Maryland’s climate is changing. Average temperatures have gone up over 1.5°F in the last century and are projected to continue rising in the coming decades. Marylanders can expect more intense heat waves, rainfall, and higher flood risk.
CA recognizes this challenge and is taking proactive steps to be prepared and begin taking action now to be more resilient in the future. CA funded a research project to create a climate vulnerability assessment. This assessment uses data and climate predictions to identify assets and other community features that may be vulnerable to expected changes in the climate.
This effort represents an initial step in CA’s approach to be a good steward of the numerous resources that serve the community – from tot lots to pathways. The assessment looks at CA’s numerous assets in the community, and using GIS data, evaluates the relative risk associated with flooding from high intensity rain events and increased temperatures. Using this information CA can now begin to develop mitigation strategies for making the most at risk assets more resilient to climate change.
In order to maximize the dynamic benefits of leveraging a GIS mapping system to evaluate projected risks to climate change, CA also created a web map tool that can be accessed below.