2012 Highlights of Progress:

Responses to Climate Change 

by the 

National Water Program
Prepared by:

Office of Water

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

March 2013
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction 1

Part I: National Water Program Highlights 3

 Water Infrastructure

 Watersheds and Wetlands

 Coastal and Ocean Waters

 Water Quality

 Working with Tribes 

Part II: Climate Region Highlights 12

 Northeast

 Southeast

 Midwest

 Great Plains

 Southwest

 Pacific Northwest

 Montane

 Alaska

 Caribbean Islands

 U.S. Pacific Islands and Territories

 Large Aquatic Ecosystems

 Great Lakes and Climate Change

Part III: Assessment of Progress: 2012 Baseline 18

Appendix A: Highlights Summary Table 29

Appendix B: Compendium of Additional 31

2012 Accomplishments

 National Water Program Office 

 EPA Regional Offices

Appendix C: Summary of 2012 Research Highlights 44
Introduction

The National Water Program at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released the National 

Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change (2012 Strategy) in December 2012 

as an update to an initial climate change and water strategy released in 2008. The 2012

Strategy describes long-term goals for the management of sustainable water resources for 

future generations in light of climate change and is intended to be a roadmap to guide future 

programmatic planning and inform decision makers during the Agency’s annual planning 

process. The new Strategy is available at http://water.epa.gov/scitech/climatechange/2012-

National-Water-Program-Strategy.cfm. 

The final completion and publication of the updated Strategy was the principal climate change 

accomplishment of the National Water Program in 2012. Also during 2012, EPA’s national 

water programs and regional water programs continued work to implement a range of climate 

change response actions called for in the 2008 Strategy and updated in the new 2012 Strategy.

This 2012 Highlights of Progress report provides a summary of the major accomplishments of

the EPA national water programs and regional water programs in 2012. This is the fourth 

climate change progress report for the National Water Program and the first progress report 

organized around the five long-term programmatic vision areas described in the new 2012 

Strategy: 

1. Water infrastructure;

2. Watersheds and wetlands;

3. Coastal and ocean waters;

4. Water quality; and

5. Working with Tribes. 

Twenty highlights of projects and products implemented by the National Water Program in 

each of these five areas and related to cross-cutting program support are described in Part I of 

this report. 
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The 2012 Strategy describes water related climate change adaptation programs and projects at 

EPA regional offices. Part II of this report includes descriptions of a key 2012 accomplishment 

related to this work in each of the 10 climate change regions identified in the 2012 Strategy and 

for the large aquatic ecosystem programs implemented by EPA around the country (e.g. 

Chesapeake Bay, Great Lakes, and Gulf of Mexico). These national and regional highlights are 

presented in summary form in Appendix A.

It is important to note that, in addition to the accomplishments highlighted in each of these 

vision areas and climate regions, other important projects are in development and a range of 

supporting activities are being implemented. A detailed compendium of activities related to 

climate change and water programs is provided in Appendix B. Appendix C of this report 

includes summary descriptions of the major accomplishment of the EPA Office of Research and 

Development during 2012.

In addition to reporting on highlights of progress for 2012, the National Water Program is 

beginning a new process to track progress based on the stage or phase of development of 

climate response programs. Recognizing the long-term nature of addressing climate change, 

this approach tracks progress through seven developmental phases: 

1. Initiation;

2. Assessment;

3. Response development;

4. Initial implementation;

5. Robust implementation;

6. Mainstreaming; and 

7. Monitor outcomes and adaptive management. 

Each of these phases is described in greater detail in Part III of this report. In addition, Part III

includes an initial identification of the status of each climate change and water goal with 

respect to the developmental phases. This is the first assessment of the developmental status 

of climate change adaptation programs and projects across the National Water Program and 

will form a baseline for future assessments. 
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PART I

Vision Area 1: 

Water Infrastructure

Vision: In the face of a changing climate, resilient and adaptable drinking water, wastewater 

and stormwater utilities (water sector) ensure clean and safe water to protect the nation’s 

public health and environment by making smart investment decisions to improve the 

sustainability of their infrastructure and operations and the communities they serve, while 

reducing greenhouse gas emissions through greater energy efficiency. 

1. Issued Water Utility Climate Tool: Version 2.0

The Climate Resilience Evaluation and Awareness Tool (CREAT) 

assists users in conducting climate change risk assessments and 

promotes a general understanding of climate change impacts for utility owners and 

operators. A new 2.0 version of CREAT was released in January 2013. The new CREAT 

2.0 features more robust scenario-based planning, extreme events data, and energy 

management capabilities. The new version also includes embedded basic and advanced 

video training modules and allows utilities to conduct analysis comparison scenarios for 

multiple time periods. During 2012, pilots were conducted in Oakland, California and 

Wilmington, Delaware for the updated software. 

2. Published Adaptation Strategies Guide

In January 2012, EPA published an Adaptation Strategies Guide that serves as an 

introduction to climate change adaptation planning for drinking water, wastewater, and 

stormwater utilities. Users can navigate this interactive Adobe PDF document in a 

manner similar to clicking through pages of a website. A series of briefs organized by 

region and climate-related impacts provide a better understanding of what challenges 

utilities can expect to face along with adaptation strategies that can be used to prepare 

their systems for those impacts. An updated version of the Guide will be released in the 

spring of 2013. The new Guide will include two new sections on Green Infrastructure and 

Energy Management, which contribute to a more comprehensive adaptation planning 

process. 

3. Published Planning for Extreme Weather Events: Workshop Planner for the Water 

Sector

The Extreme Events Workshop Planner includes the tools and resources a utility needs to 

plan, customize, and conduct a workshop focused on planning for more frequent and 

more intense extreme events. Five extreme event scenarios are included in the 

Workshop Planner:

• Flooding;

• Drought;

• Sea level rise; 

• Wildfire; and 

• Reduced snowpack.
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Each scenario walks users through a long-term planning exercise in which workshop 

participants gain a better understanding of how projected changes in the frequency and 

intensity of extreme events can impact their utility and community, and how they can 

begin to adapt to prepare for these changes. By the end of a workshop, each participant 

will have identified actionable next steps they can take today to increase the resilience of 

their utility and community to extreme events. Three communities piloted the Workshop 

Planner: Manchester, New Hampshire; Erie, Pennsylvania; and Bisbee, Arizona.

4. Published Extreme Events Case Study Series

The Office of Water, in collaboration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA), the Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF), Water

Research Foundation (WaterRF), and others, has developed case studies on six 

communities’ experiences with extreme events and how they are planning for the future. 

The case studies are based on six workshops, focused on the Russian River Basin, 

California; the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint Basin, Georgia; Tidewater, Virginia; the 

Washington, D.C. Region; the Lower Missouri River Basin in Kansas; and the Lower 

Colorado River Basin in Central Texas. For more information, see:

http://www.cpo.noaa.gov/ClimatePrograms/ClimateSocietalInteractionsCSI/SARPProgra

m/ExtremeEventsCaseStudies.aspx.

5. Expanded WaterSense to New Multi-Family Housing and 

Irrigation

Efficient use of water is a key strategy for managing water 

resources as supplies become more unpredictable as a result 

of climate change. In August 2012, EPA released a revised specification for WaterSense 

labeled new homes which expanded the label to include multi-family housing. The 

WaterSense program also developed a fact sheet which was provided to EPA Regions to 

provide messaging on how consumers could take water-efficient actions during a 

drought. In late 2011, EPA released a WaterSense specification to label weather-based 

irrigation controllers. Use of labeled controllers can help to reduce water waste 

associated with outdoor landscape watering.

6. Published Planning for Sustainability Handbook for Water and Wastewater Utilities

EPA published the Planning for Sustainability Handbook for Water and Wastewater 

Utilities (EPA-832-R-12-001) in 2012 and conducted webinars for utilities on the use of 

the document. The handbook describes a number of steps utilities can undertake to 

enhance their existing planning processes to ensure that water infrastructure 

investments are cost-effective over their life cycle, resource efficient, and support other 

relevant community goals. The handbook includes a section that talks about how to 

incorporate sustainability principles into financial management strategies. For more 

information, see: http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/sustain/upload/EPA-s-Planningfor-Sustainability-Handbook.pdf. 
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Vision Area 2: 

Watersheds 

and 

Wetlands

Vision: Watersheds are protected, maintained, and restored to ensure climate resilience and to 

preserve the social and economic benefits they provide; and the nation’s wetlands are 

maintained and improved using integrated approaches that recognize their inherent value as 

well as their role in reducing the impacts of climate change.

7. Published Identifying and Protecting Healthy Watersheds: Concepts, Assessments, and 

Management Approaches

In February of 2012, the Office of Water released a technical 

guide Identifying and Protecting Healthy Watersheds: Concepts, 

Assessments, and Management Approaches 

http://water.epa.gov/healthywatersheds. This document serves 

as a technical resource for states and other resource managers 

interested in identifying healthy watersheds and implementing 

holistic, healthy watersheds protection programs. EPA is also 

working with the State of California to identify healthy 

watersheds through an integrated assessment which includes a 

climate change vulnerability component to be completed in May 

2013. Partners include the California Water Resource Control Board, California 

Department of Fish and Game, and EPA Region 9.

8. Hosted Webcast: Restore-Adapt-Mitigate: Responding to Climate Change through 

Coastal Habitat Restoration

EPA hosted a National Webcast: Restore-Adapt-Mitigate: Responding to Climate Change 

through Coastal Habitat Restoration in the spring of 2012 which provided an overview of 

the newly released study linking ecologically important coastal habitat restoration with 

adaptation and mitigation strategies as a way to reduce the impacts of ongoing global 

climate change.

9. Integrated Climate Change in Wetland Program Development Grants

EPA integrated considerations of climate change (mitigation and adaptation) into its 2012

Headquarters Wetland Program Development Grants Request for Proposals (RFP) 

announcement and used the RFP to guide funding decisions for building state and tribal 

capacity. Appropriate partners are being identified for establishing restoration 

objectives within the context of climate change. After new grant recipients are 

announced in Fiscal Year (FY) 2013, EPA will consider other potential partnerships. 
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10. Addressed Climate Change in Recovery Potential Screening Methodology

Climate change relevance to restoration planning has been incorporated into the 

Recovery Potential Screening methodology that assists states in assessing prospects of 

restoration success and linking this to driving factors. The Recovery Potential Screening 

website (www.epa.gov/recoverypotential) now includes a “biotic and climatic risks” 

subcategory under the stressor indicators (see 

http://owpubauthor.epa.gov/lawsregs/lawsguidance/cwa/tmdl/recovery/indicatorsstres

sor.cfm#bioclimrisks), and several other parameters sensitive to climate change risks to 

restoration success have been built into the ecological and stressor indicators that are

also available on the website. Examples include flow alteration and temperature stress. 

The Recovery Potential screening website was comprehensively peer-reviewed by 

members of the EPA Office of Research and Development (ORD) Global Climate Change 

Research team to enable a good two-way exchange of indicator concepts and data 

sources.
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Vision Area 3: 

Coastal and 

Ocean 

Waters

Vision: Adverse effects of climate change and unintended adverse consequences of responses 

to climate change have been successfully prevented or reduced in the ocean and coastal 

environment. Federal, tribal, state, and local agencies, organizations, and institutions are 

working cooperatively; and information necessary to integrate climate change considerations 

into ocean and coastal management is produced, readily available, and used.

11. Expanded Climate Ready Estuaries Program

Climate Ready Estuaries grants were provided to four new 

National Estuary partners in 2012:

• San Juan Bay Estuary Program, Puerto Rico;

• Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program, Massachusetts;

• Peconic Estuary Program, New York; and

• Mobile Bay National Estuary Program, Alabama. 

Climate ready projects have now been initiated with 23 National Estuary Programs 

(NEPs). In addition, in 2012, the program initiated 6 new climate adaptation projects

(with five NEPs, including the 4 new partners listed above), bringing the total projects to 

37. Additional information about the program can be found at 

http://www.epa.gov/cre.

12. Hosted Workshop on Coastal Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments

In March 2012, the Climate Ready Estuaries program worked with NOAA to host a joint 

meeting on climate change vulnerability assessments. About 50–60 members attended 

from the program’s stakeholder communities, in addition to about 20–25 more staff 

members from federal agencies. 

13. Implemented Pilot Projects on Climate Adaptation: Estuary and Utility Cooperation

In 2012, EPA conducted pilots to increase the coordination between Climate Ready 

Water Utilities (CRWU) and Climate Ready Estuaries initiatives. The North Hudson 

Sewerage Authority and the New York/New Jersey Harbor National Estuary Program 

project was completed in 2011 and the report is now available on EPA’s website. The 

2012 pilots were conducted by the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program in North 

Carolina and the Morro Bay National Estuary Program in California. For all three pilot 

projects, CREAT was used to conduct a joint risk assessment with watershed partners to 

identify current and future climate threats and adaptation options. 
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Vision Area 4: 

Water 

Quality

Vision: The Nation’s surface water, drinking water, and ground water quality are protected, 

and the risks of climate change to human health and the environment are diminished, through a 

variety of adaptation and mitigation strategies. 

14. Developed Climate Assessment Tool (CAT) for Stormwater 

In 2012, EPA developed the Climate Assessment Tool (CAT) 

as a module for the Stormwater Calculator based on the

Stormwater Management Model (SWMM). The Stormwater 

CAT, which will be released in final form in 2013, allows 

users to assess the efficacy of stormwater control measures 

including “green infrastructure” measures, in a range of 

potential climate change-influenced precipitation and 

temperature conditions. The Stormwater CAT will aid 

municipalities in implementing stormwater management programs. Outputs from the 

stormwater calculator and SWMM may be integrated into watershed models which 

would allow for comprehensive management of stormwater controls. 

15. Revised NPDES Permit Writers’ Manual to Address Climate Change

The 2012 version of the NPDES Permit Writers’ Manual includes 

new text providing for consideration of climate change in two 

sections:

• Section 5.2.2.7: Apply Additional Regulatory Considerations 

in Calculating Thermal Discharge Limits – Clean Water Act

Section 316(a) Variance: Permitting authorities should be 

aware that the effects of global climate change could alter 

the thermal profile of some receiving waters making the historical record of thermal 

conditions less representative of future conditions.

• Section 6.2.4.2: Receiving Water Critical Conditions Receiving Water Upstream 

Flow: Modelers should be aware that the effects of climate change could alter 

historical flow patterns in rivers and streams, making these historical flow records 

less accurate in predicting current and future critical flows. 

16. Established Principals for an Energy-Water Future

The Office of Water developed and published Principles for an Energy-Water Future, 

which outlines six principles to address the energy-water nexus including:

• Efficiency in the use of energy and water should form the foundation of how we 

develop, distribute, recover, and use energy and water; 

• The exploration, production, transmission and use of energy should have as small an 

impact on water resources as possible, in terms of water quality and water quantity;
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• The pumping, treating, distribution, use, collection, reuse and ultimate disposal of 

water should have as small an impact on energy resources as possible; 

• Wastewater treatment facilities, which treat human and animal waste, should be 

viewed as renewable resource recovery facilities that produce clean water, recover 

energy, and generate nutrients;

• The water and energy sectors – governments, utilities, manufacturers, and 

consumers – should move toward integrated energy and water management from 

source, production, and generation to end user; and 

• Maximize comprehensive, societal benefits. 

For more information on the principles, see: 

http://water.epa.gov/action/upload/EnergyWater-Principles4_17_12.pdf. 
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Vision Area 5: 

Working with 

Tribes

Vision: Tribes are able to preserve, adapt, and maintain the viability of their culture, traditions, 

natural resources, and economies in the face of a changing climate.

17. Initiated Tribal-Focused Environmental Risk Sustainability Tool (Tribal-FERST)

The Office of Water is participating in a project with the EPA Office of Research and 

Development to develop the Tribal-Focused Environmental Risk and Sustainability Tool

(Tribal- FERST). Tribal-FERST is a web-based geospatial decision support tool that 

provides Tribes with access to the best available human health and ecological science. In 

Tribal-FERST, users will be able to follow step-by-step guidance for identifying priority 

issues (e.g. climate change), compiling data, ranking and addressing risks, and assessing 

impacts of actions taken. At each step, relevant information will be provided, such as: 

• Fact sheets and reports about environmental issues of concern;

• A tribal environmental data table providing quantitative information to support 

risk prioritization;

• Decision-making guides integrating traditional ecological knowledge and western 

science;

• A geospatial mapping component;

• Access to best practices and guidance for addressing risks; and 

• Links to other tools relevant to tribal environmental decision-making. 
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Vision Area 6: 

Cross-cutting Program Support

18. Co-Chair of the Climate Change Adaptation and Water Stakeholder Group

Since 2012, the Office of 

Water has served as cochair of a newly 

established Climate 

Change Workgroup of the Advisory Committee on Water Information (ACWI). The 

workgroup includes 40 representatives of federal agencies and stakeholder organizations 

that have come together to provide advice and comment to Federal agencies on a range 

of climate change and water resources issues, including the progress in implementing the 

National Action Plan: Priorities for Managing Freshwater Resources in a Changing 

Climate. 

19. Supported Development of Climate Technical Training 

The Office of Water participated in developing a technical training curriculum that 

instructs water resources professionals on how to incorporate climate science and its 

associated uncertainties into hydrologic assessment studies. The project was conducted 

in partnership with the EPA’s ORD, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Army Corps of 

Engineers, Western Water Assessment, and the University Consortium of Atmospheric 

Research to build the curriculum. 

20. Participated in EPA and Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Efforts

National Water Program staff participated in a range of workgroups within EPA and with

other federal agencies working to adapt to a changing climate including the: 

• EPA Climate Change Adaptation Workgroup;

• Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force; 

o Fish, Wildlife, and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy workgroup;

o National Ocean Policy workgroup on climate change; 

o Freshwater Resources Workgroup;

• Interagency Ocean Acidification Working Group; and

• Coral Reef Task Force. 

The Office of Water also has an interagency agreement with NOAA where climate 

adaptation is a joint focus.
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PART II

HIGHLIGHTS FROM 

CLIMATE CHANGE REGIONS

Climate change poses different challenges 

in different regions of the country. 

Highlights of the efforts to adapt water 

programs to a changing climate in the 

climate change regions identified in the 

2012 Strategy, and for the large aquatic ecosystem programs implemented by EPA around the 

country (e.g. Chesapeake Bay, Great Lakes, and Gulf of Mexico) are presented below. 

Northeast Climate Region 

1. Initiated Water Champions Program 

The Water Champions Program is a service-learning partnership program implemented

by EPA Region 2. It is designed to encourage development of sustainable, stakeholder 

driven projects that lead to long-term behavioral changes in local communities, including 

water conservation that leads to reduced energy use and reduction in greenhouse gas 

emissions. Through collaboration with local and regional agencies and/or organizations 

(such as universities, state agencies, schools, etc.) the Water Champions Program 

identifies a Stewardship Facilitator and works with this person to develop a Water 

Champions Project in a local community. High school students, at the direction of the 

Stewardship Facilitator, develop and implement projects aimed at achieving measurable 

reductions in local and regional water consumption. There are four core objectives to 

the “Water Champions” Program:

• Build capacity for organizations to inform the community about the importance of 

water conservation and the existence of cost saving/water reducing technologies, 

along with the WaterSense Program; 

• Recruit regional and/or local retailers of water consuming technologies to 

participate in EPA’s WaterSense program; 

• Gather data on the purchase of water efficient technologies and calculate the 

reduced volume of water used and cost savings associated with these purchases; 

and,

• Share project outcomes and look to recruit additional organizations in the area to 

participate in this service-learning project.

More information can be found at:

http://www.epa.gov/region02/p2/other_p2_prog_init_actv.html#other_programs.
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Southeast Climate Region 

2. Implemented Cooperative Energy Management Initiative for Wastewater Utilities

EPA Region 4 developed and implemented an Energy Management Initiative (EMI) in 

collaboration with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation to work 

with water and wastewater public utilities in Tennessee to save energy and reduce their 

carbon footprint. A group of seven Tennessee water utilities participated in the EMI, 

which included several site visits and participation in a series of four energy management 

workshops. The site visits were completed in November 2011 and included energy 

benchmarking at each utility using Portfolio Manager and a preliminary energy 

assessment of the utility’s facilities. Reports from those visits were presented to the 

utilities in January-February 2012. The project resulted in:

• 7,300,000 kWh savings on annual basis;

• $620,000 energy cost savings annual basis; 

• 7,100 tons carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions reduction on an annual basis; and 

• Overall energy savings: 16.9%.

A public recognition event for participating utilities was held in Nashville, Tennessee in 

October 2012. 

Midwest Climate Region

3. Developed Innovative Aquifer Storage

EPA Region 5 issued an operational permit for the Joint Powers Water Board (JPWB) in

Minnesota. The Board’s Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) program is the first of its 

kind in Region 5 and is expected to serve as a model for others. The ASR program is 

currently in the storage phase, recharging the aquifer with potable water during winter 

and fall months when consumer demand is low. ASR is expected to help the Board realize 

significant capital savings by modulating daily treatment needs. JPWB captured/stored 

more than 50,427,000 gallons of treated water in 2012.

Great Plains Climate Region

4. Organized Forum on Sustainable Materials for Climate Adaptation

EPA Region 6 worked to incubate a Sustainable Materials and Pollution Prevention Forum 

in the Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) area of Texas. The forum continues to serve as a venue 

for regular meetings of more than 16 cities in the DFW area to share project ideas and 

results in a variety of sustainability areas that intersect with climate change adaptation. 

The Forum has been formed and membership continues to grow.
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Southwest Climate Region

5. Improved Water Utility Energy Management

EPA Region 9’s Sustainable Infrastructure Program completed a comprehensive one-year 

pilot program of monthly energy management webinars with eight water/wastewater 

utilities resulting in ten projects that reduced nearly 3,244 megawatt hour (MWh)/year 

of electricity, greenhouse gas emissions of nearly 2,300 Metric Ton Carbon Dioxide 

Equivalent (MT CO2 e)/year, plus nearly $600,000 in reduced operating costs by 

implementing projects using the Environmental Management Systems approach. 

Region 9 also partnered with the San Francisco State University and San Diego State 

University’s Industrial Assessment Centers (IACs) to audit 9 wastewater treatment 

facilities in California, Hawaii and Arizona. The IACs recommended 25 unique energy 

conservation opportunities which could save a total of $5.5M/year and 27M kilowatt 

hour (kwh)/year.

Pacific Northwest Climate Region

6. Incorporated Climate Change into Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)

EPA Region 10 hosted a workshop to kick off work on a Total Maximum Daily Load 

(TMDL) pilot project investigating how to incorporate climate change into a nonpoint 

source TMDL. Participants included climate and watershed scientists, staff from the 

Nooksack Tribe and Lummi Nation, Washington Department of Ecology, EPA ORDCorvallis Lab, and EPA Region 10.

Montane Climate Region

7. Added Climate Change to Water Supply Environmental Impact Statements

EPA Region 8’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Section 404 programs have 

been working with other federal agencies to include climate change analyses in water 

supply Environmental Impact Statements (EISs). In 2012, EPA advocated for a more 

quantitative climate change water resources analysis to be utilized in the documents for 

new water supply projects. These efforts mainly resulted in qualitative analyses of 

climate change effects. Although EPA has not yet developed generalized watershed 

information in the region for use in climate change analyses, comments and requests for 

such analysis from other federal agencies may be influential. A water supply EIS

submitted in 2012 and reviewed by EPA Region 10 included a quantitative climate 

analysis of impacts in the context of climate change. Key partners include the U.S. 

Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, States, and local water providers. 
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Alaska Climate Region

8. Conducted Climate Change Webinars for Tribes in Alaska

The EPA Anchorage Operations Office, in partnership with the Institute for Tribal 

Environmental Professionals, hosted quarterly webinars with Tribes in Alaska on climate 

change impacts, including impacts on water resources. One of these webinars was 

hosted by the Chickaloon on salmon restoration in light of climate change. Another 

webinar introduced the State of Alaska’s project to assess coastal and riverine erosion 

and its impacts to landfills and contaminated areas.

Caribbean Islands Climate Region

9. Used Coastal Zone Management Strategies to Address Coastal Climate Change Issues

EPA Region 2 and the Puerto Rico Coastal Adaptation Project (part of the Puerto Rico 

Coastal Management Program led by NOAA) have been collaborating to:

• Identify the communities and ecosystems most at-risk from coastal hazards and 

climate changes using the best available scientific knowledge; 

• Identify, assess, and prioritize effective adaptation strategies and policies that 

could be implemented in Puerto Rico; 

• Serve as a clearinghouse of climate information for Puerto Rico researchers, 

planners, government officials, businesses, NGOs, and concerned citizens; and 

• Provide opportunities and space for multi-stakeholder communication on the 

topic of coastal vulnerability and adaptation. 

U.S. Pacific Islands Climate Region

10. Initiated Coral Reef Protection Strategy

EPA Region 9 is working with other federal agencies to develop a Coral Reef Strategy for 

Hawaii and the U.S. Pacific Territories of Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern 

Marianas Islands, and American Samoa. Corals in these regions are threatened by 

climate changes including warming air and water, increased storm intensity, and rising 

sea levels. Acidification of ocean waters as a result of increases in CO2 levels in the 

atmosphere also pose risks to corals, as do water pollution and overfishing. NOAA 

evaluated 83 species of coral for risk of extinction from climate change-related stressors 

and has proposed listing 59 coral species in the Pacific Ocean as threatened or 

endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Region 9 seeks to better focus 

authorities, technical assistance, and funds for protection of coral reefs in the Pacific 

Islands, and to provide leadership on the links between coral reef protection and 

climate change. The Strategy will identify actions needed to protect coral reefs include 

reducing sources of land based pollution and increasing the resilience of coral reefs to 

climate change stressors.
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Large Aquatic Ecosystems

11. Implemented Climate Change Adaptation Projects for Large Aquatic Ecosystems

Key projects concerning climate change were completed in several U.S. coastal areas: 

• The San Francisco Bay Large Aquatic Ecosystem program collaborated with the Bay 

Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) to identify habitats and 

infrastructure that are vulnerable to climate change and sea level rise, and to 

formulate new policies for BCDC’s Bay Plan to address these vulnerabilities. For 

additional information, see 

http://www.sfestuary.org/projects/detail2.php?projectID=4.

• The new Puget Sound Study action plan will include several climate pieces focusing 

on a potential monitoring program. 

• The Chesapeake Bay Program reviewed the current understanding of climate change 

impacts on the tidal Chesapeake Bay and identified critical knowledge gaps and 

research priorities. 

• The Gulf of Mexico Program has developed a resilience index for coastal

communities and has installed equipment to monitor changes to land and water 

elevation.

• The Long Island Sound Study used Climate Ready Estuaries funding to develop a 

Connecticut Adaptation Resources Toolkit (CART) that in turn was based on its

experience from another Climate Ready Estuary project that involved working with 

the town of Groton and other federal and state partners to develop a climate change 

adaptation plan.

• EPA Region 1 and ORD are developing quantitative methods for projecting the likely

pollutant (phosphorus, nitrogen, and total dissolved solids) loading consequences of 

climate change on Lake Champlain. This project will provide an example of how 

climate change can be incorporated into the TMDL process.
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Great Lakes and Climate Change

12. Implemented Climate Change Adaptation Projects for the Great Lakes

In 2012, the Office of Water supported several projects in the Great Lakes region related 

to climate change: 

• Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) 2012 Request for Proposals: Awarded two 

grants to work with local Great Lakes communities to help them assess their climate 

vulnerabilities and implement adaptation planning and provided extra credit to any 

GLRI application that incorporated a sensitivity to climate change implications into 

their proposed work.

• GLRI 2012 Interagency Agreements: Approved climate change information 

activities under several interagency agreements with federal partners in 

implementing the GLRI and encouraged all federal partners to incorporate sensitivity

to climate change impacts into their GLRI interagency agreements.

• GLRI Capacity Grants to States and Tribes: Included climate change planning and 

adaptation work in some GLRI capacity grants to Great Lakes States and Tribes.

• U.S. – Canada Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA): Succeeded in 

adding a climate change impacts annex to the newly negotiated amendments to the 

GLWQA with Canada.
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PART III

Assessment of Progress: 

2012 Baseline

The National Water Program is beginning a new process in 2012 to track progress in 

implementing climate change response programs based on assessing the stage or phase of 

development of efforts to implement each of the 19 specific “Goals” identified in the 2012 

Strategy. 

Seven developmental phases for climate change related work are: 

1. Initiation - conduct a screening assessment of potential implications of climate 

change to mission, programs, and operations;

 

2. Assessment - conduct a broader review to understand how climate change affects 

the resources in question;

3. Response Development - identify changes necessary to continue to reach program 

mission and goals and develop initial action plan;

4. Initial Implementation - initiate actions in selected priority programs or projects

5. Robust Implementation - programs are underway and lessons learned are being 

applied to additional programs and projects; 

6. Mainstreaming - climate is an embedded, component of the program; and 

7. Monitor Outcomes and Adaptive Management - continue to monitor and integrate 

performance, new information, and lessons learned into programs and plans. 

More detailed description of each of these phases of assessment is included in Table I.

Recognizing the long-term nature of work to address climate change, the National Water 

Program has identified the current (i.e. December 2012) status of work on each of the 

Supporting Actions in Table II of this report. The 2012 baseline assessment has a total numeric 

value of 42 out of a total possible score of 133 (i.e., 19 Goals with the potential to achieve a 

score of 7 for each action equates to a total score of 133). This combined score indicates that 

many actions to implement goals are in the early stages of implementation.

Future annual progress reports will identify the cumulative progress toward full 

implementation of the Strategy in both narrative and numeric terms. 
19 | Page

TABLE I

DESCRIPTION OF PHASES

National Water 

Program Phases

Explanation Examples of Evidence of Achievement 

1. Initiation Conduct a screening 

assessment of 

potential implications 

of climate change to 

mission, programs, 

and operations 

• Preliminary information is developed to evaluate 

relevance of climate change to the mission or 

program; a decision is made as to whether to prepare 

a response to climate change; further exploration of 

climate change implications has been authorized

• Responsibilities are assigned at appropriate levels 

within the organization and resources are available to 

develop a more in-depth assessment

2. Assessment Conduct a broader 

review to understand 

how climate change 

affects the resources 

in question 

Work with 

stakeholders to 

develop an 

understanding of the 

implications of 

climate change to the 

mission, programs, 

and operations

• Review science literature and assessments to 

understand how climate change affects the resources 

being protected (threat to mission); Engage internal 

staff and external stakeholders in evaluation

• Identify climate change issues and concerns and 

communicate with internal and external stakeholders 

and partners.

• Identify which specific programs are threatened and 

what specific information or tools need to be 

developed 

• Communicate findings to partners and stakeholders 

and engage them in dialogue on building adaptive 

capacity

3. Response 

development

Identify changes 

necessary to continue 

to reach program 

mission and goals

Develop initial action 

plan

Identify and seek the 

research, information 

and tools needed to 

support actions 

Begin to build the 

body of tools, 

information and 

partnerships 

needed to build 

capacity internally 

and externally

• Develop initial program vision and goals for responding 

to climate change.

• Identify needed response actions or changes that will 

allow the organization to begin to address climate 

impacts on its mission

• Initiate strategies and actions in a few key areas to 

begin to build organizational ability to use climate 

information in decision processes

• Identify program partners’ needs for building 

adaptive capacity

• Begin working with an external ‘community of 

practice’ to engage in tool and program development

• Rudimentary methods are put in place to track 

progress and options for more formal measures are 

identified and evaluated

• Develop a strategy and partnerships to obtain 

additional needed research
20 | Page

4. Initial 

Implementation 

Initiate actions in 

selected priority 

programs or projects 

• Make it clear within the organization that 

incorporating climate change into programs is 

critical

• Initiate actions and plans identified in Step 3

• Initiate projects with partners

• Develop needed information and tools 

• Initial implementation of measures capable of 

documenting the extent of implementation of 

needed actions by partners/stakeholders

• Some program partners have begun to implement 

response actions

5. Robust 

Implementation

Programs are 

underway and lessons 

learned are being 

applied to additional 

programs and 

projects 

• Lessons learned are evaluated and strategies are 

refined

• Efforts are initiated to consider climate change in 

additional program elements

• Continue to institute institutional changes to 

include climate change in core programs, including 

refinement of measures

• External communities of practice are in place to 

support ongoing capacity development

6. 

Mainstreaming

Climate is an 

embedded, 

component of the 

program 

• The organization's culture and policies are aligned 

with responding to climate change

• All staff have a basic understanding of climate 

change causes and impacts

• All relevant programs, activities, and decisions 

processes intrinsically incorporate climate change 

• Measures for documenting progress among 

partners/stakeholders are well established and 

supporting program evaluation

7. Monitor 

Outcomes and 

Adaptive 

Management 

Continue to monitor 

and integrate 

performance, new 

information, and 

lessons learned into 

programs and plans

• Progress is evaluated and needed changes are 

implemented

• As impacts of climate change unfold, climate 

change impacts and organizational responses are 

reassessed
21 | Page

TABLE II

SUPPORTING ACTIONS AND 2012 BASELINE ASSESSMENTS/SCORES

Visions and 

Goals Strategic Actions

2012 

Development 

Phase / Score

Infrastructure: In the face of a changing climate, resilient and adaptable drinking water, 

wastewater and stormwater utilities (water sector) ensure clean and safe water to protect 

the nation’s public health and environment by making smart investment decisions to improve 

the sustainability of their infrastructure and operations and the communities they serve, 

while reducing greenhouse gas emissions through greater energy efficiency. 

Goal 1: 

Build the body 

of information 

and tools 

needed to 

incorporate 

climate 

change into 

planning and 

decision 

making.

SA1: Improve access to vetted climate and hydrological 

science, modeling, and assessment tools through the Climate 

Ready Water Utilities program.

Phase:

Response 

Development

Score: 

3

SA2: Assist wastewater and water utilities to reduce 

greenhouse gas emissions and increase long-term 

sustainability with a combination of energy efficiency, cogeneration, and increased use of renewable energy 

resources.

SA3: Work with the States and public water systems, 

particularly small water systems, to identify and plan for 

climate change challenges to drinking water safety and to 

assist in meeting health based drinking water standards.

SA4: Promote sustainable design approaches to provide for 

the long-term sustainability of infrastructure and operations.

Goal 2: 

Support 

Integrated 

Water 

Resource 

Management 

(IWRM) to 

sustainably 

manage water 

resources.

SA5: Understand and promote through technical assistance 

the use of water supply management strategies.

Phase:

Assessment

Score: 

2

SA6: Evaluate and provide technical assistance on the use of 

water demand management strategies.

SA7: Increase cross-sector knowledge of water supply 

climate challenges and develop watershed specific 

information to inform decision making.
22 | Page

Visions and 

Goals Strategic Actions

2012 

Development 

Phase / Score

Watersheds & Wetlands: Watersheds are protected, maintained and restored to ensure 

climate resilience and to preserve the social and economic benefits they provide; and the 

nation’s wetlands are maintained and improved using integrated approaches that recognize 

their inherent value as well as their role in reducing the impacts of climate change.

Goal 3: 

Identify, 

protect, and 

maintain a 

network of 

healthy 

watersheds and 

supportive 

habitat corridor 

networks. 

SA8: Develop a national framework and support efforts to 

protect remaining healthy watersheds and aquatic 

ecosystems.

Phase:

Response 

Development

Score:

3

SA9: Collaborate with partners on terrestrial ecosystems 

and hydrology so that effects on water quality and aquatic 

ecosystems are considered.

SA10: Integrate protection of healthy watersheds 

throughout the National Water Program core programs. 

SA11: Increase public awareness of the role and importance 

of healthy watersheds in reducing the impacts of climate 

change. 

Goal 4: 

Incorporate 

climate 

resilience into 

watershed 

restoration and 

floodplain 

management.

SA12: Consider a means of accounting for climate change in 

EPA funded and other watershed restoration projects. Phase:

Response 

Development

Score:

3

SA13: Work with federal, state, interstate, tribal, and local 

partners to protect and restore the natural resources and 

functions of riverine and coastal floodplains as a means of 

building resiliency and protecting water quality.

Goal 5: 

Watershed 

protection 

practices 

incorporate 

Source Water 

Protection to 

protect drinking 

water supplies.

SA14: Encourage States to update their source water 

delineations, assessments or protection plans to address 

anticipated climate change impacts. Phase:

Assessment

Score:

2

SA15: Continue to support collaborative efforts to increase 

state and local awareness of source water protection needs 

and opportunities, and encourage inclusion of source water 

protection areas in local climate change adaptation 

initiatives.
23 | Page

Visions and 

Goals Strategic Actions 2012 Baseline Assessment

Watersheds & Wetlands (continued)

Goal 6:

Incorporate 

climate change 

considerations 

into the Clean 

Water Act 404 

regulatory 

program as they 

relate to permit 

reviews and 

compensatory 

mitigation.

SA16: Consider the effects of climate change, as 

appropriate, when making significant degradation 

determinations in the Clean Water Act Section 404 wetlands 

permitting and enforcement program Phase:

Initiation

Score:

1

SA17: Evaluate, in conjunction with the U.S. Army Corps of 

Engineers, how wetland and stream compensation projects 

could be selected, designed, and sited to aid in reducing the 

effects of climate change.

Goal 7:

Improve 

baseline 

information on 

wetland extent, 

condition and 

performance to 

inform effective 

adaptation to 

climate change.

SA18: Expand wetland mapping by supporting wetland 

mapping coalitions and training on use of the new federal 

Wetland Mapping Standard.

Phase:

Initiation

Score:

1

SA19: Produce a statistically valid, ecological condition 

assessment of the nation’s wetlands.

SA20: Work with partners and stakeholders to develop 

information and tools to support long term planning and 

priority setting for wetland restoration projects.
24 | Page

Visions and 

Goals Strategic Actions 2012 Baseline Assessment

Coastal and Ocean Waters: Adverse effects of climate change and unintended adverse 

consequences of responses to climate change have been successfully prevented or reduced in 

the ocean and coastal environment. Federal, tribal, state, and local agencies, organizations, 

and institutions are working cooperatively; and information necessary to integrate climate 

change considerations into ocean and coastal management is produced, readily available, and 

used.

Goal 8: 

Collaborate to 

ensure 

information and 

methodologies 

for ocean and 

coastal areas 

are collected, 

produced, 

analyzed, and 

easily available.

SA21: Collaborate to ensure that synergy occurs, lessons 

learned are transferred, federal efforts effectively help local 

communities, and efforts are not duplicative or at crosspurposes.

Phase: 

Response 

Development

Score:

3

SA22: Work within EPA and with the U.S. Global Change 

Research Program and other federal, tribal, and state 

agencies to collect, produce, analyze, and format knowledge 

and information needed to protect ocean and coastal areas 

and make it easily available.

Goal 9: 

EPA 

geographically 

targeted 

programs 

support and 

build networks 

of local, tribal, 

state, regional 

and federal 

collaborators to 

take effective 

adaptation 

measures for 

coastal and 

ocean 

environments.

SA23: Work with the National Water Program’s larger 

geographic programs to incorporate climate change 

considerations, focusing on both the natural and built 

environments.

Phase:

Assessment

Score:

2

SA24: Address climate change adaptation and build 

stakeholder capacity when implementing NEP 

Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans and 

through the Climate Ready Estuaries Program.

SA25: Conduct outreach and education, and provide 

technical assistance to state and local watershed 

organizations and communities to build adaptive capacity in 

coastal areas outside the NEP and Large Aquatic Ecosystem 

programs.
25 | Page

Visions and 

Goals Strategic Actions 2012 Baseline Assessment

Coastal and Ocean Waters (continued)

Goal 10: 

Address climate 

driven 

environmental 

changes in 

coastal areas 

and ensure that 

mitigation and 

adaptation are 

conducted in an 

environmentally 

responsible 

manner.

SA26: Support coastal wastewater, stormwater, and 

drinking water infrastructure owners and operators in 

reducing climate risks and encourage adaptation in coastal 

areas.

Phase:

Assessment

Score:

2

SA27: Support climate readiness of coastal communities, 

including hazard mitigation, pre-disaster planning, 

preparedness, and recovery efforts.

SA28: Support preparation and response planning for 

diverse impacts to coastal aquatic environments.

Goal 11: Ocean 

environments 

are protected 

by EPA 

programs that 

incorporate 

shifting 

environmental 

conditions, and 

other emerging 

threats.

SA29: Consider climate change impacts on marine water 

quality in NWP ocean management authorities, policies, and 

programs.

Phase:

Assessment

Score:

2

SA30: Use available authorities and work with the Regional 

Ocean Organizations and other federal and state agencies 

through regional ocean groups and other networks so that 

offshore renewable energy production does not adversely 

affect the marine environment.

SA31: Support the evaluation of sub-seabed sequestration 

of CO2 and any proposals for ocean fertilization.

SA32: Participate in interagency development and 

implementation of federal strategies through the National 

Ocean Council and the National Ocean Council Strategic 

Action Plans.
26 | Page

Visions and 

Goals Strategic Actions 2012 Baseline Assessment

Water Quality: Our Nation’s surface water, drinking water, and ground water quality are 

protected, and the risks of climate change to human health and the environment are 

diminished, through a variety of adaptation and mitigation strategies.

Goal 12: 

Protect waters 

of the United 

States and 

promote 

management of 

sustainable 

surface water 

resources.

SA33: Encourage States and communities to incorporate 

climate change considerations into their water quality 

planning.

Phase:

Assessment

Score:

2

SA34: Encourage green infrastructure and low-impact 

development to protect water quality and make watersheds 

more resilient.

SA35: Promote consideration of climate change impacts by 

NPDES permitting authorities.

SA36: Encourage water quality authorities to consider 

climate change impacts when developing wasteload and 

load allocations in TMDLs where appropriate.

SA37: Identify and protect designated uses that are at risk 

from climate change impacts. 

SA38: Clarify how to re-evaluate aquatic life water quality 

criteria on more regular intervals; and develop information 

to assist States and Tribes who are developing criteria that 

incorporate climate change considerations for hydrologic 

condition.

Goal 13: 

As the nation 

makes decisions 

to reduce its 

greenhouse gas 

emissions and 

develop 

alternative 

sources of 

energy and fuel, 

the National 

Water Program

will work to 

protect water 

resources from 

unintended 

adverse 

consequences.

SA39: Continue to provide perspective on the water 

resource implications of new energy technologies.

Phase:

Initiation

Score:

1

SA40: Provide assistance to States and permittees to assure 

that geologic sequestration of CO2 is responsibly managed.

SA41: Continue to work with States to help them identify 

polluted waters, including those affected by biofuels 

production, and help them develop and implement TMDLs

for those waters.

SA42: Provide informational materials for stakeholders to 

encourage the consideration of alternative sources of 

energy and fuels that are water efficient and maintain water 

quality.

SA43: As climate change affects the operation or placement

of reservoirs, EPA will work with other federal agencies and 

EPA programs to understand the combined effects of 

climate change and hydropower on flows, water 

temperature, and water quality.
27 | Page

Visions and 

Goals Strategic Actions 2012 Baseline Assessment

Water Quality (continued)

Goal 14: 

Collaborate to 

make 

hydrological 

and climate 

data and 

projections 

available.

SA44: Monitor climate change impacts to surface waters 

and ground water. Phase: 

Response 

Development

Score:

3

SA45: Collaborate with other federal agencies to develop 

new methods for use of updated precipitation, storm 

frequency, and observational streamflow data, as well as 

methods for evaluating projected changes in low flow 

conditions.

SA46: Enhance flow estimation using National Hydrography 

Dataset Plus (NHDPlus).

Working With Tribes: Tribes are able to preserve, adapt, and maintain the viability of their 

culture, traditions, natural resources, and economies in the face of a changing climate. 

Goal 15: 

Incorporate 

climate change 

considerations 

in the 

implementation 

of core 

programs, and 

collaborate with 

other EPA 

Offices and

federal 

Agencies to 

work with 

Tribes on 

climate change 

issues on a 

multi-media 

basis. 

SA47: Through formal consultation and other mechanisms, 

incorporate climate change as a key consideration in the 

revised NWP Tribal Strategy and subsequent 

implementation of Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water 

Act, and other core programs.

Phase:

Assessment

Score:

2

SA48: Incorporate adaptation into tribal funding 

mechanisms, and collaborate with other EPA and federal 

funding programs to support sustainability and adaptation 

in tribal communities.

Goal 16: 

Tribes have 

access to 

information on 

climate change 

for decision 

making.

SA49: Collaborate to explore and develop climate change 

science, information, and tools for Tribes, and incorporate 

local knowledge.

Phase:

Assessment

Score:

2

SA50: Collaborate to develop communication materials 

relevant for tribal uses and tribal audiences. 
28 | Page

Visions and 

Goals Strategic Actions 2012 Baseline Assessment

Cross-Cutting Program Support

Goal 17: 

Communication, 

Collaboration, 

and Training

SA51: Continue building the communication, collaboration, 

and training mechanisms needed to effectively increase 

adaptive capacity at the federal, tribal, state, and local 

levels.

Phase: 

Response 

Development

Score:

3

Goal 18: 

Tracking 

Progress And 

Measuring 

Outcomes

SA52: Adopt a phased approach to track programmatic 

progress towards Strategic Actions; achieve commitments 

reflected in the Agency Strategic Plan; work with the EPA 

Work Group to develop outcome measures. 

Phase: 

Response 

Development

Score:

3

Goal 19: Climate 

Change and 

Water Research 

Needs

SA53: Work with ORD, other water science agencies, and 

the water research community to further define needs and 

develop research opportunities to deliver the information 

needed to support implementation of this 2012 Strategy, 

including providing the decision support tools needed by 

water resource managers. 

Phase:

Assessment

Score:

2

Total Score:

42 of a 

possible 133
29 | Page

Appendix A: 

Highlights Summary Table

Highlights: National Water Programs

Vision Area 1: Water Infrastructure

1) Issued Water Utility Climate Tool: Version 2.0

2) Published Adaptation Strategies Guide

3) Published Planning for Extreme Weather Events: Workshop Planner for the Water Sector

4) Published Extreme Events Case Study Series

5) Expanded WaterSense to New Multi-Family Housing and Irrigation

6) Published Planning for Sustainability Handbook for Water and Wastewater utilities

Vision Area 2: Watersheds and Wetlands

7) Published Identifying and Protecting Healthy Watersheds: Concepts, Assessments, and 

Management Approaches

8) Hosted Webcast: Restore-Adapt-Mitigate: Responding to Climate Change through 

Coastal Habitat Restoration

9) Integrated Climate Change in Wetland Program Development Grants 

10) Addressed Climate Change in Recovery Potential Screening Methodology 

Vision Area 3: Coastal and Ocean Waters

11) Expanded Climate Ready Estuaries Program

12) Hosted Workshop on Coastal Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments 

13) Implemented Pilot Projects on Climate Adaptation: Estuary and Utility Cooperation

Vision Area 4: Water Quality

14) Developed Climate Assessment Tool (CAT) for Stormwater 

15) Revised NPDES Permit Writers’ Manual to Address Climate Change

16) Established Principals for an Energy-Water Future

Vision Area 5: Working with Tribes

17) Initiated Tribal-Focused Environmental Risk Sustainability Tool (Tribal-FERST)

Vision Area 6: Cross-cutting Program Support

18) Co-Chair of the Climate Change Adaptation and Water Stakeholder Group

19) Supported Development of Climate Technical Training Organize Extreme Events 

Workshops

20) Participated in EPA and Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Efforts
30 | Page

Highlights: Climate Regions

Northeast Climate Region 

1) Initiate Water Champions Program 

Southeast Climate Region 

2) Implement Cooperative Energy Management Initiative for Wastewater Utilities

Midwest Climate Region

3) Develop Innovative Aquifer Storage

Great Plains Climate Region

4) Organize Forum on Sustainable Materials for Climate Adaptation

Southwest Climate Region

5) Improve Water Utility Energy Management

Pacific Northwest Climate Region

6) Incorporate Climate Change into Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)

Montane Climate Region

7) Add Climate Change to Water Supply Environmental Impact Statements

Alaska Climate Region

8) Conduct Climate Change Webinars for Tribes in Alaska

Caribbean Islands Climate Region

9) Use Coastal Zone Management to Address Coastal Climate Change Issues

U.S. Pacific Islands Climate Region

10) Initiate Coral Reef Protection Strategy
31 | Page

Appendix B:

Compendium of Additional 2012 Accomplishments

In addition to the accomplishments highlighted for each of the vision areas and climate regions, 

other important projects are in development and a number of supporting activities are being 

implemented. A complete summary of activities related to climate change and water programs 

is provided below. 

National Water Program Climate Change Adaptation Accomplishments

Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds

• In 2012, EPA developed a Climate Change Risk Management Workbook designed to 

assist water resources managers in the development of climate change vulnerability 

assessments and action plans on an estuary or waterbody basis. The workbook 

describes a step-by-step process that managers can follow to evaluate climate related 

risks and develop response actions that fit the conditions and needs of a specific water 

resource. The workbook is planned for release in late 2013. 

• The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service maintains the National Wetlands Inventory. In 2009, 

EPA co-led a stakeholder working group (Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) 

Wetlands subcommittee) to develop a new standard to support digital mapping of 

wetlands for incorporation into the National Wetlands Inventory and the National 

Hydrography Dataset (NHD). Accurate mapping of wetlands is essential to 

understanding how climate change may result in changes in wetlands over time. EPA 

has supported the long-term objective of the FGDC Wetlands subcommittee to 

complete digital mapping for the country. Specifically, a number of 2012 RFP Wetland 

Program Development Grants have supported National Wetlands Inventory mapping,

including:

o Vermont Agency of Natural Resources: Vermont Agency of Natural Resource’s 

proposal aims to strengthen and develop the overall Vermont Wetland Program; 

o DuPage County Wetland Survey and Mapping Project in DuPage County Illinois;

o Colorado State University FY 2012 Wetland Program Development Grants

Stream Mitigation and Mapping project;

o Developing Key Components of a Coordinated Wetlands Program for the Kenai 

Peninsula (Keep-Wet) Alaska; 

o Chilkoot Indian Association Wetland Program Planning Capacity Building Project 

– will include a wetland mapping pilot study; and 

o Washington Historical Mapping and Wetland Program Development.
32 | Page

• The Office of Water is planning a national conference focused on the linkages between 

healthy forests and healthy waters, which will include topics related to climate-induced 

impacts, sustainability, and economic-based incentives fostering protection and 

restoration of natural resources including those in floodplains which protect water 

quality and provide resilience in the face of climate change. The conference is being 

developed by the American Water Resources Association in partnership with EPA, U.S.

Forest Service, The Nature Conservancy, and Pinchot Institute among others. Final 

topic areas have been agreed upon and a finalized “Call for Abstracts” has been 

approved by the conference steering committee. The target audience consists of 

foresters, water resource managers, aquatic ecologists/biologists, land use planners, 

economists, engineers, water supply purveyors, companies who are major water users, 

and land managers from the governmental, private, environmental and academic 

communities.

• EPA and its state, tribal, and federal partners are implementing the first-ever National 

Wetland Condition Assessment (NWCA), a statistical survey of the quality of our 

Nation’s wetlands. This assessment data will help provide a baseline of wetland 

condition that will help understand changes in wetland condition over time as a result of 

climate change and other factors. Field crews collected data at 1,179 sites from Florida 

to Alaska in the summer of 2011. In 2012, EPA processed field and laboratory data from 

these sites and initiated data validation and quality assurance reviews. During 2013, 

EPA will continue to validate and perform quality assurance checks on the field and 

laboratory data, and begin analysis of the data with key federal, state, and academic 

collaborators. A report detailing the results of the survey will be drafted for public 

release and comment in 2013.

• EPA serves on the U.S. government delegation to meetings of the London Convention 

and London Protocol, international ocean dumping treaties, and supported 

development of several actions related to climate change: 

o On November 2, 2012, Contracting Parties to the London Convention and 

London Protocol issued a statement of concern regarding an ocean fertilization

activity reported to have been carried out in July 2012 in ocean waters off the 

Canadian west coast. See 

http://www.imo.org/MediaCentre/PressBriefings/Pages/47-oceanfertilisation.aspx for the International Maritime Organization press release;

o In November 2012, Contracting Parties to the London Convention and London 

Protocol adopted revised international guidance for the Assessment of Carbon 

Dioxide Streams for Disposal into Sub-Seabed Geological Formations (2012 CO2

Sequestration Guidance).
33 | Page

Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water

• The Climate Ready Water Utilities Toolbox (a searchable web-based toolkit that 

contains approximately 600 climate-related resources for water utilities) was updated in 

February 2012 enabling faster and easier access to the newest and most relevant 

climate information. The resources available include reports and publications, funding 

resources, activities, upcoming events, and models and tools for technical information. 

• EPA and its partners have published the web-based Adaptive Response Framework

reference document built on the 2011 National Drinking Water Advisory Council’s 

Climate Ready Water Utilities report. It explains that using an adaptive management 

approach is important when planning for climate change and highlights aspects to 

consider throughout the process of becoming “climate ready” including awareness, 

adaptation, mitigation, policies, community, and partnerships. 

Office of Science and Technology

• Work continues in partnership with the U.S. Geological Society (USGS) to develop 

estimates of the plausible future hydrologic response of our nation’s rivers and 

streams to climate change. Presentations describing this work were given by USGS 

colleagues at the November 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Water Resources 

Association in Jacksonville, Florida. Work currently focuses on calibrating the Water 

Balance Model and adapting the USGS gridded Water Balance Model to the NHDPlus 

waterbody network. Interim products are expected to be ready for peer review in 2013, 

pending budgetary decisions.

• Completed a hydrologic flow assessment with the state of Virginia in July 2012,

described in the technical document, Virginia Ecological Limits of Hydrologic Alteration 

(ELOHA): Development of Metrics of Hydrologic Alteration. This document ties 

landscape alteration and flow alteration together and examines the effects on aquatic 

life. (Partnership with Virginia Department of Environmental Quality).

• The Office of Water is developing a draft Hydrologic Flow white paper, in collaboration 

with EPA Regions, EPA Office of Research and Development, and USGS scientists, which 

provides technical content and non-prescriptive approaches for considering hydrologic 

flow. Completion of the white paper is expected in 2013.

Office of Wastewater Management 

• In 2012, EPA released the 2012 Guidelines for Water Reuse. The 2012 reuse guidelines 

update and build on the Agency’s previous reuse guidelines issued in 2004, 

incorporating information on water reuse that has been developed since the 2004 

document was issued. In addition to summarizing U.S. existing regulations, the 
34 | Page

document includes water reuse practices outside of the U.S., case studies, information 

on planning for future water reuse systems, and information on direct potable reuse 

and industrial reuse. Disinfection and treatment technologies, emerging contaminants, 

and public involvement and acceptance also are discussed.

• EPA helped fund a National Research Council study entitled Water Reuse: Potential for 

Expanding the Nation’s Water Supply Through Reuse of Municipal Wastewater. The 

study, which was finalized in 2012, concluded that “environmental buffers do not 

provide water quality services that cannot also be provided by the use of engineered 

practices, such as advanced treatment and constructed storage facilities. Although 

environmental buffers remain useful elements of water treatment systems that should 

be considered alongside other options, they are not essential elements to reach water 

quality goals.”

• The Office of Water posted the Green Infrastructure Permitting and Enforcement fact 

sheets on the green infrastructure website, discussing how municipalities can 

incorporate green infrastructure into sanitary sewer overflow (SSO), combined sewer 

overflow (CSO), and MS4 permitting and enforcement. The facts sheets are available at: 

http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/greeninfrastructure/gi_regulatory.cfm#permittings

eries.

• EPA worked with the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) to hold a 

green infrastructure conference in September 2012 in which approximately 90 green 

infrastructure experts from across the country gathered to discuss opportunities for and 

barriers against green infrastructure. 

• In July 2012, the Office of Water began a series of technical assistance projects with 17 

communities in 16 states. The projects include code reviews to eliminate barriers to 

green infrastructure in local codes and ordinances, design guidance for particular sites/ 

contexts, and cost - benefit analyses of the multiple benefits of green infrastructure. 

These projects are ongoing and will be completed by December 2013

• In September 2012, the Office of Water launched the Campus RainWorks Challenge for 

college and university students - a design competition to engage students in green 

infrastructure design. 370 teams are participating from 46 states. The competition 

closed at the end of the fall semester and winners will be announced in April 2013. 

• The Office of Water completed an Energy Management Progress Report documenting 

national and Regional efforts to assist utilities in developing energy management plans 

based on EPA Energy Management Guidebook. Three webinars on energy management 

for utilities were conducted. 
35 | Page

Climate Change Adaptation Accomplishments 

Related to Water in EPA Regions

Region 10

• With seed money from EPA Region 10 and additional support from other sponsors, 

Washington State University Extension Energy Program led a planning team to design a 

workshop series focusing on energy efficiency for water and wastewater utilities in 

western Washington. Two workshops were conducted in 2012 with ten utilities 

participating. Partners include Bonneville Power Administration, Puget Sound Energy, 

Zero Waste Alliance and the EPA. The utilities participating in this series will learn 

approaches and techniques leading to reduced energy consumption.

• EPA Region 10 is working with the Washington Department of Ecology, the Lummi 

Nation, and the Nooksack Tribe to identify the best way to integrate available climate 

change data into Ecology's TMDL for temperature stress on salmon in the South Fork 

Nooksack River, Washington. This will provide a case study of both process and climate 

change science as a basis to support future decisions. Examining the way temperature 

can be improved in the Nooksack watershed in order to support salmon restoration is a 

high priority for the Nooksack and Lummi Tribes. The climate change pilot will identify 

available science for the watershed, and document technical issues in a parallel effort to

the ongoing TMDL.

• Consistent with the Puget Sound Action Agenda, EPA Region 10:

o conducted an erosion survey to evaluate sea level rise threat in San Juan County; 

o mapped habitat and infrastructure vulnerability in Puget Sound and restoration 

potential for reducing climate change vulnerability; and

o worked with several Tribes and counties to incorporate climate change in their 

plans and/or analyses. 

Region 9

• Region 9 focused on the development and beneficial use of biogas at wastewater 

treatment facilities. Primary areas of emphasis in 2012 included working to expand the 

Region 9 Biogas Mapping Tool, researching biogas characteristics, and working with 

California agencies and other interested entities to remove technical and regulatory 

barriers that currently discourage the use of biogas. 

• With American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) funds, EPA Region 9 and 

the Hawaii Department of Health held targeted workshops on each of the main 

Hawaiian Islands for field energy audits at four major wastewater treatment plants in 

Kauai, Honolulu, Maui, and Hawaii counties. In 2012, Honolulu County received a 
36 | Page

Clean Water State Revolving Fund loan from the Hawaii Department of Health to 

support implementation of audit recommendations at the Kailua Wastewater 

Treatment Plant. This cogeneration and energy conservation project will construct a 

facility to convert methane to electricity at the wastewater treatment plant.

Region 8

• Through the Sustainable Water Infrastructure Program, Region 8 promoted utility 

energy efficiency through outreach, training, workshops, and incentives. This activity 

stresses the adoption and use of cost-effective technologies and management strategies 

to enhance energy efficiency at water and wastewater utilities. The Region worked with 

13 utilities to benchmark energy use, complete process audits, and develop energy 

management plans. The utilities worked with EPA and its partners on follow-up activities 

to facilitate implementation of their plans. Eleven of 13 utilities are actively 

implementing some or all of the efficiency opportunities identified. Average savings, 

excluding Denver Metro Wastewater, equal $57,166/year and 750,235 kWh/year, 

equivalent to 517 MTCO2 e. Denver Metro identified almost $800,000/year and 

1,752,917 kWh/year in annual energy cost savings, equivalent to 1,209 MTCO2 e.

• The first WaterSense labeled affordable home in the nation was recognized in Region 8. 

The home, in Colorado, was built by Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver to the 

specifications of EPA's three labeled home programs - ENERGY STAR, Indoor airPLUS and 

WaterSense. Representatives of WaterSense have been involved in numerous speaking 

engagements to promote the WaterSense label for new homes, and to educate 

consumers about the Program. A webinar was given by ENERGY STAR, Indoor airPLUS

and WaterSense for various state chapters of the U.S. Green Building Council that 

showcased how these programs are a component of LEED.

• In EPA Region 8, Colorado Springs Utilities was selected as WaterSense Promotional 

Partner of the Year. Not only have they promoted WaterSense, but they have also 

offered rebates for water-saving products, and have a new home in their jurisdiction 

built to WaterSense specifications.

Region 7 

• During 2012, EPA Region 7 worked with the Wichita State Environmental Finance Center 

to conduct four workshops on energy management for a group of five pilot 

communities in the Wichita area. During workshops, participants from municipal water 

utilities learned how to assess energy use and develop plans for improving energy 

efficiency. Climate change was discussed as one of the reasons to improve utility 

performance and reduce greenhouse gas emissions produced by the coal-fired power 

industry. The five cities are currently implementing projects that each have committed 

to undertake along with monitoring and measuring to record achievements. Partners in 

this effort included the Environmental Finance Center at Wichita State University, 
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Kansas Department of Health & Environment, Pollution Prevention Institute at Kansas 

State University, Kansas Municipal Utilities, Kansas Energy Office, Westar Energy, and 

Schneider Electric. 

• Water Sense Program in Region 7 gained four new partners in 2012. The new partners 

include two irrigations partners, one promotional partner and one building partner.

• EPA Region 7 supported Kansas Department of Health and the Environment 

implementation of an asset/energy management training on small systems conducted 

with Wichita-Environmental Finance Center and Kansas Municipal Utilities focused. The

Department hosted workshops in each field office with follow-up on a case-by-case 

basis if requested. 

• EPA Region 7 worked with the States and public water systems, particularly small water 

systems, to identify and plan for climate change challenges to drinking water safety

and to assist in meeting health based drinking water standards. The Region also worked 

with State Water and Wastewater Agency Response Network (WARN) networks to host 

trainings for improved planning and encourage inclusion of source water protection 

areas in local climate change adaptation initiatives, especially in drought impacted 

areas. 

Region 6

• EPA Region 6 worked with communities along the Mexico Border to improve energy 

efficiency at water facilities. The Region developed a Pumping System Assessment Tool 

and provided training to water and wastewater utility operators of systems along the 

border. Operators learned how to assess the energy efficiency of pumps and motors 

and to consider operational changes or capital improvement upgrades to more efficient 

pumps/motors. The Region also conducted a workshop with utility managers from four

communities along the border to increase awareness of developing and implementing 

an energy management plan. Two energy management webinars that highlighted 

energy management practices at water and wastewater utilities as well as ways to 

reduce energy consumption were also conducted.

• EPA Region 6 continues to work with the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources on 

the development of its primacy delegation application for Class VI CO2

geosequestration injection wells. To date, no other Region 6 state program has 

indicated that they are actively pursuing Class VI delegation.

• In Dallas, EPA Region 6 partnered with Delta Faucet Company, along with local Green 

Plumbers, Innerline Plumbing and Andress Plumbing, to complete replacements with 

WaterSense-labeled showerheads, faucet aerators and toilet flappers at 12 non-profit 

organizations that run facilities to help the homeless find shelter and temporary 
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housing. These organizations did not have the budget to pay for these much needed 

plumbing repairs and replacements. Delta Faucet, along with BrassCraft and Neoperl, 

donated the water efficient products. Andress Plumbing and Innerline Plumbing 

donated the labor and installation materials.

• To make it easier for businesses to sign up for these programs, EPA Region 6 created a 

Green Bundling Program. This program provides a single point of contact at EPA and 

consolidates the applications into a single form. This saves environmentally conscious 

businesses time, money, and bureaucratic delays that can stall innovative projects. This 

creates a “win-win” situation for EPA and the business community.

• Region 6 continues to provide technical assistance to incorporate relative sea level rise 

(land loss) projections and other adaptive measures into the post-Katrina and postDeepwater Horizon oil spill coastal planning efforts for Louisiana. The objective of this 

participation is to increase coastal community sustainability and decrease coastal 

habitat vulnerability as part of the feasibility planning, design, and construction of some 

of the largest flood damage risk reduction features in the nation. 

Region 5

• Region 5 teamed up with WaterSense Partner Delta Faucet Company to fix water leaks 

in Chicago housing developments during the 2012 EPA-sponsored Fix-a-Leak Week. The 

Chicago effort led to an estimated leak removal of 1 million gallons per year. The Region 

participated in the Minnesota state fair, helping Minnesota celebrate the very first 

statewide WaterSense Day. Region 5 added 50 new WaterSense Partners in 2012.

 

• Watershed planning and implementation work in Region 5 under both ARRA and 319 

programs has enabled additional cross-programmatic considerations, including green 

infrastructure that improves watershed resilience and improves adaptation to a 

changing climate. Water utility needs and outputs have been, and increasingly are,

considerations for comprehensive watershed plans. Most watershed plans now include 

green infrastructure best management practices as a way to address nonpoint source 

pollution, but the practices also have the effect of assisting flow and water quality 

related to treatment plant operations.

• Region 5 concluded the Indiana Energy Management Pilot in 2012. For the 10 utilities 

who participated, annual natural gas use decreased by 34% on average and electricity 

use decreased by 15%, translating to $234,000 saved annually for the group. Published 

outputs from the pilot are posted at: 

http://www.epa.gov/r5water/energymanagement/index.html, including fact sheets for 

each participant, a summary report with recommended action, and supplemental 

documents. 
39 | Page

Region 4

• EPA Region 4 worked with National Estuary Programs across the Region to implement a 

range of projects related to climate change focusing on sea level rise. Some of these 

projects were: 

o Albemarle Pemlico NEP partnered with the North Carolina Division of Public 

Health and East Carolina University to map coastal assets at risk from sea level 

rise;

o Indian River Lagoon NEP funded the Balmoral Institute for a project titled

“Prioritizing TMDLs Using Seagrass Habitat Vulnerability to Sea Level Rise”;

o Sarasota Bay NEP collaborated with Sarasota County and Florida Sea Grant 

Program to integrate sea level rise and climate change into the ‘Post-Disaster 

Redevelopment Plan’ process; and 

o Tampa Bay NEP participates in an information and technology exchange with 

scientists and water managers in The Netherlands through the “Resilient Tampa 

Bay” program sponsored by the University of South Florida.

• Region 4 submitted comments on a Class V CO2 experimental permit application and 

draft Underground Injection Control permit which was eventually issued by the 

Alabama Department of Environmental Management to Denbury Onshore. 

Additionally, prior to the Class V CO2 experimental permit application being withdrawn 

by the permit applicant, Tampa Electric Company, Region 4 submitted comments to the 

Florida Department of Environmental Protection on a Class V CO2 experimental permit 

application for a proposed CO2 sequestration project near Tampa, Florida. In 2012, 

Region 4 received and reviewed post injection monitoring reports from permittees for 

two Class V CO2 experimental wells in Kentucky (Direct Implementation state). 

• EPA Region 4 is working with EPA Region 1 to develop tools that can be used by the 

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) during Presidential Declared 

Disasters so opportunities for energy efficiency and energy improvements can be 

identified and implemented as part of the emergency repair and replacement assistance 

from FEMA. EPA Regions 4 and 1 are participating with EPA Headquarters in 

development of a joint workgroup with FEMA to discuss and explore this issue.

• In 2010, FEMA and EPA Region 4 signed a Memorandum of Agreement that is designed 

to enhance the agencies’ collaboration on the use of smart growth approaches in 

communities that have been impacted by disasters, and to provide information to 

communities that are planning to minimize weather-related impacts. In 2011, the 

state of North Carolina also expressed support for sustainable communities and 

establishment of a sustainability workgroup at the state level. As these actions raised 

the potential interest of communities in piloting climate adaptation projects, EPA and 

FEMA announced an opportunity for technical assistance. In 2012, two communities—

New Bern and Wilmington—were selected as pilot locations. The technical assistance 
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consisted of two-day workshops held onsite to evaluate and propose approaches to 

deal with local sea level rise issues that will increase with climate change. The New 

Bern project focused on challenges related to storm surge from the Neuse River that 

occurs during hurricanes and other significant storms, in particular in a low-wealth 

downtown neighborhood. The Wilmington project was designed to address the threat 

of storm surge to grey infrastructure that will increase due to sea level rise predicted to 

occur more frequently in the future.

Region 3

• EPA Region 3 and Pennsylvania Department of the Environment developed “Weathering 

Change” in which the agencies work with the community to foster understanding of the 

weather-related changes that are beginning to happen in the community. They 

maintain extensive information on their website, targeted to communities, on how to 

prepare for climate change, covering issues such as flooding, stormwater and coastal 

erosion. The agencies hosted a Climate Change Roundtable over the course of a year 

and a half and hosted an “Out of Harm’s Way” day-long forum on managing climate 

change impacts in the communities around the Delaware Estuary. 

• The Region 3 Energy Team is working with state and local partners to develop and 

present courses in energy audits in 2013. The Region is also planning on working with 

local journals and newsletters from various organizations related to water and 

wastewater to do more articles on energy audits. 

• A comprehensive landscape condition assessment for non-tidal wetlands in Region 3 

was completed under a collaborative agreement between Penn State University and the 

Virginia Institute of Marine Science. The assessment characterizes the capacity of every 

mapped wetland (i.e., in the National Wetland Inventory database) in Region 3 to 

provide water quality and habitat services using remotely sensed data. The project will 

also diagnose the dominant stressors affecting wetland condition in each state and 

ecoregion in the Mid-Atlantic. The data will be valuable to the Region for establishing 

baseline wetland condition and will increase the ability to track changes that may 

occur as a result of climate change. Additionally, the data can be used to move toward 

more targeted watershed initiatives. 

Region 2

• EPA Region 2 worked with New York State to include a strategic goal in the annual 

workplan to address and document the basis (including the use of mixing zones) for 

Clean Water Act 316(a) thermal variance determinations. The New York Department of 

Environmental Conservation is currently working with EPA to determine how to best 

evaluate, document, and consider the thermal and biological impacts of Clean Water 

Act 316(a) determination in permits in the context of climate change.
41 | Page

• EPA Region 2 participated with the EPA’s Global Change Impacts and Adaptation Group 

and Tetra Tech, Region 1, and scientists from State bioassessment and biomonitoring 

programs on an analytic foundation for a pilot climate change monitoring network for 

freshwater medium-high gradient streams in New England and New York. The 

steering group also assisted with the development of decision points, including regional 

reference criteria, stream classification and vulnerability assessment priorities. The 

vulnerability assessment focused on three categories: (1) low flow events and warming 

temperatures, (2) shift in the timing of winter/spring runoff, and (3) peak flow events. 

The final products include maps of catchments and sampling sites classified by different 

types of vulnerabilities to climate change effects. Recommendations include the 

selection of 30 sites across the region, common sampling methodologies, and a list of 

parameters to collect.

• Region 2 began a dialog with the tribal nations regarding climate change adaptation and 

Total Ecological Knowledge (TEK). EPA Region 2 provided a climate change grant to the 

Nations in September 2011, which has been extended through September 2013. Under 

this grant activities are underway by the nations who are meeting, gathering and sharing

data, discussing the hired consultant's report of vulnerability assessment of nation 

lands, and also planning climate adaptation strategies. Three nation climate adaptation 

strategies will be prepared and submitted to Region 2 as an output of the grant - one for 

a consortium of four nations; one for the Seneca Nation and one for the ocean coastal 

Shinnecock Nation).

• Region 2 sought and received Regional Applied Research Effort (RARE) funding to 

quantify the role of ribbed mussel populations in promoting salt marsh accretion and 

nutrient removal. Partners included EPA ORD at Naragansett and the Partnership for 

the Delaware Estuary (PDE).

• Region 2 conducted “energy roundtable meetings” in New Jersey attended by 

environmental engineers and wastewater operators that and spread awareness on 

energy efficiency by:

o Providing energy efficiency and sustainability training

o Benchmarking and EPA software tools

o Promoting New Jersey Board of Public Utilities programs

o Exchanging technical information of technologies and management practices

o Exchanging real world experience

Region 1

• In EPA Region 1, over 100 municipal water/wastewater facilities participated in 

roundtable discussions and have been trained on energy management plans. Two 

wastewater facilities are near Zero Net Energy and at least four others are working on 

plans to reach Zero Net Energy. Nearly $139M in ARRA, State Revolving Funds (SRFs), 
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and State and Tribal Grant Program (STAG) funds has been invested in energy projects in 

water/wastewater facilities since FY 2008.

• EPA Region 1 supported development of a sustainability model for Narragansett Bay

that evaluates nitrogen reduction options and their impact on energy/climate issues, 

water quality improvements and social and economic goals. This model will be tested to 

evaluate whether it should be adapted for other watersheds. 

• Casco Bay Estuary Partnership and the Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership are 

working with the New England Environmental Finance Center, based at University of 

Southern Maine, to use its COAST model in evaluating the economic vulnerability of 

communities in their watersheds to sea-level rise and coastal flooding, focusing on 

Portland, Maine and Hampton/Seabrook, New Hampshire. The project has included 

multiple stakeholder meetings for each area and the development of adaptation 

recommendations.

• Piscataqua Region Estuary Partnership replaced the first high-priority undersized culvert 

identified in its 2010 Climate Ready Estuaries-funded Oyster River Culvert Assessment 

Report (during dry summer 2012 conditions) and will work to incorporate findings into 

hazard mitigation plans to possibly become eligible for FEMA funding to replace 

additional culverts. In addition, Casco Bay Estuary Partnership applied the culvert 

assessment and prioritization approach from the Piscataqua Region Estuaries 

Partnership project throughout the entire Casco Bay watershed, a great example of tech 

transfer.

• EPA hosted a successful regional Climate Ready Estuaries “lessons learned” workshop

attended by over 80 individuals from NEPs, Federal agencies, States, local governments, 

and NGOs. In partnership with Headquarters, EPA Region 1 will produce a “lessons 

learned” brochure based on the workshop to disseminate widely across the region.

• EPA Region 1 is an active member of the New England Federal Partners, which recently 

established a climate change workgroup to coordinate and share information about 

cross-agency climate change concerns and actions. EPA and NOAA co-chair this 

committee.

• Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data has been acquired for the Northeast coastal 

zone through a state-federal partnership with EPA support. LIDAR data provide highly 

accurate topographic data and is a key tool in development of state and local plans for 

adapting to risks posed by sea level rise and storm surges. EPA Region 1 is working to 

disseminate LiDAR products as they are released, and develop a prioritized list of areas 

for new LiDAR data collection in order to strategically obtain LiDAR for all of New 

England. 
43 | Page

• EPA Region 1 worked with New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services to 

finalize a report and GIS (geographic information systems) maps that identified drinking 

water infrastructure at risk of flooding and status of generator coverage at drinking 

water utilities in 2011 and 2012. A community-based water emergency exercise was 

conducted in a vulnerable community based on a flood/climate change scenario.

• In partnership with New England Water Works Association, two New England Water 

Emergency Response Conferences were held (one in New Hampshire, one in 

Connecticut) with a spotlight on mapping climate change messaging for the water 

sector.
44 | Page

Appendix C:

Summary of 2012 Research Highlights

Major accomplishments of the EPA Office of Research and Development in 2012 related to 

climate change and water resources are summarized below. 

1) Eco-regional Analysis of Nearshore Sea-Surface Temperature (SST) in the North Pacific 

This work assembled a 29-year nearshore time series of mean monthly sea surface temperature 

(SST) along the North Pacific coastline using remotely-sensed satellite data. The data were used 

to describe nearshore (<20 km offshore) SST patterns of 16 North Pacific ecoregions delineated 

by the Marine Ecoregions of the World (MEOW) hierarchical schema, as well as SSTs in the U.S. 

Arctic ecoregions. The quantification of sea surface temperature SST is extremely important 

because it influences the distribution, migration, and invasion of coastal species. Near-shore 

and estuarine environments provide critical habitat to most fisheries resources and are likely to 

be impacted by climate change. The present analysis and processed data enable climate 

modelers and ecologists to assess future changes in SST and can be used in predictions of 

potential impacts of near-shore temperature increases using current patterns of species’ 

distributions and temperature regimes. 

2) Decision-making Framework to Evaluate the Full Costs and Benefits of Different 

Mitigation and Adaptation Actions 

This research is developing approaches to evaluate costs and benefits of adaptation efforts for 

water utilities. The work describes the cost-carbon footprint calculation and Pareto 

optimization techniques to support decision making in water infrastructure expansion, and also 

includes development of a process engineering procedure with examples to calculate water 

consumption and wastewater generation in alternative fuel production systems and 

conventional coal-fired power plants. Research in this project also included development of a 

GIS-based model and program for calculation of water conservation achieved using alternative 

adaptive urban planning scenarios.

3) Regional Coordination and Implementation of Climate Change Mitigation and Adaption; 

Region 10 Pilot 

This research and its results are designed to inform Region 10 and the Office of Water about 

how to consider climate change in water quality temperature impairments for TMDLs. The 

initial efforts of this work resulted in a negotiated work plan with Region 10. Input was solicited 

from key stakeholders to identify the scope, approach, methods and study design, and was 

incorporated into a formal research plan. The plan’s development included substantial Tribal 

involvement by the Nooksack Indian Tribe and Lummi Nation and is supportive of the Tribal 

Science Priorities for Climate Change and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK).
45 | Page

The applied research plan outlines a parallel study strategy that is being used to concurrently 

accomplish both a Research Objective (Start-To-Finish Climate Change TMDL Pilot) and a 

Regulatory Objective (South Fork Nooksack River, Washington Temperature TMDL). This 

research was developed in response to Region 10’s stated preference for a Climate Change Pilot 

to implement a “learn by doing” approach for climate change adaptation. Phase 2 (Research 

Analysis and Risk/Vulnerability Assessment) is proceeding on schedule and will be followed by 

an EPA report scheduled to be completed in 2014.

4) Water Demands of Future Energy Portfolios under a Changing Climate 

This analysis compares different scenarios of future energy portfolios to assess regional 

differences in water needs as well as aggregate water demand for transportation energy, and 

how those trade off against greenhouse gas emissions reductions. The research relied upon a 

nine-region model of the integrated U.S. energy system represented in the MARKAL (MARKet 

ALlocation) energy systems model to map the changes in water withdrawal and consumption 

during a transition to a low carbon-emitting U.S. transportation fleet. The study evaluated 

alternative scenarios both with and without carbon constraints, while varying the pace of 

vehicle electrification. Results indicate that the regional water demand and interregional 

transfers of embodied water could be significant as the light-duty vehicle (LDV) fleet moves 

away from petroleum-based fuels toward a more heterogeneous LDV fleet and fuel mix, with 

exports of embodied water on the order of hundreds of billion gallons of water per year for 

ethanol coming from the Midwest. Interregional transfers of water embodied in electricity may 

also reach tens of billion gallons of water per year. However, these water requirements will 

vary substantially based on the light-duty vehicle mix, carbon policy, electric power generation 

mix, biofuel production levels, and feedstock characteristics. Water consumption associated 

with energy could increase from less than 3,000 Bgal/yr in 2005 to over 6,000 Bgal/yr by 2035. 

5) The Role of Nitrogen in Climate Change and the Impacts of Nitrogen-Climate Interactions 

on Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecosystems, Agriculture and Human Health in the United States 

This report reflects discussions and perspectives of participants at a recent workshop on 

climate change and the nitrogen cycle. Key findings specifically related to climate and water 

were identified. One point is that the effect of climate change on nitrogen processing in fresh 

and coastal waters will be felt most strongly through changes to the hydrologic cycle, and that 

alterations in the amount, timing, frequency, and intensity of precipitation and hydrologic 

manipulation by human infrastructure and climate change will affect input and removal rates of 

reactive nitrogen. Further, without mitigation, the concurrent impositions of climate change 

and the increasing load of nitrogen to freshwater and estuarine ecosystems will most likely 

have unprecedented additive or synergistic effects on water quality, aquatic biodiversity, 

human health, and fisheries. Another important finding related to nutrients and water quality 

is with regards to the application of nitrogen as a fertilizer. Crop demand for nutrients is highly 

dependent upon climate and climatic variability, so improved nutrient use management will be 

increasingly challenging under climate change scenarios of more variable climatic patterns. 

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W.

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Washington, D.C. 20460

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March 2013

http://www.epa.gov/water/climatechange