Options Database | U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit

Option	Hazards	Assets
Map high populations of invasive species and develop restoration plans for climate adapted landscapes.	Shifting Species, Habitats, and Ecosystems	Urban Landscape and Tree Canopy Aquatic and Marine Resources Natural Areas and Wildlife
Map urban temperatures to understand where residents might be most vulnerable to extreme urban heat.	Extreme Heat	People
Maximize opportunities for the public to participate in and inform the parks and recreation adaptation planning process.	Multiple or All Hazards	Aquatic and Marine Resources Natural Areas and Wildlife
Maximize the planning and implementation of green infrastructure at the watershed scale and site-specific locations. Green infrastructure helps manage stormwater on site, can improve water quality, can help protect coastal areas and offers cooling benefits when it is hot outside.	Water Quality Extreme Heat Flooding – Coastal Flooding – General	Urban Landscape and Tree Canopy Water Infrastructure – Stormwater
Maximize the use and availability of inexpensive hydroelectricity for indoor and other controlled environment food production.	Changing Seasons	Agriculture and Food Supply
Measure, monitor, and publicly report GHG emissions of large cruise ships while in port.	Air Quality	Transportation and Mobility
Minimize low-income housing in the floodplain. Provide financial assistance for low-income families to move out of the floodplain.	Flooding – Coastal Flooding – General Flooding – Rainfall-induced	Property
Minimize stress on the electrical grid	Extreme Heat	Energy and Utilities
Minimize the impact to natural floodplains from future development by controlling the alteration of natural floodplains and stream channels.	Flooding – Coastal Flooding – General Flooding – Rainfall-induced	Urban Landscape and Tree Canopy Aquatic and Marine Resources Natural Areas and Wildlife Property
Model the impacts of new transportation projects on hydrological processes and mitigate flood risk in the surrounding areas.	Flooding – Coastal Flooding – General	Transportation and Mobility
Modify local land use plans and ordinances to support compact development patterns in areas of lesser risk.	Multiple or All Hazards	Property
Monitor and improve natural creek conditions to improve flood flow to reduce erosion, improve habitat and protect the adjacent neighborhoods and commercial areas.	Erosion and Shoreline Recession Flooding – General	Water Infrastructure – Wastewater Multiple or All Assets Property
Monitor and track current water conditions and create a baseline report. Compile an expert panel to analyze and identify key stressors on lakes and how to address them to improve the quality.	Water Quality	Water Infrastructure – Wastewater Natural Areas and Wildlife
Monitor the success of migration by species of concern to newly suitable habitats. Identify additional protections for water and land, as needed, to ensure continued protection of the area’s biodiversity.	Shifting Species, Habitats, and Ecosystems	Water Infrastructure – Wastewater Natural Areas and Wildlife
Monitor water loss in water supply systems through leak detection programs and sensors.	Drought	Water Infrastructure – General
Monitor water quality at recreational beaches when risk of unsafe conditions is present.	Water Quality	People
NORA is transforming vacant lots into rain gardens that draw runoff from the street store it temporarily, and capture many of the pollutants it carries.	Flooding – Rainfall-induced	Property
Obtain easements on properties at risk of flooding and use those areas for water retention and drainage.	Flooding – Coastal Flooding – General	Property
Offer financing incentives for landowners to apply soil stabilization measures, such as planting vegetation, on steep slopes.	Landslides	Natural Areas and Wildlife Property
Offer free public transit rides on poor air quality days.	Air Quality	Transportation and Mobility