Head of Bay coastal resilience: Jamaica Bay, New York
This report is based on the Head of Bay Coastal Resilience project, which aims to strengthen east Jamaica Bay’s flood resilience by providing actionable strategies for adaptation. The project is a design and planning element of the National Science Foundation. The study proposes a public infrastructure system at the watershed scale combining coastal flood risk management with investment in ecological health and opportunities for public recreation. Examining the eastern extents of New York’s Jamaica Bay, known as the “Head of Bay,” as a case study, the proposal develops novel measures for adapting to rising sea levels, king and spring tides, extreme rainfall, and storm surge. Building on previous initiatives conducted in Jamaica Bay, the report approaches climate adaptation through design at urban, ecological, and architectural scales.
The report offers a methodology for combining scientific research with inventive design to adapt to a changing climate. It is intended to provide a model for approaching adaptation across disciplines and administrative boundaries. As global temperatures increase, the ocean and atmosphere of the Northeast are becoming warmer. Sea levels in the New York City area are projected to rise one to two feet by mid-century and by as much as six feet by the end of the century. This will raise the base water level such that flooding due to high tides and extreme storms will reach further inland. Additionally, a warmer ocean is likely to generate extreme weather of greater intensity, likely leading to more frequent or more intense hurricanes. In coastal areas such as Jamaica Bay, adaptation must account for these challenges in a way that allows for modification over time.
Head of Bay Coastal Resilience considers an area of limited scope to suggest that smaller interventions can have large impacts, be completed more quickly in discrete installments, and tie into neighboring solutions for cost effectiveness and phasing. Rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all solution, this approach allows for a closer look at the particular challenges faced by each community. The proposed system leverages existing topography to reduce ecological impact and overall cost. The project is informed by advanced probabilistic computational modeling of future flood hazards incorporating sea level rise.