Assessing Vulnerability of the Hawaiian Islands to Sea Level Rise
Tetra Tech conducted a statewide sea level rise vulnerability assessment and prepared the Hawai‘i State Sea Level Rise Vulnerability and Adaptation Report to support community resilience in coastal areas.
The 2014 Hawai‘i Climate Adaptation Initiative Act (Act 83) recognized that climate change poses an urgent and long-term threat to Hawai‘i. The Act created the Interagency Climate Adaptation Committee (ICAC), co-chaired by the Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) and Office of Planning, which commissioned the first statewide Sea Level Rise Vulnerability and Adaptation Report (SLR Report), submitted to the Hawai‘i state legislature in 2017.
Tetra Tech conducted a statewide sea level rise vulnerability assessment to quantify the social, economic, and environmental impacts of sea level rise on all islands. We developed the Sea Level Rise Exposure Area (SLRXA) based on the University of Hawaii’s modeling of passive inundation, coastal erosion, and annual high wave run-up to assess the impacts from chronic coastal flooding and land loss due to 1, 2, and 3 feet of sea level rise.
Tetra Tech facilitated ICAC meetings and conducted stakeholder interviews and focus groups to identify issues and document strategies and tools to manage coastal erosion and other hazards. We also facilitated workshops and conducted public meetings to provide updates about the State’s efforts and solicit stakeholder input.
Tetra Tech supported the design and provided data layers for the Hawai‘i Sea Level Rise Viewer.