ADAPTING TO SEA LEVEL RISE ON BRITISH COLUMBIA’S SOUTHERN COASTS

Sea level rise presents a flood hazard to developments in coastal communities across the globe. The Sea Level Rise Adaption Primer released in fall of 2013 is a toolkit to build adaptive capacity on Canada’s South Coasts. Adaption strategies are based around four primary principles: Protect, Accommodate, Retreat and Avoid. These four strategies are not mutually exclusive; they can be used collaboratively and may be applicable in different geographic areas.

My research has applied the tools from the Sea Level Rise Adaption Primer to a coastal community that is vulnerable to the effects of sea level rise. The District of Squamish is located at the Northern tip of Howe Sound in a glacially carved valley in the Coast Mountain Range, Southern British Columbia. Squamish is susceptible to flooding hazards from five major river systems (Squamish, Mamquam, Cheekye, Cheakamus, and Stawamus), debris flows from the Cheekye Fan, and Howe Sound high tides. Flood management in Squamish is integral to the community development. Evaluation of planning objectives, determination of flood construction levels, analysis of soft armouring and flood protection works, coastal hazard mapping and risk management strategies are tools used here to evaluate the adaptability of the Squamish community to sea level rise.

There is no single strategy to mitigating the effects of sea level rise, however a collaboration of these tools and principles creates a platform from which local governments can cater their specific needs. Over 80% of the population of British Columbia lives within 5 km of the coastline, increasing the need for sea level rise planning. The tools from the Sea Level Rise Adaption Primer that are being used in Squamish can be extrapolated and applied to other coastal communities. Using Squamish as an example, this presentation will illustrate how other undergraduate projects using similar methodologies might assist local governments to be proactive concerning sea level rise.