Greetings!

Photo by Paul Sableman is licensed under CC BY 2.0

TCCPI is a multisector collaboration seeking to leverage the climate action commitments made by Cornell University, Ithaca College, Tompkins Cortland Community College, Tompkins County, the City of Ithaca, and the Town of Ithaca to mobilize a countywide energy efficiency effort and accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy. Launched in June 2008 and generously supported by the Park Foundation, TCCPI is a project of Second Nature, the lead supporting organization of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC).

by Peter Bardaglio, TCCPI Coordinator

Last May the community of Penn Yan in Yates County got nearly a month's worth of rain in just a matter of hours. The flash flood that resulted caused millions of dollars in damage and forced the closure of highways and roads. At least 50 businesses and 150 homes suffered from the effects of the flooding spawned by a storm that dumped between five and nine inches of rain on the area.

With the onset of climate change, according to recent scientific studies, the regional trend toward frequent, intense rain events in a short period of time is likely to continue. The results are recurring flooding and erosion issues for communities, which will put additional strains on municipal budgets already stretched to the breaking point.

A flash flood in May 2014 caused extensive damage to homes and businesses in Penn Yan, NY.

To meet the challenge of extreme precipitation events, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County, together with the Environmental Finance Center at Syracuse University, held a workshop on April 16 at The Space @ GreenStar in Ithaca. The program attracted more than 90 attendees, including municipal officials, highway personnel, planners, and engaged community members.

Speakers explored watershed resiliency strategies to minimize future flooding impacts and limit the expense of such events. They shared planning tools for identifying risks to the the participants' communities, funding sources, and what other communities have done to prioritize risks, take preventive measures, and recover from extreme events.

The workshop opened with an introduction to the dynamics of watersheds and then turned to the issue of how changing weather patterns are creating problems for roadway and drainage infrastructure, and how a green infrastructure approach can provide a framework for efficient, sustainably supported resiliency efforts. Although there is no one size-fits-all solution to the problems caused by the intense rainfall rates, the session looked at several measures that can minimize the damage.

The final two sessions examined the elements of effective financing strategies and how a green infrastructure approach can provide a framework for efficient, sustainably supported resiliency efforts and highlighted the various state and federal funding opportunities available to aid flooding resiliency efforts, along with strategies for obtaining and leverage these funds. Participants heard case studies presented on rural communities in New York, including Penn Yan, that have formed task forces, created funding plans, or took action towards flood resiliency.

The day wrapped up with a roundtable discussion that provided attendees to share their own experiences and strategies, and to respond to the ideas presented in the preceding sessions.

Sharon Anderson, one of the event organizers and Environment Team Leader at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County, was very pleased with the turnout. She said that, following the workshop, there had been several requests from other area communities for similar programs. "Everyone knows that it's just a matter of time before their town or village will get hit by flash flooding and they want  to be prepared," she remarked.