Remove infrastructure and readjust system

Facilities requiring substantial investments to maintain safety over the life-span of the system, or those posing human or ecological hazards, may become increasingly challenging to maintain as the climate changes. Removing or decommissioning infrastructure is a practical adaptation response. Decommissioning roads by ripping the roadbed and decompacting soils has been shown to increase hydraulic conductivity of soils, enhance water retention, and reestablish subsurface drainage to groundwater stores. Readjusting the system can potentially improve water quality, decrease soil erosion, reduce overland flows and peak flows due to less impervious surfaces, and increase habitat quality by removing physical obstructions to wildlife connectivity.

This strategy addresses actions for adapting infrastructure in forested watersheds, such as roads, skid trails, recreation trails, road-stream crossings, bridges, culverts, dams and other facilities associated with development. Infrastructure and transportation systems designs to avoid structural losses and damages by taking into account storm events and return periods documented in regional historical records. A changing climate may necessitate critical evaluation of past design concepts and criteria to minimize risks and safety concerns over the designed lifespan of the unit. Roads, skid trails, road-stream crossings, recreation trails, facilities, and other infrastructure are known to affect local landforms and hydrology, particularly where impervious surfaces concentrate water into flow pathways, generating high-velocity runoff and erosion. Added considerations in design may be necessary to accommodate altered hydrology and reduce risks of damage, failure or total loss. These considerations may be especially important near high-risk areas and where the consequences of lost infrastructure are unacceptable.