Infrastructure Adaptation and Climate Resilience for California’s National Forests

Abstract

This paper describes the road infrastructure found in California’s national forests, their vulnerabilities, and specific measures that can be taken to adapt to projected climate change effects, thus minimizing damage from fires and storms. Over the past 40 years this region has been hit by numerous climate change–related events including droughts, major forest fires, major storms, and flooding. Billions of dollars in damage have been sustained and numerous lives lost. It is necessary now to assess vulnerabilities, rank resources at risk, and prioritize adaptation actions. The Forest Service has recently been involved in infrastructure vulnerability assessment and adaptation strategy projects involving climate model studies, interviews, a literature review, local workshops, website information, and publication of the project findings. Different agency vulnerability assessment methods have been reviewed to establish a functional assessment and risk analysis methodology. Efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change have included greenhouse gas reduction from agency vehicles, evaluating alternative transportation routes, implementing energy-saving measures, and identifying “stormproofing” road design measures to reduce the vulnerability of roads to extreme climate-related events. Much of the effort has been the identification of road adaptation and resiliency measures, particularly measures that are practical and implementable at minimum cost. These measures include: routine road maintenance; relocating road segments as needed; adding trash racks and diversion prevention dips to prevent culvert failures; building stream simulation projects; protecting bridges from debris and scour; covering soil with deep-rooted vegetation; and using soil bioengineering stabilization and deep-patch shoulder reinforcement to prevent local slope failures.