systems-­‐based
approach
of
hard
and
green
• Not
just
1%
chance
of
flooding
TODAY
as
is
typical
• End
of
service
1%
chance
of
flooding
• PLUS
resilience
for
500-­‐yr
storm
throughout
and
beyond

23. Design
Criteria
• SLR,
Weather
and
Hydraulics
• Frontal
ocean
assault
>>>
wind
forces
• Water
where?
(subsidence,
surge,
waves,
etc)
• What
can
it
carry?
(?mbers,
ships,
structures)
• Durability
and
Synergy
• Structural
strength
requirements
• Design
eleva?on
requirements
(wet
and
dry)
• Interac?on
of
elements
(weak
links,
complementary)
• HSDRRS
Criteria
for
system
and
elements

24. The
Elements
• Mul?ple
Lines
of
Defense
– Linear
Infrastructure:
Levees,
Walls,
Gates,
etc
– Natural
sun-­‐gathering
ecosystems
– Landforms
as
barriers,
self
genera?ng
– Behavior:
Evacua?on,
pumps,
raised
buildings,
etc
• Adap?ve
Management
– Works
for
different
storm
events
today
– Capable
of
performing
and
evolving
over
?me
– Designed
for
modified
structures
and
opera?ons
– Could
address
scenarios
not
currently
known

25. Dune
and
Marsh
Plahorms

26. Geotube
Stabilized
Dune

27. The
biggest
and
best
results
are
not
visible
• New
Ways
to
Collaborate
– Government
↔
Industry
– Government
↔
Public
– Government
↔
Researchers
• New
Ways
to
Communicate
– Risk
and
Uncertainty
– Future
Scenarios
– Transparency
and
Verifica?on

31. 2009
Strategic
Planning
Retreat
Goal
Exercise
+
=