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Remove infrastructure and readjust system

Approach

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.

Tactics

  • Decommission and revegetate unnecessary roads or trails that have high risk and low access.
  • Decommission infrastructure to preferentially allow expansion of floodplain and migration of stream channel.
  • Convert road traffic to other modes of transportation (e.g. from vehicle to bicycle or foot).
  • Remove water crossings if road is expected to be inactive for an extended period of time.
  • Remove levees that increase flood stage and flow velocity and restore riparian ecosystem reconnecting the channel and floodplains.
  • Abandon campsites in higher risk locations and add sites in other locations to conserve the total number of sites.

Strategy

Strategy Text

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.

Shannon, P.D.; Swanston, C.W.; Janowiak, M.K.; Handler, S.D.; Schmitt, K.M.; Brandt, L.A.; Butler-Leopold, P.R.; Ontl, T.A. (in review). Adaptation Strategies and Approaches for Forested Watersheds. Ecological Applications.,

RELATED TO THIS APPROACH:

Climate Change Effect

Resource Area

Relevant Region

Midwest
Northeast
Northern Plains
Northwest
Southeast
Southern Plains
Southwest