Washington’s coastal environments are diverse -from the bustling cities along Puget Sound to the rural shorelines of the Outer Coast. While different, each region is valued for the natural resources and opportunities that it provides. Living and working along these coastlines does not come without its challenges. High tides, storm surges, and rising sea levels pose risks to life along the coast. Impacts from coastal hazards like erosion and inundation are causing us to re-think how we develop the shoreline. Spatial modeling tools provide a starting point to understand how a changing environment alters our resilience to coastal hazards. By using these tools, communities can plan for an adapted future where there is a balance between the needs of humans and nature.
Regional Projects & Solutions
Puget Sound is a national treasure, the second largest estuary in the country, a factory for salmon and shellfish, home to 4.5 million people, and the economic engine of one of the nation’s strongest regional economies. These are increasingly vulnerable to rising sea levels, more extreme coastal storms, and more frequent river flooding.
The Southwest Washington Coast is home to some of the most marine dependent communities in the nation, and are subject to inundation and erosional hazards. Therefore, we’re working to create a vision for the shoreline that balances the needs of the community with the needs of the environment so that both can thrive.
The Floodplains by Design partnership is led by The Nature Conservancy, Puget Sound Partnership, and the Department of Ecology. Participating partners on the Floodplains by Design partnership also include the Federal Emergency Management Agency, King County, Kramer Consulting, Carol MacIlroy Consulting, Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Normandeau Associates, Pierce County, Skokomish Tribe, Snohomish County, Snohomish County Sustainable Lands Strategy, Tulalip Tribe, United States Army Corps of Engineers, United States Environmental Protection Agency, United States Geological Survey, Washington Military Department Emergency Management Division, Washington State Dairy Federation, Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Washington State Department of Transportation.