# March 2012 U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyNational Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change



## Disclaimer

To the extent this document mentions or discusses statutory or regulatory authority, it does so for informational purposes only. Thi s document does not substitute for those statutes or regulations, and readers should consult the statutes or regulations to learn what they require. Neither this document, nor any part of it, is itself a rule or a regulation. Thus, it cannot change or impo se legally binding requirements on EPA, States, the public, or the regulated community. Further, any expressed intention, suggestion or recommendation does not impose any legally binding requirements on EPA, States, tribes, the public, or the regulated com munity. Agency decision makers remain free to exercise their discretion in choosing to implement the strategic

actions described in this 2012 Strategy

. Implementation of strategic actions contained herein is contingent upon availability of resources and ar e subject to change.

Definitions of Key Terms
From: America’s Climate Choices (NRC, 2010a

- d)

Adapt, Adapta tion: Adjustment in natural or human systems to a new or changing environment that exploits beneficial opportunities or moderates negative effects.
Adaptive capacity: The ability of a system to adjust to climate change (including climate variability and

ex tremes) to moderate potential damages, to take advantage of opportunities, or to cope with the

consequences. Mitigation: An intervention to reduce the causes of changes in climate, such as through reducing emissions of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.

R esilience: A capability to anticipate, prepare for, respond to, and recover, from significant multi

- hazard threats with minimum damage to social well

- being, the economy, and the environment.

Risk: A combination of the magnitude of the potential consequence(s) of climate change impact(s) and the likelihood that the consequence(s) will occur. Stationarity: The idea that natural systems fluctuate within an unchanging envelope of variability.
Vulnerability: The degree to which a system is susceptible to, or unable to cope with, adverse effects of climate change, including climate variability and extremes. Vulnerability is a function of the character, magnitude, and rate of climate variation to which a system is exposed, its sensitivity, and its adaptive capacit y.

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### iii | Di sclaimerNational Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

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## Table of Contents

I. Executive Summary

................................ ................................ ................................ .......... 1

A. The Evolving Con text

...................................................................................................... 1

B. Programmatic Visions, Goals and Strategic Actions

........................................................ 3

C. Geographic Climate Regions

........................................................................................... 3

D. Cross

- Cutting Program Support

....................................................................................... 4

E. Conclusion

...................................................................................................................... 5

II. Introduction: The Evolving Context

................................ ................................ ................. 10

A. 2008 Strategy vs. 2012 Strategy

.................................................................................... 10

B. Relationship of the 2012 Strategy to Other Planning Activities

...................................... 10

C. Impacts of Climate Change on Water Resources: Recent Literature

............................. 12

D. The Economics of Climate Change Actions

................................................................... 16

III. Framew ork For A Climate Ready National Water Program

................................ .............. 18

A. Guiding Principles

......................................................................................................... 18

B. Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM)

....................................................... 20

IV. P rogrammatic Visions, Goals and Strategic Actions

................................ ........................ 22

A. Infrastructure

................................................................................................................. 23

B. Watersheds and Wetlands

............................................................................................. 30

C. Coastal and Ocean Waters

............................................................................................ 37

D. Water Quality

................................................................................................................. 48

E. Working With Tribes

...................................................................................................... 56

V. Geographic Climate Regions

................................ ................................ .......................... 59

A. Introduction

................................................................................................................... 59

B. Ongoing Programs Relevant to Climate Change across All Regions

............................. 60

C. EPA and Climate Regions – Goals and Strategic Actions

.............................................. 61

VI. Cross

- Cutting Program Support

................................ ................................ ...................... 80

A. Goal 17: Communication

, Collaboration, and Training

................................................... 80

B. Goal 18: Tracking Progress and Measuring Outcomes

.................................................. 84

C. Goal 19: Climate Change and Water Research Needs

.................................................. 87National Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change



## Table of Contents (continued)

Appendix A: List of Abbreviations

.............................................................................................. 90

Appendix B: Principles for an Energy Water Future

................................................................... 92

Appendix C: References

............................................................................................................ 94

Appendix D: Goals and Strategic Actions: Lead Offices

........................................................... 101

Appendix E: Acknowledgments

................................................................................................ 106

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### v| ContentsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change



## I. Executive Summary

National Goal: Government agencies and citizens work collaboratively to manage freshwater resources in response to a changing climate in order to assure adequate water supplies, to protect human life, health and property, and to protect water quality and aquatic ecosystems.

 Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force

— Freshwater Workgroup

EPA Vision: Despite the ongoing effects of climate change, the National Water Program will continue to achieve its mission to protect and restore our waters to ensure that drinking water is safe; and that aquatic ecosystems sustain fish, plants and wildlife, as well as economic, recreational, and
subsistence activities.

 EPA National Water Program 2012 Strategy

Climate change poses significant challenges to water resources and the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Water Program (NWP). The NWP 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change addresses climate change in the context of our water programs. It emphasizes assessing and managing risk and incorporating adaptation into core programs. Many of the programs and activities already underway throughout the NWP are even more important to do in light of climate change – such as protecting healthy watersheds and wetlands, managing stormwater with green infrastructure, improving the efficiency and sustainability o f water infrastructure including promoting energy and water efficiency, and reducing pollutants. However, climate change poses such significant challenges to the nation’s water resources that more transformative approaches will be necessary.

This 2012 Stra tegy articulates such a transformative approach. The reader is advised not to interpret the framing of individual strategic actions that use terms such as ”encourage” or “consider” to mean that the NWP doesn’t recognize the urgency of action. Rather, we re cognize that adaptation is itself transformative, and requires a collaborative, problem solving approach especially in a resource

- constrained environment. Further, “adaptive management” doesn’t imply a go

- slow or a wait

- and

- see approach; rather, it is an active approach to understand vulnerability, reduce risk, and prepare for consequences.

Table ES

- 1, below, summarizes the Visions, Goals and Strategic Actions described in this 2012 Strategy. In total, we describe 5 Visions, 19 Goals, and 51 Strategic Acti ons.



### A. The Evolving Context

The first National Water Program Strategy: Response to Climate Change was published in

2008 ; it identified 44 key actions that could be taken in the near term to begin to understand and address the potential impacts of climate change on water resources and EPA’s mission. This 2012 Strategy builds upon the momentum gained since then; it describes a set of long term goals for the management of sustainable water resources for future generations in light of

cli mate change and charts th e key ‘ building blocks, ’ i.e., strategic actions that would need to be

taken to achieve th ose goals. It also reflects the wider context of climate change

- related activity that is underway throughout the nation. The 2012 Strategy is i ntended to be a roadmap to guide

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### 1 | Executive SummaryNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

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

process . I t describes an array of important actions that should be taken to be a ‘climate ready’ national water program

.

The NWP 2012 Strategy is designed to reflect the findings of the Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force (ICCATF), and includes EPA’s commitments under three climate change strategic plans under development within the federal government:

 for freshwater resources by the ICCATF Freshwater Work Group

,

 for the ocean

, coasts , and Great Lakes by the National Ocean Council (NOC)

, and

 for fish, wildlife

, and plants by the National Fish, Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaptation Workgroup

.

This 2012 Strategy is also intended to be consis tent with EPA’s broader adaptation planning

. Recognizing that climate change is one stressor among many others that water resource managers are grappling with, this strategy is also designed to build upon other initiatives such

as the recent Coming Together for Clean Water strategy and the EPA’s Clean Water and Safe Drinking Water Infrastructure Sustainability Policy

.

Impacts of Climate Change on Water Resources

 Increas es in Water Pollution Problems due to warmer air and water temperatures and changes in precipitation patterns, causing an increase in the number of waters categorized as “impaired,” with associated impacts on human health and aquatic ecosystems;

 Impacts on water infrastructure and aquatic systems due to more extreme weather events

, including heavier precipitation and tropical and inland storms;

 Changes to the Availability of Drinking Water Supplies due to increased frequency, severity and duration of drought, changing patterns of precipitation and snowmelt, increased evaporation, and aquifer saltwater intrusion, affecting public water supply, agriculture, industry, and energy production uses;

 Waterbody Boundary Movement and Displacement as rising sea levels alter ocean and estuarine shorelines and as changes in water flow, precipitation, and evaporation affect the size of wetlands and lakes;

 Changing Aquatic Biology due to warmer water and changing flows, resulting in deterioration of aquatic ecosystem health in some areas;

 Collective Impacts on Coastal Areas resulting from a combination of sea level rise, increased damage from floods and storms, coastal erosion, salt water intrusion to drinking water supplies, and increasing temperature and acidification of the oceans; and

 Indirect Impacts due to unintended consequences of human response to climate change, such as those resulting from carbon sequestration and other greenhouse gas reduction strategies

.

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### 2 | Executive SummaryNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change



### B. Programmatic Visions, Goals and Strategic Actions

The core programmatic elements of this strategy include:

 Infrastructure;

 Watersheds a nd Wetlands;

 Coastal and Ocean Waters;

 W ater Quality ; and

 Working with Tribes

.

Each section addressing these core elements is orga ni zed using a three

tier framework: Vision, Goals, and Strategic Actions. Each section

includes a long

- term Visio n , or outcome, for w hi ch EPA may be only one of many actors. Ten Guiding Principles

 Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM)

 Adaptive Management

 Collaborative Learning and Capacity Development

 Long Term Planning (i.e., multi

- decadal time horizon)

 Water

- Energy Nexus

 Systems & Portfolio Approach

 Cost of Inaction

 Environmental Justice

 Performance Evaluation

 Mainstream ing Climate Change into Core Programs

For each Vision, we identify a set of Goals that reflect s the same long

- term time frame as the

Vision. The Goals, however, articulate EPA’s mission and role in achieving the Vision, and

describe what we are trying to achieve.

Finally, each Goal contains several Strategic Actions

. The Strategic Actions are the
programmat i c building blocks that are needed to achieve the Goals. These describe how the NWP plans to work over the next three to eight years in pursuit of our longer term Goals and

Vision.



### C. Geographic Climate Regions

The chapter on Geographic

Climate Regions describes the collective strategic focus of EPA Regions working together, organized by the climate impact regions delineated by the U .S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) with the addition of a ‘Montane’ region (Figure ES

- 1)

. Several EPA Regions span multiple
USGCRP regions and therefore each EPA Region will need to address a variety of climate impacts in its program implementation. Figure ES

- 1

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### 3 | Executive SummaryNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

Successfully achieving the long term goals will require strong partnerships with federal agencies, states, tribes, local governments, and other stakeholders. Specific partnerships in

each climate region will vary according to the needs and issues USGCRP Climate Regions and EPA Regions
of t hat region. Of particular importance are the federal efforts underway by the ICCATF to develop ‘regional consortia’ of federal agencies to coordinate delivery of climate services to regional and local stakeholders and that include, among others:

U.S. Depar tment of the Interior’s ( DOI ) Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (LCCs) and Climate

Science Centers (CSCs) ; and National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration ( NOAA’s ) Regional Integrated Sciences and

Assessments (RISAs) and

National Climatic Data Center s. Climate Regions EPA Regions

Northeast 1, 2, 3

Southeast 3, 4, 6

Midwest 2, 5,7

Great Plains 6, 7, 8

Southwest 6, 8, 9

Pacific Northwest 8, 10

Montane 8, 9, 10

Alaska 10

Caribbean Islands 2

U.S. Pacific Islands and Territories 9



### D. Cross

- Cutting Program Support

Three Sections in this chapter describe essential processes to support and effectively implement the Visions, Goals and Strategic Actions.

Communication, Collaboration, and Training : The NWP will strengthen and expand

colla boration, outreach and training with key partners throughout EPA and within other federal agencies, work with State and Tribal water program managers, and us e formal and informal stakeholder involvement opportunities.

Tracking Progress and Measuring Outcom es : Measuring progress toward adaptation is complicated. The current state of practice leans largely to tracking institutional progress in incorporating climate change considerations into programs. Similarly, the NWP is developing a n approach that evaluate s the collectivity of outputs and actions to demonstrate progress in each

of several phase s towards achieving resilience to climate change. The NWP will work with the
State

- Tribal Climate Change Council and other partners to refine this approach

. As EPA an d the ICCATF develop methods for measuring outcomes, the NWP will incorporate those measures into its evaluation process. In addition, this 2012 Strategy includes the NWP’s commitment to meet the Agency

- wide strategic measures adopted in the current EPA 20 11

- 2015 Strategic

Plan:

 By 2015, additional programs from across EPA will promote practices to help Americans save energy and conserve resources, leading to expected greenhouse gas emissions
reductions of 740.1 MMTCO 2 Eq. from a baseline without adoption o f efficient practices.

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### 4 | Executive SummaryNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

 The WaterSense Program wi ll contribute to achieving greenhouse gas reduction goals through 2015.

 By 2015, EPA will integrate climate change trend and scenario information into five major
scientific models and/or decision

- support to ols used in implementing Agency environmental management programs to further EPA’s mission, consistent with existing authorities.

 Under the Climate Ready Water Utilities (CRWU) initiative, the NWP will deploy an upgraded version of the Climate Ready Evaluation and Awareness Tool (CREAT), as well as a comprehensive toolbox of water

- related climate resources by the end of 2012, to be tt

er assist water and wastewater utilities in becoming more resilient to climate change.

 By 2015, EPA will account for climate change by integrating climate change trend and
scenario information into five rule

- making processes to further EPA’s mission, consistent with existing authorities.

 The NWP wi ll incorporate climate change considerations in the development and implementation of a rulemaking by 2015.

 By 2015, EPA will build resilience to climate change by integrating considerations of climate change impacts and adaptive measures into five major grant, loan, contract, or technical assistance programs to further EPA’s mission, consistent with existing authorities.

 The NWP wi ll help National Estuary Program (NEP)grantees consider as a potential priority climate adaptation and resilience in their Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans and develop climate adaptation plans and implementation strategies where considered a priority.

Climate Change and Water Research Needs: The 2012 Strategy identifies the types of

research needed to support the goals and strategic actions. The NWP will continue to work with the Office of Research and Development ( ORD ) , other water science agencies, and the water research community to further define needs and develop collaborative and coordinated research opportunities.



### E. C o n c l u sion

Climate change alters the hydrological background in which EPA’s p rograms function. In response, EPA must revise data collection, analytical methods, and even regulatory practices that have been developed over the past 40 years since passage of the Clean Water Act (CWA) and the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). This is no easy task. Ensuring EPA’s programs continue to protect public health and the environment and sustain the economy requires immediate and sustained collaboration at the federal, state, tribal, and local levels.

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### 5 | Executive SummaryNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

Table ES

- 1: Summary of Visions, Goals and Stra tegic Actions

 Infrastructure: In the face of a changing climate, resilient and adaptable drinking water, wastewater and stormwater utilities (i.e. the water utility 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: • SA1: Improve access to vetted climate and hydrological science, modeling, and assessment tools through the Climate Ready Water
Utilities program.

• SA2: Assist wastewater and water utilities to reduce greenhouse gas
Build the body of information emissions and increase long

- term sustainability with a combination of

an d tools needed to energy efficiency, co

- generation, and increased use of renewable energy
incorporate climate change into planning and decision making

. resources

.

• SA3: Explore climate change challenges to drinking water safe ty and assist public water systems in meeting health

- based drinking water
standards.

.

• SA4: Promote sustainable design approaches to ensure the long

- term sustainability of infrastructure and operations.

Goal 2: Support Integrated Water Resources Managem ent to sustainably manage water

resources. • SA5: Understand and promote through technical assistance the use of water supply management strategies.

• SA6: Evaluate and provide technical assistance on the use of water demand management strategies.

• SA7 : Inc rease cross

- sector knowledge of water supply climate challenges and develop watershed specific information to inform decision making

.

 Watersheds & Wetlands : Watersheds are protected, maintained and restored to ensure climate resilience and to preserve the ec ological, s ocial 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:
Identif y, 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.

• 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 NWP

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 a ccount ing for climate change in EPA
funded and other watershed restoration projects.

• SA13 : Work with federal, state , tribal, and local partners to p rotect and enhance buffers to rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands, and coastal

resources as a means of building resiliency

.

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### 6 | Executive SummaryNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

Table ES

- 1: Summary of Visions, Goals and Stra tegic Actions

Goal 5:
W atershed protection practices incorporate S ource W ater
P rotection to protect drinking water supplies. • SA14 : Encourage states to update their source water delineations, assessments or protection plans to address anticipated climate change impacts.

• 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.

Goal 6:
I ncorporate climate change
considerations into the CWA
40 4 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 CWA Section 404 wetlands permitting and enforcement p rogram

.

• SA17 : E valuate, 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 s upport ing wetland mapping coalitions and training on use of the new federal Wetland Mapping
Standard.

• SA19 : Produce a statistically valid ecological condition assessment of
the nation’s wetlands.

 Coastal and Ocean Waters: Adverse effects of climate change along with collective stressors 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. • SA20: Collaborate to ensure that synergy occurs, lessons learned are transferred, federal efforts effectively help local communities, and efforts are not duplicative or at cross

- purposes

..

• SA21: Work to be sure that knowledge and information needed to protect ocean and coastal areas is collected, produced, analyzed, and formatted for users, and is easily available.

.

Goal 9:
S upport and build networks of local, tribal, state, regional and
federal collaborators to take effective adaptation measures
for coastal and ocean environments through EPA’s geographically targe ted

programs. • SA22: Work with the NWP’s larger geographic programs to incorporate climate change considerations, focusing on both the natural and built
environments.

• SA23: A ddress climate change adaptation and build stakeholder capacity when implementing NEP Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans and through the Climate Ready Estuaries Program.

• SA24: Conduct outreach and education, and provide technical assistance to state and local watershed organizations and communities to build adaptive capa city in coastal areas outside the NEP and Large Aquatic Ecosystem programs

.

Goal 10:
Address climate driven environmental changes in • SA25: Sup port coastal wastewater, stormwater, and drinking water infrastructure owners and operators in reducing climate risks and encourage adaptation in coastal areas.

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### 7 | Executive SummaryNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

Table ES

- 1: Summary of Visions, Goals and Stra tegic Actions

coastal areas and ensure that mitigation and adaptation are
conducted in an environmentally responsible

manner. • SA26: S upport climate readiness of coastal communities, including hazard mitigation, pre

- disa ster planning, preparedness, and recovery
efforts.

• SA27: Support preparation and response planning for impacts to coastal aquatic environments.

Goal 11: Protect ocean environments by incorporating shifting
environmental conditions and other emerging threats into EPA programs. • SA28: Consider climate change impacts on marine water quality in NWP ocean management authorities, policies, and programs.

• SA29: Utilize available authorities and work with the Regional Ocean Organizations and other federal and s tate agencies through regional ocean groups and other networks to ensure offshore renewable energy production does not adversely affect the marine environment.

• SA30: Support the evaluation of sub

- seabed and ocean sequestration of
CO 2

.

• SA31: Participat e in interagency development and implementation of federal strategies through the NOC and the NOC Strategic Action Plans.

 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. • SA32 : E ncourage states and communities to incorporate climate change considerations into their water quality planning

.

• SA33 : Encourage green infrastructure and low

- impact development to protect water quality and make watersheds more resilient

.

• SA34 : Promote consideration of climate change impacts by National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permitting authorities.

• SA35: For future Total Maximum Daily Loads , recommend that water quality authorities consider climate change impacts when developing
waste load and load allocations.

• SA 36 : Identify and protect designated uses that are at risk from climate change impacts.

• SA37: C larify 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 greenhouse gases and develop alternative sources of energy and fuel, work to protect water
resources from unintended
adve rse consequences. • SA38: Seek opportunities to provide additional assistance to states and permittees to assure that geologic sequestration of CO 2 is responsibly managed.

• SA39: Work with ORD to better understand the risks of storing ethanol

supplemented transportation fuels and with the Office of Underground Storage Tanks to explore options to mitigate such risk through updated policies.

• SA40: Provide outreach materials for stakeholders to encourage the adoption of alternative sources of energy and fuels that are water
efficient and maintain water quality.

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### 8 | Executive SummaryNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

Table ES

- 1: Summary of Visions, Goals and Stra tegic Actions

• SA41: As climate change affects the operation or placement of reservoirs, work with other federal agencies and EPA programs to understand the combined effects of climate change and hydropower on
flo ws, water temperature, and water quality.

Goal 14:
Collaborate to make hydrological and climate data and projections available

. • SA42: Monitor climate change impacts to surface waters and ground

water.

• SA43: Collaborate with other federal agencies to de velop 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.

• SA44: Enhance flow estimation using National Hydrography Dataset Plus ( NHD Plus ).

 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 imple mentation of core programs, and collaborate with
other EPA Offices and federal

a gencies to work with tribes on climate change issues on a multi

media basis. • SA45: Ensure that the revised NWP Tribal Strategy and subsequent implementation of CWA, SDWA, and other core programs incorporate climate change as a key consideration.

• SA46: 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:
Ensure t ribes have access to information on climate change for decision making. • SA47: Collaborate to explore and develop climate change science, information and tools for tribes, and incorporate local knowledge

.

• SA48: Collaborate to develop communication materials relevant for
tribal uses and tribal audiences.

Cross

- Cutting Program Support

Goal 17:
Communicat e , Collaborat e , and
Train

. • SA49: C ontinue building the communication, collaboration, and training mechanisms needed to effectivel y increase adaptive capacity at the federal, tribal, state, and local levels.

Goal 18: Track Progress a nd Measur e Outcomes • SA50: 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

.
Goal 19: Identify Climate Change and
Water Research Needs • SA51: W ork 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.

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### 9 | Executive SummaryNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change



## II. Introduction: The Evolving Context

A. 2008 Strategy vs. 2012 Strat egy

The National Water Program Strategy: Response to Climate Change, published in 2008 ( 2008 Strategy), describes the likely effects that climate change will have on water resources and their implications for the EPA’s NWP. 1 The 2008 Strategy laid out 44 “key actions” that the NWP intended to take during 2008

- 2009, and an update extended the period of action to 2010

- 2011 (EPA, 2008a).

The 2012 Strategy describes a longer

- term vision for the management of sustainable water resources in light of climate change and identifies the key ’building blocks’ or strategic actions that need to be taken to achieve the long term goals. It also reflects the wider context of climate change

- related activity that is underway throughout the nation. This 2012 Strategy is a roa dmap

that reflects directional intention. W hile it describes an array of important actions that should be taken to be a ‘climate ready’ national water program, it does not outline commitments to act within a specific time frame. All proposed activities are contingent upon availability of resources and subject to change as new information develops to inform adaptive responses.



### B. Relationship of the 2012 Strategy to Other Planning Activities

The Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force (the Task Force) was established under Executive Order 13514 (CEQ, 2009) to develop recommendations for climate change adaptation. On October 5, 2010, the Task Force delivered its initial report to the President with a first set of recommendations (CEQ, 2010a).

Two recommendations in the October 2010 Task Force Report inform the development of the 2012 Strategy

. First, the Task Force’s Freshwater Workgroup 2 was asked to develop a National Action Plan (NAP) in coordination with similar action plans under development; one by

ICCATF’s Fish, Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaptation Workgroup (FWP Workgroup) and the other by the National Ocean Council (NOC) addressing ocean, coastal

, and Great Lakes

resources

. An ICCATF coordinating team has work together to ensure that the three national adaptation strategies produced by these three workgroups are complementary.

Subsequently, the Freshwater Workgroup published the NAP titled Priorities for Managing Freshwater Resources in a Changing Climat e

3 (CEQ, 2011a) which describes a National Goal, supported by six recommendations:

1 The term ‘National Water Program’ refers to the Office of Water (OW) plus the water programs in the ten EPA Regions, and recognizes that many of our programs are implemented by state and tribal water authorities.

2 Since 2009, Michael Shapiro, EPA Deputy Assistant Administrator for Water, has served as co

- chair of the Task Force’s Water Workgroup along with Matthew Larsen, USGS Associate Director for Climate and Land Use Change, and Jeffrey Peterson, CEQ Deputy Associate Director for Water Policy.

3 Printed copies of the National Action Plan are available by sending an email stating addressee, mailing address, and the number of copies desired (limit of 3) to the fol lowing address: adaptation@ceq.eop.gov.

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### 10 | Introd uctionNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

National Goal: Government agencies and citizens work collaboratively to manage freshwater resources in response to a changing climate in order to assure adequate water supplies, to protect human life, health and pro perty, and to protect water quality and aquatic ecosystems.

 Recommendation #1: Establish a Planning Process and Organizational Framework

 Recommendation # 2: Improve Water Resources and Climate Change Information

 Recommendation # 3: Strengthen Assessment of Vulnerability

 Recommendation # 4: Expand Water Use Efficiency

 Recommendation # 5: Support Integrated Water Resources Management

 Recommendation # 6: Support Training and Outreach to Build Response Capability

 ICCATF Freshwater National Action Plan ( CEQ , 2011 a)

The Freshwater NAP lays out 24 key actions that support the six recommendations

. For some of the supporting actions, EPA will provide leadership, and for those led by other federal Agencies, EPA will participate as a team member, as appropriate. EPA water program staff and managers also participate on the National Ocean Council (NOC, 201 1 ) and the FWP Workgrou p (FWP, 2011), and EPA National Water Program’s commitments in those adaptation plans are

also reflected in this 2012 Strategy.

The second recommendation of the Interagency Task Force report called on every federal agency to develop and implement a climate adaptation plan addressing the challenges posed to our missions and operations. The Council on Environmental Quality Despite many successes over recent years, the rate at which (CEQ) issued impleme ntation waters are being listed for impairment exceeds the rate at instructions on climate adaptation which they are being restored. The causes of degradation are in many cases far more complex, and not as visible to the planning to all federal agencies naked eye as they were years ago; the solutions are often (CEQ, 2011a and b); initial plans available technically, but because the pollution comes from are to be submitted by June multiple sources, and involves a greater array of pollutants and 2012, and more complete plans stressors, it r equires new and innovative partnerships and by June 2013. In response, EPA approaches. In some cases EPA and state authorities are limited in scope, and as a result it is challenging to directly established a Policy on Climate address root causes

— i.e., population growth, urbanization, Change Adaptation, issued June agriculture and other nonpoint source pollution. Building strong 2, 2011 (EPA, 2011a), and and effective partnerships with the widest range of formed a cross

- EPA Work stakeholders, state, local, and tribal partners, and other federal Group on Climate Change agencies has never been so urgent if we are to protect our water and its multiple uses for generations to come. Adaptation Planning (EPA Work Group). The Office of Water  Coming Together for Clean Water, (EPA, 2011b) (OW) and the ten EPA Regions participate on the EPA Work Group and will ensure that the two Strategies (NWP’s and EPA’ s) are consistent and mutually reinforcing.

Additionally, EPA has adopted Agency

- wide goals that call for each program office to incorporate climate change science trend and scenario information into five major scientific

models and/or decision

- support to ols

, five rule

- making processes, and five major grant, loan, contract, or technical assistance programs, and sets a target for reducing greenhouse gas

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### 11 | Introd uctionNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

emissions through energy and resource conservation [EPA, 2010a]. This 2012 Strategy reflects

the NWP’s co mmitment to achieving each of these measures by 2015

. (See the section in Chapter V on Tracking Progress and Measuring Outcomes for more discussion.)

Finally, in 2010 EPA convened a forum to discuss how to accelerate progress protecting the

nation’s waters

. The resulting white paper, titled Coming Together for Clean Water (CT4CW) recognizes that climate change is just one of the several stressors to water resources (EPA, 2011b)

. The Coming Together s trategy presents a framework for how EPA’s national water program will work to address today’s clean water challenges , such as stormwater, nutrients, and protecting and restoring watersheds. The Infrastructure Sustainability Policy reflects EPA’s goal

to ensure that federal investments, policies, and actions support water infrastructure in efficient and sustainable locations to best aid existing communities, enhance economic competitiveness, and promote affordable neighborhoods. The NWP 2012 Strategy should be viewed as an in

depth treatment of climate change, add ressing one of the new and challenging issues facing our program, and a s an integral and complementary part of overall NWP strategic planning and

initiatives.



### C. Impacts of Climate Change on Water Resources: Recent Literature

Assessments and other reports recently published reinforce the findings in the 2008 Strategy that climate change has significant implications for water resources and water programs

. They support EPA’s determination that these implications need to be addressed in each part of the

NWP in o rder to achieve EPA’s mission of protecting human health and the environment. It is important to note that not all impacts of climate change will necessarily be disruptive to particular programmatic endpoints, and that some could at

least in the near term provide beneficial opportunities. However, on balance the range of challenges posed by the interface between built and natural systems and the changing hydrometeorological background conditions is likely to require response

actions in order to minimize

det rimental effects to current built and natural systems. The impacts listed here refer to the general risks to water resources posed by climate change, but whether and to what degree these risks are likely to be realized in specific locations will require lo cal

assessment. The reader is referred to the original 2008 Strategy

, as well as Figure 1. Global surface temperature change

- 1880 to 2010 (degrees Celsius)

– compared to base period 1951

- 1980 Black curve shows annual average temperatures; red curve

shows a 5

- year running average ; green bars indicate the estimated uncertainty in the data during different periods of the record. Source: NASA GISS updated through 2010 at http: //

data.giss.nasa.gov/gistemp/graphs/

.

more recent literature cited below, for a more detailed discussion of the implications of climate change for water resources and EPA’s water programs, which include:

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### 12 | Introd uctionNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

 Increases in Water Pollution Problems : W armer air temperatures will result in warmer

water. Warmer water s will hold less dissolved oxygen making instances of low oxygen
levels and “ hypoxia” more likely (i.e., when dissolved oxygen d ec l ines to the point where aquati c species can no longer survive); foster harmful algal blooms; and c hange the toxi ci ty of some pollutants.

 The number of waters categorized as “impa i red” is likely to increase, even if pollution levels are stable, with associated impacts on human health from waterborne disease and degradation of aquatic ecosystems

.

 Impacts on water infrastructure and aquatic systems due to m ore e xtreme weather

e vents : Heavier precipitation in tropical and inland storms will increase the risks of flooding, expand floodplains, increase the variability of streamflows (i.e., higher high flows and lower low flows), increase the velocity of water during high flow periods and increase erosion. These changes will have adverse effects on water quality and aquatic ecosystem health.
F or example, increases in intense rainfall result in more nutrients, pathogens, and toxins being washed into waterbodies.

 Changes to Water Availability : In some parts of the country, droughts, changing patterns of precipitation and snowmelt, and increased

w ater loss due to evaporation as a result of warmer temperatures will result in changes to the availability of water for drinking and for use for agriculture, industry, and energy production. In other areas, sea level rise and
salt water intrusion will
have the same effect. Warmer air temperatures may also result in creased demands on community water supplies and the water needs for agriculture, industry, and energy production are likely to
increase.

 Waterbody Boundary
Movement and Displacement : Rising sea l evel s will move ocean and estuarine shorelines by inundating lowlands, displacing wetlands, and altering the tidal range in rivers and bays. Changing water flow to lakes and streams, increased evaporation, and changed precipitation in some areas, will affect the size of wetlands and lakes. Water levels in the Great Lakes are expected to fall. Figure 2. Pro jected Changes in Annual Runoff: 2041

- 2060

Runoff, which accumulates as streamflow, is the amount of precipitation that is not evaporated, stored as snowpack or soil moisture, or filtered down to groundwater. Projected changed in

median runoff for 2041

– 2060, relative to a 1901

– 1970 baseline, are mapped by water

- resource region. Colors indicate percentage changes in runoff. Hatched areas indicate greater confidence due to strong agreement among model projections. White areas indicate divergence

among m odel projections. Results are based on emissions in between the lower and higher emissions scenarios of the IPCC. Image credit: U.S. Global Change Research Program ( www.globalchange.gov ).

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### 13 | Introd uctionNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

 Changing Aquatic Biology: As waters become warmer , the aquatic life they now support will be replaced by other species better adapted to the warmer water (i.e., cold water fish will be replaced by warm wa t er fish). This process, however, will occur at an uneven pace disrupting aquatic system health and allowing non

- indigenous and/or invasive species to become established. In the long

- term (i.e., 50 years), warmer water and changing flows

may result in significant deterioration of aquatic ecosystem health in some areas.

 Collective Impacts on Coastal Areas: Most areas of the United States will see several

water

- related impacts, but coastal areas are likely to see multiple impacts associated with climate change (e.g., sea level rise, increased damage from floods and storms, coastal erosion, changes in drinking water supplies, and increasing temperature and acidification of
the oceans ); acidification (e.g., decreases in pH, decreases in carbonate ion availability for calcifying organisms, changes in fish behavior); and nitrogen and phosphorus pollution

, that could result in more profound consequences to water resources and ecosystem services. These overlapping impacts make protecting water resources in coastal areas especially challenging.

 Indirect Impacts : Likely response to climate change include development of alternative methods of energy and fuel production that reduce emissions of greenhouse gases as well as finding ways to sequester carbon generated by energy production. Alternative methods of both energy production and sequestration can have impacts on water resources, including: increased water use and withdrawals, potential nonpoint pollution impacts of expanded agric ultural production, increased water temperatures due to discharge of process cooling waters, pollution concentration due to low flows, and effects of carbon sequestration on groundwater or ocean environments.

As noted, not all near term impacts of

climate change will necessarily be disruptive, and could, in some cases provide benefits. For example, increased precipitation could improve flows supporting aquatic ecosystem health in some areas, and changing sea levels could aid submerged aquatic vegetation.

R ecent publications on the impacts of climate change include the June 2009 report titled Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States, produced by the USGCRP ( formerly the U.S. Climate Change Science Program). The report reviews the scientific finding s of twenty

- one Synthesis and Assessment Products (SAPs), and builds on previous USGCRP Figure 3

. Increases in an nual Number of Days with

Very Heavy Precipitation



### .

Image credit: U.S. Global Change Research Program
( www.globalchange.gov ).

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### 14 | Introd uctionNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessments. It describes both observed and expected impacts of climate change for the United States and presents r egional and sectoral assessments (USGCRP, 2009a). In December 2009 , EPA issued the Endangerment and Cause or Contribute Findings for Greenhouse Gases under Section 202(a)

of the Clean Air Act

. EPA relied on the major scientific assessment reports to find that greenhouse gases pose a risk to public health and welfare. Observed and projected impacts of climate change on water resources in the U.S. were components of the Findings (EPA, 2009a).

The National Research Council (NRC) produced a set of reports in 2 010 at the request of Congress (Public Law 110

- 161) to study the issues associated with global climate change and provide advice on the most effective steps and strategies that can be taken to respond. The study, entitled America’s Climate Choices

, resulte d in five reports: Advancing the Science of Climate Change

, Limiting the Magnitude of Future Climate Change

, Adapting to the Impacts of Climate Change

, Informing E ff

ective Decisions and Actions Related to Climate Change , and Synthesis for Policy Makers , sy nthesizing the previous four ( NRC

, 2010a -d ).

In late 2010, the NRC produced the report, Climate Stabilization Targets: Emissions, Concentrations, and Impacts over Decades to Mi ll

ennia , including an associated brochure ( NRC , 2010e; NRC , 2011a). The report d escribes likely ranges of temperature increases during the 21st century and beyond for a given concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and associates those temperatures with likely effects on natural and human systems :

Scientific progress has increased confidence in the understanding of how global warming levels of 1o, 2o, 3o, 4o, 5oC, and so on, a ff

ects many aspects of the physical climate system, including regional and seasonal changes in temperature and precipitation, as well as e ff

ects

on hurricanes, sea ice, snow, permafrost, sea level, and ocean acidification. Climate Stabilization Targets a tt

empts to quantify the outcomes of di ff

erent stabilization targets on the climate system, as much as is possible based on cu rr

ently available scientific evidence

and information (NRC, 2011 a

).

The Climate Stabilization Targets report then presents an indicative (not comprehensive) evaluation of likely impacts of each ◦ C ( 1 ◦ C = 1.8 ◦ F) of warming, including, for example:

 5- 10% changes in precipitation a cross many regions;

 3- 10% increases in the amount of rain falling during the heaviest precipitation events;

 5- 10% changes in streamflow across many river basins;

 15% decreases in the annually averaged extent of sea ice across the Arctic Ocean, with 25% decreases in the yearly minimum extent in September; and

 5- 15% reductions in the yields of crops as currently grown

.

Other effects of varying levels of warming include:

 Increases in the number of exceptionally warm summers (i.e., 9 out of 10 boreal summers
th at are “exceptionally warm” in nearly all land areas for about 3°C of global warming, and every summer “exceptionally warm” in nearly all land areas for about 4°C, where an

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### 15 | Introd uctionNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

“exceptionally warm” summer is defined as one that is warmer than all but about 1 of the 20 summers in the last decades of the 20th century);

 200

- 400% increases in the area burned by wildfire in parts of the western United States for

1-2 o C;

 Increased coral bleaching and net erosion of coral reefs due to warming and changes in
ocean acid ity (pH) for carbon dioxide ( CO 2 ) levels corresponding to about 1.5 -3 o C ; and

 Sea level rise in the range of 0.5 to 1.0 meters in 2100, in a scenario corresponding to
about 3 o C (plus or minus 1 o C) , with an associated increase in the number of people a t risk from coastal flooding

, as well as wetland and dryland losses

.

Furthermore, the report underscores the point that “adaptation” is not a one

- time event

. Rather, we have entered an era of long

- term continual change that must be considered by decision

m aker s to inform ongoing adaptation strategies

. The NWP will continue to monitor developments in climate change and water science, including new science efforts to support and inform adaptation strategies.



### D. The Economics of Climate Change Actions

Many of the actions we could take to adapt to climate change are actions that provide value independent of changing climate. S iting new water infrastructure in a coastal area at an elevation that is resilient to storm surge in the face of sea level rise would be bene ficial even at current sea levels. Coastal wetlands are important resources for a variety of services, of which protection from sea level rise and storm surge is only one important component. Sources for drinking water are already at risk; best management practices employed by water utilities and solutions encouraging water conservation and efficiency to deal with climate change impacts may also provide cost

- effective relief from pressures caused by growing populations. In this sense, adaptation practices can be no or low

- regret methods to manage risk in the face of uncertainty regarding the pace and magnitude of climate change effects, provided they cost

effectively address stressors in addition to the risks posed by climate change.

Quantifying the projecte d cost of climate change impacts with a ny degree of certainty is difficult

due to the complexity

, variability and uncertainty in the pace, magnitude and locally specific impacts of climate change

. Likewise , i t is hard to monetize the costs and benefits ass ociated

with the wide range of mitigation and adaptation opportunities available to water managers in the United States. Nevertheless, assigning a dollar value to actions and inactions related to climate change not only helps society determine its preferred level of mitigation and adaptation, but also provides a common unit of measure to compare among options, helping decision

makers determine where and how to best implement mitigation and adaptation practices. The EPA Guidelines for Preparing Economic Anal yses (EPA, 2010 b ) recognizes the complexity of environmental impacts more generally, while also explaining how valuation of such impacts can

benefit decision

- making.

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### 16 | Introd uctionNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

The NWP will monitor developments and work with partners within and outside of EPA to expl ore ways to characterize costs and benefits to support climate change

- related decision making. A sample of these studies follows 4 :

 Kirshen et al. (2006) quantifies the climate change impacts on water quality, water supply, and water demand, among other areas of impact, in the Boston region. For example, they estimate capital costs to account for managing lower levels of dissolved oxygen due to warmer waters to range between $30 and $39 million.

 Frederick and Schwarz (2000) look at the impact of increased flood damages and drought on the United States due to climate change, and estimate that annual average flood damages may increase from $5 billion in 1995 to $8 billion in 2030 to $18 billion in 2095.

 Dore and Burton (2001) evaluate climate adaptation costs for a variety of actions in
Canada. They estimate that expanding wastewater treatment capacity in Toronto to account for more intense precipitation and other impacts could range from $533 million to $9 billion, depending on the level of risk the city is willing to accept.

 USGCRP’s Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States (2009) highlights a water resources adaptation decision. Boston’s Deer Island sewage treatment plant was built 1.9 feet higher to account for projected sea level rise during the facility’s planned life (through 2050) to avoid future costs to build a protective wall around the plant with pumps to transport effluent over the wall.

.

 Neuman et al. (2010), in an EPA

- supported study, evaluated the costs of sea level rise impacts to th e contiguous U.S. coastline. The study found that the cost is much larger than prior estimates suggest

— more than $63 billion cumulative discounted cost (at 3%) for a 27
inch rise by 2100, which corresponds to $230 billion in undiscounted cost..

 Studies related to wetlands also focus on protection from sea level rise and storm surges. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005) notes that the State of Louisiana put in place a $14 billion wetland restoration plan (Coast 2050) to protect marsh, swamp, and
barr ier islands to reduce storm surges.

 Workshop report: Valuation Techniques and Metrics for Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation, and Mitigation Options (NCA 2011).The goal of this workshop, convened by the interagency National Climate Assessment Task Force, was to provide a snapshot of the capabilities, readiness, and applicability of methodologies for quantitatively valuing climate impacts and adaptation.

4 This list is intended to be illustrative of recent published research. EPA is not endorsing any specific estimate.

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### 17 | Introd uctionFigure 4. Six Step Approach to Climate
Change Adaptation Planning Na tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change



## III. Framework For A Climate Ready National Water Program

EPA Vision: Despite the ongoing effects of clima te change, the National Water Program

wi continue to achieve its mission to protect and restore our waters; ensure that drinking water is safe; and assure that aquatic ecosystems sustain fish, plants and wildlife, as well as economic, recreational, and s ubsistence activities.

Under the CWA, EPA is responsible for en suring “ water quality which provides for the protection and propagation of fish, shellfish, and wildlife and provides for recreation in and on the water ” through the control of point and nonpoint sources of pollution

. Under the SDWA, EPA promulgates national primary drinking water regulations applicable to public water systems to protect human health from drinking water contaminants

. EPA’s source water protection and preservation efforts aim to en sure abundant and clean drinking water supplies

. However, as climate change shifts hydrological patterns and increases variability outside of historic norms, including frequency, severity and duration of drought or extreme rain events, achieving these

go als will become more challenging.



### A. Guiding Principles

To position the National Water Program as “Climate Ready,” we will work with stakeholders and partners to achieve our Vision. The NWP adopted the following ten principles that inform the development of the 2012 Strategy. These principles are consistent with, and reinforce, the principles promulgated by the ICCATF and reflect additional principles specific to managing

water resources. ll

1. Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) : Support collaboration among state, interstate, local tribal, and federal governments and among sectors to manage the quality and quantity of sustainable water

resources within watersheds and underlying aquifers (IWRM is further discussed below).

2. Adaptive Management : Acknowledge uncertainty as a context of decision making and build flexibility into policy and

decision

- making to manage risk and to allow for new knowledge input. Uncertainty is not necessarily a

reason to defer decisions.

The Flexible Framework adopted by

the ICCATF (Figure 4) reflects both

the evolution of climate science and

the likelihood that the uncertainty regarding the timing, nature,

direct ion, and magnitude of localized climate change impacts will continue

. Because

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### 18 | Framework http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/micro sites/ceq/Interagency

- Climate

- Change

- Adaptation Progress

- Report.pdf [ICCATF, 2010]National Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

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### 19 | Framework Principles for an Energy

- Water Future

(See Appendix B for full description)

 Efficiency should form the foundation of how we develop, distribute, recover, and use energy and water.

 Generation and use of energy should have the smallest possible impact on water

resources.

 Treatment, distribution, and use of water should have the smallest possible impact on

energy resources.

 Waste water treatment facilities should be
viewed as renewable resource recovery
facilities.

 The water and energy sectors should move toward integrated resource management.

 Maximize comprehensive, societal benefits. Dealing with Uncertainty

Although we can glean clues about the likely impacts of future climate change from recent observations and research into Earth’s past, the picture is still incomplete and our predictions are uncertain. Future climate change will likely be fundamentally different from changes Earth experienced in the past because of the high temperatures that are projected, the rate of climate change, and the fact that climate change is occurring in a setting where human actions have already altered natural ecosystems in many other ways. Despite uncertainties about what the future holds, decisions can be m ade now. Strategies for managing ecosystems in the future will need to pay special attention to the issue of uncertainty. It will be important to make decisions based on the best currently available information, and implement them in a way that preserves the ability to make adjustments in the future as
more information becomes available.

 Ecological Impacts of Climate Change, [NRC, 2009] investments such as for construction of water infrastructure are capital intensive, long

- lived and require long lead times, building climate change considerations into the design of these investments is necessary even with some degree of uncertainty in climate projections.

3. Collaborative Learning and Capacity Development : Collaborate with other federal water agencies and state, interstate, trib al and local water agencies to contribute to the development of long

- range plans that account for climate change impacts. Establish partnerships to assemble and develop planning and decision support tools and the underlying data

sets for climate change adaptation and mitigation.

4. Long Term Planning (i.e., multi

- decadal time h orizon) : L ook ahead and consider ways to reduce risk over time when making adaptation decisions. Incorporate concepts of sustainability and non

- stationarity – i.e., continual change in the hydroclimatic system

outside of assumed norms - i nto the implementa tion of water programs.

5. Water

- Energy Nexus: Saving water saves energy and vice versa. A daptation and mitigation go hand

- in

- hand and opportunities for both should be

considered whenever possible

. Managing

the “ water/ energy nexus” will protect the aquatic environment while preserving

freshwater resources for human uses and the economy.

6. Systems & Portfolio Approach : D esign integrated and resilient solutions that

address the inter

- relationships among environmental, public health, social a nd economic aspects of a climate change impact and that avoids unintended

consequences. Incorporate diversification that includes contingency plansNational Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

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### 20 | Framework (emergency preparedness and response) to be implemented should adaptation actions

under

- perform.

7. Cost of Ina ction : U nderstand the risk of inaction and its cost (i.e., the value at risk) compared to the cost of proactively adapting to projected climate change impacts. Support decision making and express tradeoffs in terms of costs and benefits (quantified and non

quantified short - and long

- term risks ), as well as between action and inaction

.

8. Environmental Justice: Account for the m ost v ulnerable by a ssur ing that our plans and programs consider the needs of those with a higher degree of vulnerability ( e.g., childre n, economically disadva ntaged communities, tribes, and islands).

9. Performance Evaluation : S et clear goals against which to assess performance and guide adaptation and refinement of program planning, policy design and implementation

. Include numeric targets where appropriate.

10. Mainstreaming Climate Change into Core Programs : A s experience is gained and tools are developed, integrate climate change mitigation and adaptation into core programs. Ultimately, we w ould no longer need a “climate change ” strategy; rather, climate change would be factored in as the new background condition for managing water programs.



### B. Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM)

Because surface water and ground water flows across political jurisdictions, state and local government actions that are coordinated throughout watersheds and across the underlying aquifers can more successfully protect and preserve these resources than disparate actions taken piecemeal. Watershed and aquifer boundaries are the optimal organizing principle for state

, interstate, tribal and local management of fresh water to

ensure these resources remain

abundant and clean across the

nation.

IWRM is a framework to holistically

address current water resource issues and emerging climate change complications. There are several definitions of this term, but for the purpose of this strategy, the

NWP us es IWRM to describe opportunities for state, interstate,

tribal and local officials to voluntarily collaborate at watershed or aquifer scales to protect and Case Study: IWRM in California

In 2002, the Californian legislature passed the Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) Act
and established IRWM as the framework for collaborative planning for all aspects of water resources in a region. Between 2002 and 2006, California voters passed three Water Bonds authorizing $1.8 billion to fund competitive grants for IRWM planning and implementation. The California Department of Water Resources established guidelines for Regions to consider as they each developed their own coordination, planning and
decision

- making processes. Thus far, California has
46 active IRWM regions, covering 82% of the State. In 2011, EPA Region 9 worked with California to develop

a technical guid e for incorporating climate change into IRWM planning (CA, 2011 a ). For more information on California's program, see: www.water.ca.gov/irwm/docs/Brochures/Brochure_IR WM_020410.pdfNational Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

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### 21 | Framework preserve fresh water resources through mutually beneficial solutions. IWRM cal ls for inter

- sector planning (e.g., between the energy sector and the water sector ) to sustainably manage water

resources

. A short hand way to think of IWRM is “one water .” To be most effective

, IWRM

should take into account water quantity and quality, surface water and ground water, salinity of coastal estuaries, land use, point and nonpoint sources of pollution, green and grey infrastructure, and climate change adaptation and mitigation [EPA

- R9 2011].

S trategic actions described throughout this document point to NWP efforts to work with other federal, state, interstate and tribal agencies in assembling information on the hydrologic relationships between surface water and ground water, and between water quality and quantity; developing planning support tools for water resource managers to address climate change adaptation; and building public understanding of the interaction between water use and the quality and sustainability of ground water and surface water.

T he NWP will seek opportunities to integrate IWRM into national and regional activities and coordinate with other federal, state, interstate and tribal agencies to support IWRM at hydrologic

scales.Na tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change



## IV. Programmatic Visions, Goals a nd Strategic Actions

This chapter is divided into five sections. Each section is organized using a three

- tier

framew ork: Vision, Goals, and Strategic Actions. Each section articulates a Vision for which EPA may be only one of many actors. This requires EPA to work collaboratively with other federal, state, tribal and local entities to achieve each Vision.

For each Visi on, we identify Goals that reflect the same long

- term time frame as the Vision. The Goals, however, articulate EPA’s mission and role in achieving the Vision, and describe what we are trying to achieve.

IWRM is a voluntary collaboration of state, interstate, local and tribal Each Goal entails several Strategic Actions which ar e the
governments and among sectors to program building blocks to achieve the goal. The Strategic sustainably manage the quality and Actions describe how the NWP plans to work over the quantity o f water resources within next three to eight years in pursuit of our longer term watersheds and underlying aquifers. Goals and Vision.

Annual objectives will be incorporated into the annual budget and planning process of the Agency, and will reflect the availability of resources and priorities. Progress toward achieving Goals and Strategic Actions will be described in annual reports (see the section in Chapter V on Tracking Progress and Measuring Ou tc

omes ).

The five sections of this chapter are:

A. Infrastructure – including centralized or decentralized technologies and practices for wastewater, drinking water and stormwater management infrastructure; Climate Ready Water Utilities; energy use and co

- gene ration; water supply and demand management.

B. Watersheds and Wetlands – including landscape strategies to protect and restore watersheds, source water areas including ground water, and wetlands; natural infrastructure and low impact development.

C. Coastal and Ocean Waters – including programs for coastal wetlands and estuaries; Climate Ready Estuaries (CRE); issues associated with coastal infrastructure and coastal drinking water (sea level rise, saline intrusion, etc.); ocean water quality, ocean habitats

and marine life.

D. Water Quality – including policies, programs, and regulatory controls to protect human health and ecological integrity, e.g., Water Quality Standards (WQS), TMDL s , NPDES permits , Green Infrastructure for stormwater management

, underground injection control (UIC) , wellhead protection , etc

.

E. Working With Tribes – including how the NWP will utilize “traditional knowledge” to help guide this strategy and long

- term implementation of adaptation measures.

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### 22 | Visions & Goals"Because the perception that climate fluctuates around a stationary mean is in conflict with recently observed climate dynamics, decision makers need an approach that is responsive to
n t i e ihood of ex r c mes changes i he l k l t eme out o as well as changes in the “average” climate ... Rather than managing the resource to maintain its past condition and state, management may need to take steps to protect the resource ... or allow the resource to change as needed to adapt to climate change ..

. In other words the managers of these resources must work to incorporate the impact of climate change in their plans and operations.”

 NRC, 2010d Na tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change



### A. Infrastructure

VISION : In the face of a chan ging climate, resilient and adaptable drink ing water,

wastewater and storm water utilities ( i.e., the water utility 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

e

ff

iciency.

The viability of drinking water and wastewater treatment and related infrastructure directly affects the protection of public and ecosystem

health. Population growth, land use change, aging infrastr ucture, economic and regulatory constraints, and various water quality stressors are already driving the water sector to take

action. Climate change a dds another dimens ion

that will complicate these long standi ng challenges for water sector operators and public officials

. This chapter highl ights how the NWP plans to continue assisting the water sector in achieving public health and
ecosystem objectives in l ight of climate change

.

G

OAL 1: The NWP works with the water utility sector to build the body of information and

tools needed to incorporate climate change into planning and decision making to build the sector’s adaptive capacity, reduce greenhouse gase s, and deliver drinking water and clean

water services.

This Goal highlights the objectives of the Climate Ready Water Utilities ( CRWU) initiative to work with drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater utilities to advance their understanding of

climate s cience and adaptation options. Through the CRWU program, the NWP will seek to expand the water sector’s understanding of climate change risks and respond to the

recommendations of the Climate Ready Water Utilities: Final Report of the National Drinking

Wat er Advisory Council [NDWAC, 2010]. EPA’s Clean Water and Safe Drinking Water Infrastructure Sustainability Policy [EPA, 2010 c ] also encourages water sector utilities to incorporate climate change considerations into their planning and operations, and suppo rts the

work of the CRWU initiative.

A s recommended by the National Drinking Water Advisory Council (NDWAC) CRWU working group, climate change activities need to be closely coordinated with other federal and state agencies, water sector associations, non

- governmental organizations and tribes. CRWU activities also need to be linked to other EPA programs such as the C limate Ready Estuaries (C R E) program, and Effective Utility Management (EUM). The EUM initiative is a collaborative partnership between EPA and major water sector associations, and is based on a series of attributes of effectively managed utilities including consideration of climate impacts

. By

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### 23 | Visions & GoalsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

coordinating with these and other programs, utilities can ensure that their climate change adaptation and mitigation approaches more readily address utility and community sustainability priorities through utility

- wide planning, ongoing asset management and infrastructure repair and replacement, emergency response

, and capacity development.

Strategic Action 1 : The CRWU program wi ll work to improve access to vetted climate data and hydrological science, modeling and assessment tools. This action reflects the NWP’s commitment to incorporate climate change science and trend information into a major tool by 2015.

Water utility officials are struggling with the number and volume of climate change studies produced by federal and state agencies, water associations, universities and others. Concurrent with utilities moving forward to address climate change challenges, there is a strong need for continued investment in advancing the understanding of climate impacts and strategies ( NDWAC, 2010 ). The NWP will continue to work with federal and state partners to improve access to hydrologic science and tools, such as trend and risk assessment tools, downscaled climate modeling, and advanced planning support models and decision support tools.

CRWU will refine its Climate Resilience Education and Awareness Tool ( CREAT ) to assist water

utilities with understand ing potential climate change impacts and assess the ir risks. CREAT allows a utility to analyze how various adaptation strategies may help reduce climate risks, enabling them to prioritize the implementation of adaptation measures. CRWU will also improve a searchable toolbox of resources that support all stages of the decision process, from basic climate science through integration of mitigation and adaptation into long

- term planning (EPA,

2011 c ).

Strategic Action 2 : The NWP wi ll assist wastewater and drinking water treatme nt plants to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and increase their long

- term sustainability. The

NWP wi ll leverage programs such as effective utility management, sustainable asset management, and energy management, to encourage a combination of energy e ff

iciency,

co

- generation and renewable energy resources.

About 80% of municipal water processing and distribution costs are for electricity , which comprises an estimated 3

- 4 % of national energy consumption ; this percentage ranges up to

13% when residen tial water use is included (EPRI, 2002; EPA, 2011 d ). In addition, the Water

Environment Research Foundation (WERF, 2010) r eports that sewage typically contains ten times the energy required to treat it, presenting an opportunity for using it as an energy s ource (co- generation). Improved energy management is important to reduce greenhouse gases and help insulate utilities from energy costs or supply disruptions (Figure 5).

The NWP will continue encourag ing water sector utilities to use its Energy Management

Guidebook (EPA, 2008a) which uses a management systems approach to reduce energy use

. As part of this effort, utilities are documenting benefits from adopting energy management programs, such as lowering greenhouse gas ( GHG) emissions and operating costs. EPA has also developed a downloadable, Excel

- based Energy Audit Tool (EAT) that will allow small and medium drinking water and wastewater utilities to determine baseline energy consumption and

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### 24 | Visions & GoalsPreatWali Na t on rogram 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

cost and highlight

inefficiencies they may find useful in identifying energy improvement projects (EPA, 2012).

The NWP will continue to provid e information on energy efficient and co

generation technologies in

consultat ion with other federal agencies, principally the Department of Energy (DOE), and will continue to

c ollaborat e with the Office

of Air and Radiation and other partners to improve existing tools (e.g.,

ENERGY STAR’s Portfolio Manager) and develop new energy bench marking and auditing tools.

Strategic Action 3 : The NWP wi ll explore climate change challenges to drinking water safety and assist public water systems, particularly small systems, in meeting health

based drinking water standards.

The NWP will continue working to enhance partnerships to improve water sector understanding of climate change adaptation options and identify technical assistance activities to help water systems comply with National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs) under changing

climate conditions

.

CRWU will focus in particular on developing tools for smaller systems. While la rger utilities tend to have the resources to engage technical experts for assist ance with operations

, management

and decision support for climate change, smaller utilities have fewer resources. Building capacity requires providing tools and assistance tail ored to smaller utilities, including tools that

will prepar e them to adapt to the changing climate. CRWU climate change adaptation tools will augment the capacity development efforts of the EPA drinking water program to address small system challenges affe ct ing sustainability, compliance, and day

- to

- day operations. The NWP

will also encourage partnerships between water systems to ensure water systems are able to avoid disruptions and consistently provide safe drinking water to their customers.

Strategic Act ion 4 : The NWP wi ll collaborate with partners to promote sustainable design approaches to ensure the long

- term sustainability of infrastructure and operations. The OW is developing a handbook of information to help utilities incorporate sustainability cons iderations into their planning. The handbook will focus on key elements of planning such as aligning utility sustainability goals with other community priorities in areas like housing and transportation,

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### 25 | Visions & GoalsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

analyzing a range of infrastructure alternatives based on full life cycle costs including green and natural systems, and ensuring that a financial strategy, including appropriate rate structures, is in place to fund, operate, maintain, and replace the alternatives chosen. Energy efficiency and impacts assoc iated with climate change can be considered throughout the elements described

in the handbook.

OW is also working with EPA's Office of Community Sustainability and 3 states (New York, Maryland, and California) to identify actions that can be taken to integ rate the principles of the

HUD

- DOT

- EPA Sustainable Communities Partnership into their Clean Water SRF programs. Options these states are considering include changes to intended use plans, project priority systems, and other funding guidance documents. Some of these changes could potentially provide incentives for projects that are energy efficient (that also help reduce GHG emissions) and/or that potentially reduce vulnerability to climate impacts. Information on the results of these pilots will be shared with other state Clean Water and Drinking Water Programs.

GOAL 2 : EPA programs support IWRM in the water utility sector to sustainably manage water resources in the face of climate change.

Federal and state water resource management and protection agencies can encourage water

sector utilities to establish partnerships with each other and the private sector (e.g., energy, agriculture) in the context of an IWRM framework (referred to as integrated water management

in NDWAC , 2010). IWRM among water utilities an d other partners can increase community resilience to climate change and expand opportunities for watershed

- wide adaptive actions. The NWP in consultation with other federal water agencies, states, interstates and Tribes will consider how best to coordinate assistance to support IWRM.

Water supply management and water demand management are IWRM practices to consider, particularly where confidence in the future reliability of water supply quality or quantity is diminishing (e.g., in drought prone, high growth, or coastal communities). The tools described below offer water sector utilities a range of methods to extend their water supplies.

Strategic Action 5 : The NWP wi ll seek opportunities to better understand and promote through technical assistance the use of water supply management strategies to increase hydrologic, ecologic, public health and economic benefit.

Aquifer Storage & Recovery (ASR) — The NWP will work to foster research on ASR practices that do not endanger underground sources of drinking water (USDWs). ASR is a process of storing water underground for future use. ASR is increasingly used where fresh water demand is beginning or projected to exceed supply and ASR is likely to increase in drought prone areas, particularly those affected by climat e change. When applied to stormwater, this practice can also reduce nonpoint source pollution of our lakes, streams and rivers. However, the infiltration or injection of polluted stormwater risks contamination of fresh water aquifers.

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### 26 | Visions & GoalsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

Reclamation and Reu se — The NWP will continue to encourage safe water reclamation and

reuse. A wastewater or stormwater utility could, for example, distribute reclaimed water from a centralized treatment system for park irrigation or other uses, recognizing that additional

t reatment would be required for some applications. Onsite residential reuse of gray water for landscape vegetation reduces the volume of potable water delivered to the site and the volume of wastewater discharged

from the centralized wastewater treatment

fa cility. Since outdoor and non

- potable water uses typically can account for more than half of all water use, this technique offers significant potential to preserve fresh

water resources as well as to reduce treatment costs and energy use (EPA, 2004), and can help address increased frequency, severity and duration of drought.

Water Loss Control — The NWP will provide technical assistance to reduce water loss from drinking water systems, building upon EPA’s publication, Control and Mitigation of Drinking Water Losses in Distribution Systems (EPA, 2010d). Much of the estimated 880,000 miles of drinking

water infrastructure in the United States has Water Reuse and Recycling: Examples of inter

- utility IWRM in the
Metro politan Water District of Southern California

• Orange County, California recycles 70 million gallons per day (MGD) of sewage thru a $481 million treatment plant (NY Times, 2007) as part of a Ground water Replenishment System (OCWD, 2008).

• The City of Hemet , CA in the Eastern Municipal Water District provides recycled water to supply public parks and golf courses throughout the southland (MWDSC, 2008).

• The Hill Canyon Water Treatment Plant (WTP) releases recycled water for agricultural irrigation under an exchange agreement between Calleguas MWD and United Water Conservation District (MWDSC, 2008).

• The Thousand Oaks, Tapia WTP supplies recycled water to two municipal water districts (MWDs) for municipal and agricultural irrigation (MWDSC, 2008).

been in service for decades and can be a significant source of water loss. The American Water Works Association (AWWA) estimated in Distribution System Inventory, Integrity and Water Quality that there are close to 237,600 water line breaks per year in the United States leading to about $2.8 billion lost in yearly revenue (EPA, 2007).

Treated water that cannot be accounted for equates to lost revenue and requires more water to be treated, which requires more energy and chemical use, which drives up operating costs. A water loss control program improves infrastructure sustainability by reducing costs and maintaining or increasing revenue. A report by the California Public Utilities Commission (CA, 2011b) found after 5 years of research that repairing leaks in water distribution pipes offers the highest energy savings from nine water

- related strategies assessed. Water loss control also protects public health by reducing potential distribution system entry points for pathogens (EPA, 2010c).

Desalination for Potable or Nonpotable Uses — Desalination to treat marine or brackish water is becoming increasingly important in certain locations and circumstances. Several coastal communities are piloting or using desalination plants to address increasing demand driven by population growth or drought. These practices are increasing for inland sources for similar reasons or where water sources have been depleted. However, desalination is energy intensive and there may be risks and costs associated with disposing of waste brines from the

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### 27 | Visions & GoalsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

Figu re 6 . Potential Water Supply Conflicts treatment. The NWP will monitor research developments to understand where efforts may be needed to ensure that the disposal of waste brines do not endanger underground sources of drinking water.

Strategic Action 6 : The NWP will s eek opportunities to evaluate

, and provide technical assistance on, the use of water demand management strategies to increase h ydrologic, ecologic, public health and
economic benefits

.

Water demand management reduces consumption by providing information, technology and

incentives for consumers and industry to use less water. Water demand management calls for

consumer education abo ut the full

cost of water services. T o be

sustainable

, water utilities must be able to price water to reflect the full cost of treatment and delivery, as well as the cost of protectin g water supplies

.

Metering and Metrics — The NWP will support t he Water

W orkgroup of the ICCATF by working with other federal water agencies to develop sector The map shows regions in the West where water supply conflicts are specific water use efficiency likely to occur by 2025 based on a combination of factors including metrics, and the NWP will population trends and potential endangered species’ needs for water. continue seeking opportunities to The red zones are where the conflicts are most likely to occur. This assist water utilities in developing analysis does not factor in the effects of climate change, which is and deploying water metering expected to exacerbate many of these already

- identified issues. Image credit: U.S. Global Change Research Program technologies. Measuring water ( www.globalchange.gov )

. use enables development of conservation pricing as well as metrics for water use efficiency. Service- connection metering informs customers about how much water they are using

, and suppliers use metering to track water use and billing.

Water Use E ff

iciency & WaterSense — WaterSense is an EPA

- sponsored voluntary partnership to protect the future of our nation's water supply by bringing together local water utilities and governments, product manufacturers, retailers, consumers and other stakeho lders

to decrease indoor and outdoor non

- agricultural water use through more efficient products and practices. WaterSense helps consumers make water

- efficient choices and encourages innovation in manufacturing by standardizing rigorous certification criteria that ensure product efficiency, performance and quality (EPA, 2011 f ). These savings at the consumer level translate

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### 28 | Visions & GoalsWaterSense has helped consumers save 125 billion gallons of water and $2 billion in water and energy bills since 2006. By the end of 2010, WaterSense had partnered with more than 2,100 organizations a nd professionals, and more than 3,200 plumbing products had earned the WaterSense label. (EPA, 2011e). Na tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

to significant direct savings in operations and maintenance costs, and indirect savings in infrastructure replacement costs, for drinking water and wastewater utilities. EPA will continue to develop specifications

for water efficient products , encourage water efficiency in building operations and codes, and educate the public on the value of water use efficiency through its WaterSense prog ram.

Water Pricing — The funding for daily operation and maintenance and long

- term capital investments for drinking water and wastewater systems are typically generated through user

fees. When measured as a percentage of household income, the U.S. pays less for water and wastewater bills than other developed countries. Because of this, there is a perception that water is readily available and water services are generally inexpensive. To meet our current and future infrastructure needs, public education on water sector system operations and costs as well as private water conservation is needed.

Pricing of water services should accurately reflect the true costs of providing high

- quality water and wastewater services to consumers in order to both operate and maintain infrastructure and plan for upcoming repairs, rehabilitation, and replacement of that infrastructure. Drinking water and wastewater utilities must be able to price water services to reflect these costs.

There is an extensive body of knowledge on pricing water services and helping consumers learn about how pricing affects their community. EPA will continue to seek opportunities to work with our utility and state partners in identifying revenue templates that provide sufficient resources for

infrastru cture operations, maintenance, rehabilitation, and replacement; and send the right market signals about water use.

Strategic Action 7 : The NWP wi ll work to increase cross

- sector knowledge of water supply climate challenges and develop watershed specific i nformation to inform state, interstate, tribal and local decision making.

State and local governments and their constituents need to understand the nature and extent of the water challenges they face to make decisions t o address them. The NWP will work wit h federal and state science agencies and academia to develop location specific information about climate change impacts for different sectors in each watershed and aquifer. For example, EPA is participating with other federal and state water agencies and s takeholders in planning DOI’s

National Water Census as well as its WaterSMART program to promote the efficient use of

water ( USBR

, 2011 ). The NWP will also expand its effort to collaborate with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as it fosters ”collaborative relationships for a sustainable water resources future” (USACE, 2010a) including development of a Federal Support Toolbox to provide a common data portal to support IWRM (USACE, 2010b).

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### 29 | Visions & Goals“The once seemingly separable types of aquatic ecosystems are, we now know, interrelated and interdependent. We cannot expect to preserve the

remaini ng qualities of our water resources without providing appropriate protection for the entire resource.”

Tennessee Senator Howard Baker on the importance of the Clean Water Act on the Senate floor, 1977

“I ask that your marvelous natural resources be han ded on unimpaired to your posterity..”

Theodore Roosevelt, Sacramento, CA 1903 Na tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change



### B. Watersheds and Wetlands

VISION: Watersheds are protected, maintained a nd restored to ensure climate resilience and to preserve the ecological, 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.

Healthy watersheds and wetlands will be critical to climate adaptation and mitigation. This section addresses how EPA will ensure protection of healthy watersheds, restore impaired watersheds to enhance climate resiliency and preserve the important functions and ecosystem

services provided by the nation’s wetlands especially in the face of climate change.

Healthy watersheds and wetlands provide a host of ecol ogical services, including water purification, ground water and surface flow regulation, wildlife habitat, flood and surge impact reduction, wat e r temperature moderation, erosion control, and

stream bank stabilization. They

also stor e c arbon and sequester other greenhouse gases. These
ecosystems already are

th reatened with a number of stressors, and c limate change will exacerbate existing water quality and ecosystem management issues.

GOAL 3 : Identify, protect, and maintain a network of healthy watersheds and supportive

habitat corridor networks across the cou ntry that provide resilience to climate change.

EPA, in partnership with others, is embarking on the Healthy Watersheds Initiative to expand our efforts to protect healthy aquatic ecosystems using a strategic systems

- based approach

, prevent them from becoming impaired

, and accelerate restoration (EPA, 2011g)

. This Initiative will greatly enhance our ability to meet the full intent and extent of the CWA 101(a) objective, “...to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation ’s waters,” and in doing so, will increas e the climate resiliency of aquatic ecosystems and their

watersheds. This goal would be difficult to achieve without working with our partners and their

programs

, such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service’s ( NMFS ) National Fish Habitat Action Plan, the U.S. Forest Service’s ( USFS ) watershed protection and restoration programs, the full suite of conservation programs administered by USDA, the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) Water Smart Initiative, t he Nature

Conservan cy’s Instream Flow and North America Freshwater Conservation Programs, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and others.

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### 30 | Visions & GoalsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

Integrated Water Resources Management The Healthy Watersheds approach is an important component of integrated water "Successful adaptation and mitigation of climate
resource management (IWRM). IWRM offers change impacts will require a coordinated effort a more holistic approach to water quality among all levels of government, tribes, protection by addressing surface water and communities, nongovernmental groups, scientific ground water quality and quantity as one entities and the private sector - that is, Integrated hydrologic system. As implementation of the Water Resources Management. These voluntary Healthy Watersheds approach increases our partnerships will be essential to protecting and restoring watersheds, wetlands and coastal understanding of some of these relationships

areas. " (e.g., hydrologic requirements of aquatic  Nancy Ston er, ecosystems), that knowledge will provide Acting Assistant Administrator, building blocks for the foundation of IWRM. EPA O ff

ice of Water, 2011

S

trategic Action 8 : The NWP wi ll develop a national framework and wi ll support state and

tribal efforts to protect a national network of remaining healthy watersheds and aquatic ecosystems, including natural infrastructure for habitat corridors.

A national framework will include indicators to assess, identify, and track healthy watersheds and the success of protection measures. The NWP will support state and tribal efforts to

conduct state

- wide and tribal lands integrated healthy watersheds assessments that include landscape condition (i.e., habitat corridor and floodplain connectivity and headwaters habitat intactness), hydrology, fluvial geomorphologic processes, and aquatic biology, habitat, and chemical condition. The NWP will also support state and tribal efforts to implement programs aimed at protecting and maintaining healthy, resilient watersheds and habitat.

The NWP will work with partners to develop and pilot watershed projects and management practices that improve the resilience of healthy watersheds to climate change, including the demonstration of methods that preserve and protect natural hydrology, intact active river areas (TNC, 2008), aquatic habitat corridors, natural transport of sediment, and stream geomorphology. The NWP will work to provide technical decision support to local and regional planning commissions and governments for implementing programs to protect identified watersheds in the face of climate change, consistent with the IWRM objective of the ICCATF.

Strategic Action 9 : The NWP wi ll collaborate with partners having authorities to give attention to terrestrial ecosystems and hydrology so that their effects on water quality and aquatic ecosystems are considered when dealing with climate change impacts.

Among the multitude of services derived from intact forests are protection of water resources and sequestration of carbon

. The NWP will continue collaborating with partner agencies (including the ICCATF Fish, Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaptation Workgroup) to s upport their management objectives that maximize the adaptive capacity of ecosystems (e.g. , through the protection of biodiversity, functional forest groups, keystone species, and protection against invasive species) resulting in reduced vulnerability to disturbance and associated impacts to aquatic ecosystem integrity. In particular, the NWP will a ctively support and promote appropriate forest protection efforts, afforestation (new plantings) and reforestation (replanting of deforested areas) of non -forest lands, and will promote and explore partnerships with working lands, land

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### 31 | Visions & GoalsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

retirement, and forestry programs within other Federal Agencies such as those administered by

the US Forest Service and USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and Farm Service Agency.

For example, to date, EPA has been working directly with US Forest Service staff in the State and Private Forestry program to promote the use of afforestation and reforestation as a component of green infrastructure, especially as it pertains to water quality protection and
stormwater management. EPA has already co- developed a draft manual describing enginee red approaches to afforestation and reforestation for stormwater management and has been working through the National Arbor Day Foundation to disseminate this information to arborists, local and state forestry officials, and tree planting volunteers. EPA i ntends to continue working with USFS and partners such as the National Arbor Day Foundation to support these types of

outreach efforts and broaden them to address the backlog of one million acres of national forests that the Forest Service has identified as needing replanting.

EPA has also contributed funds to USFS staff working in the Chesapeake Bay Program office in order to start up a Web

- based forestry stewardship program targeting small landowners. A geo

referenced stewardship planning tool has been developed in partnership with the Pinchot Institute, and is operational for three Mid

- Atlantic S tates. The tool allows private landowner s to enter information characterizing landownership in order to obtain information about available federal and state progr ams that encourage afforestation and reforestation while providing economic benefits. Efforts are underway to expand the c overage of this tool nationwide.

Strategic Action 10 : The NWP wi ll work to integrate protection of healthy watersheds throughout the N WP core programs.

Strategies that build resilience to climate change include incorporating healthy watershed protection priorities into states’ continuing planning process, promoting green infrastructure for managing stormwater, implementing the section 4 04 wetlands compensatory mitigation rule, incorporating protection of healthy watersheds into funding and technical assistance programs, working with tribes, and strengthening strategic partnerships throughout EPA and the federal government, including smart growth strategies. EPA will encourage permitting authorities to use stormwater permits, as appropriate, to increase watershed resilience ; for example, where increased use of green infrastructure or reductions in impervious cover can both address water

qu ality issues and increase resilience to climate change. EPA will work with states to use the continuing planning process to develop and implement healthy watershed protection and restoration priorities.

Strategic Action 11 : Increase public awareness of the role and importance of healthy watersheds in reducing the adverse impacts of climate change.

The critical ecological services watersheds and wetlands provide often go unrecognized by the public. Raising public awareness of the importance of protecting healthy watersheds will ensure that there is public support for actions needed to sustain these resources in the face of climate change.

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### 32 | Visions & GoalsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

The NWP will d evelop and implement public outreach programs emphasizing the importance of healthy watersheds, including th e economic benefits of protecting and restoring watersheds, wetlands, floodplains, and riparian areas. The climate

- induced risks to aquatic ecosystems

, and

the associated need to enable ecosystem migration, will be further articulated to build support

for action. (See for example EPA, 2011h.)

GOAL 4 : Incorporate climate resilience into watershed restoration and floodplain management.

Watershed restoration and a watershed approach to floodplain management focus on re

establishing the composition, structure, pattern, and ecological processes of degraded or altered aquatic ecosystems necessary to make them sustainable, resilient, and healthy under current and future conditions. Incorporating climate change factors into planning efforts will be needed to ensure that watershed strategies are successful over the long term.

Strategic Action 12 : The NWP wi ll consider a means of accounting for climate change in EPA funded watershed restoration projects and encourage others funding restoration projects to take climate change and resiliency into consideration.

In partnership with other federal, state, interstate and local water sector actors, the NWP will clarify and encourage implementation of existing investment flexibilities to support investments

in climate resilienc y in watershed restoration approaches, source water protection, green infrastructure, and joint partnerships, consistent with authorizing legislation.

Strategic Action 13 : The NWP wi ll work with federal, state, tribal, and local partners to protect and en hance bu ff

ers to rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands and coastal resources as a means of building resiliency and protecting water quality.

Buffer areas provide for flood attenuation, allow potential shoreline and lateral stream
movement, modulate water level fluctuations, and minimiz e impacts on infrastructure. The NWP will work with partners to enhance the use of buffers to build resilience. The NWP will also promote and support the use of non

- structural

, green infrastructure approaches to floodplain

managem ent, and discourage the use of structural measures (e.g., stream channelization and levees), where appropriate.

GOAL 5 : Watershed protection practices incorporate s ource w ater p rotection , and vice

versa, to protect and preserve drinking water supplies fro m the effects of climate change.

P rotecting public health from contaminants in drinking water will require adapting to the impacts of climate change which poses multiple concerns for public water systems. Warmer waters foster pathogen growth, testing the r eliability of drinking water disinfection. Increased precipitation may result in additional pollutant loadings of nutrient s, pesticides

, and other

chemicals , further challenging drinking water treatment. Sea level rise in coastal areas puts fresh water supplies for all uses, particularly drinking water, at increasing risk. Salt water intrusion into coastal aquifers is a problem in some areas where withdrawals are outstripping recharge; increased pressure head from a higher sea

- level worsens this problem. As sea level

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### 33 | Visions & GoalsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

rises, community drinking water intakes may end up in brackish waters as the salt front migrates up coastal rivers and streams.

Strategic Action 14 : The NWP wi ll encourage states to consider updat ing their source water delineations, assessments or protection plans to address anticipated climate change impacts.

NWP program staff will continue working to assure that state s include protecting and preserving drinking water supplies (ground water and surface water) in watershed planning and protecti on

programs. States should consider the feasibility and value of periodically updating their source water protection areas and protection plans in concert with state watershed plan updates to address anticipated climate change impacts. EPA and its federal partners will

, explore opportunities for provid ing technical assistance to states as they u pdat e their source water delineations, assessments and protection plans to address anticipated climate change impacts.

Strategic Action 15 : The NWP will continue to collaborat e with stakeholders 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.

There are many players who inf luence the effectiveness of source water protection at the national, state, interstate, tribal and local levels such as water science and regulatory agencies, water sector utility operators, local decision makers and stakeholders. Acting individually they may affect aspects of source water protection and preservation but collaborati ng on the same watersheds and aquifers increases the potential to protect and preserve those resources. The

NWP will work to foster increased collaboration to develop decision support tools to inform deliberations at the local and watershed or aquifer scale.

GOAL 6 : EPA incorporates climate change considerations into the CWA 404 regulatory program as they relate to permit reviews and compensatory mitigation.

Since 1989, the Federal government as a whole has embraced a policy goal of no net loss of

wetlands under the CWA Section 404 regulatory program. In addition, the program operates under a goal of a net increase in the quality and quantity of the nation’s wetlands. EPA’s

Wetlan ds Program foster s effective wetlands management through strategic partnerships with States, Tribes, local governments, and other partners. Key to accomplishing these goals and actions is a watershed approach to aquatic resource protection

.

Section 404 of the CWA establishes a program to regulate the discharge of dredged or fill

material into waters of the U .S. , including wetlands. Activities in waters of the U.S. typically regulated under this program include fill for development, water resource projects ( e.g., dams and levees), infrastructure development ( e.g., highways and airports) and mining projects. Section 404 requires either a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) or an
EPA

- approved state program before dredged or fill material may be discharged into waters of

the U.S

.

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### 34 | Visions & GoalsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

One basic requirement of the CWA Section 404 permitting program, as implemented by 404(b)(1) Guidelines, is that no discharge of dredged or fill material into wetlands may be permitted if a practicable alternative exists that is less damaging to the aquatic environment or if the nation’s waters would be significantly degraded. Significant degradation is broadly defined in the 404(b)(1) Guidelines to include individual or cumulative impacts to human health and welfare; fis h and wildlife; ecosystem diversity, productivity and stability; and recreational,

aesthetic or economic values.

Strategic Action 16 : The NWP will consider the effects of climate change as appropriate when making significant degradation determinations in the CWA Section 404 Wetlands Permitting and Enforcement Programs

.

In light of the growing concerns regarding the adverse effects of climate change and the recognition that protecting the Nation’s wetlands and other aquatic resources can help to mitigate t hese effects, EPA will coordinate with USACE to better understand how climate change may impact Section 404 sites and if/how the systematic consideration of climate change impacts could be incorporated into decision processes (including minimization and

co mpensatory mitigation practices) in a scientifically defensible way. EPA’s Section 404 permit review process also includes determining if there would be a “substantial and unacceptable” impact to Aquatic Resources of National Importance (ARNI) , as provided in Part IV of the 1992 CWA Section 404(q) Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between EPA and the Department of the Army, often called the elevation procedure s. Criteria used for identifying an ARNI could potentially consider the chemical, physical, and biological importance , in light of climate change

, of a n aquatic resource proposed to be impacted

. In partnership with USACE, he NWP will also

consider how to incorporate the anticipated effects of climate change as appropriate when determining whether impacts ar e “unacceptable” (e.g., where discharges would result in harm to wetlands critical to storm surge reduction).

Strategic Action 17 : The NWP wi ll evaluate, in conjunction with relevant Federal Agencies when applicable, including USDA, USFWS, and the USACE, how wetland and stream compensation projects could be selected, design ed, and sited to aid in reducing the effects of climate change.

Consistent with established regulatory policy, impacts must be compensated for “to the extent appropriate and practicable” after they are a voided and minimized to the greatest extent practicable. As an example, in order to offset permitted impacts, the Corps typically requires
between 40,000

– 50,000 acres of compensatory mitigation annually. This compensation takes

the form o f restored, created, enhanced and/or preserved complexes of wetlands and streams. EPA, in conjunction with the Corps, will consider how these wetland and stream compensation projects could be selected, designed and sited to aid in reducing the impacts of c limate change

with a focus on analyzing climate change and associated relative sea level change for coastal mitigation projects. For example, certain types of wetlands mitigation projects might be encouraged in the future because of their scientifically as sessed relative carbon sequestration

benefits or because siting mitigation projects in coastal zones would facilitate wetland migration as sea level rises while also enhancing the natural lines of defense (“resilience”) of the coastline

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### 35 | Visions & GoalsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

and community, and creating public green space which enhances the livability and sense of place of the community.

GOAL 7 : EPA improves baseline information on wetland extent, condition and performance to inform effective adaptation to climate change.

Baseline information on the location

, extent and quality of wetlands and aquatic resources will help to measure changes caused by climate change and other stressors. Ongoing monitoring will inform the development of predictive models and management strategies including for

clima te change adaptation.

Strategic Action 18 : The NWP will expand wetland mapping by supporting wetland mapping coalitions a nd training on use of the new Federal Wetland Mapping Standard.

While agency conclusions should be “Wetlands are inextricably tied to water levels

, informed by detailed, accurate dat a and changes in climatic conditions affecting water availability wi ll greatly influence the nature and sources, the existing National Wetland function of specific wetlands, including the type of Inventory (NWI) mapping, managed by plant and animal species within them.” the USFWS, is a good initial guide about  Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, potential wetlands in an area/watershed announcing availability of the and is used extensively, including to new wetland mapping standard. address the effects of climate change August 18, 2009 (e.g., modeling relative sea level rise). The NWI maps were innovative when first produced, but additional work is now needed to update these maps to make them current and to better satisfy the demands for sophisticated analysis that supports effective environmental planning. Ha rdcopy maps are available for approximately 4/5 of the Nation, and approximately half of the NWI is available online for use in geographic information system ( GIS ) applications. However, a significant portion of the arid West has not yet been mapped.

The modernized Wetlands Mapping Standard was developed by the interagency Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC), in collaboration with representatives of federal agencies, states, tribes, environmental organizations, management associations, as well as loc al government associations from both the wetlands and geospatial communities. The Wetland Mapping Standard was developed to improve and standardize mapping data quality in order to accelerate the rate at which the national wetlands mapping is completed and to enable real -time updates of the national wetlands data layer in the future. Using the new Standard, other groups, such as states, tribes, local governments, and non

- governmental organizations, are able to collect and upload digitally mapped data to the NWI. EPA and other federal agencies will train and support a range of organizations to complete the national map.

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### 36 | Visions & GoalsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

Strategic Action 19 : The NWP wi ll produce a statistically valid, ecological condition

assessment of the nation’s wetlands.

T he National Wetland Condition Assessment ( NWCA) will be an integrated gauge of wetland condition nationwide, summarizing the cumulative effects of federal, state, tribal, and local government and private

- party actions that either degrade wetlands or protect and restore their ecological condition

. Th e NWCA will be repeated at the national scale every five years, and will incorporate those indicators that

EPA identifies as most Figure 7 . N ational Wetland Condition Assessment Site Locations meaningful to detecting and predicting the impacts of climate change on the condition of the

na tion’s wetlands.

EPA worked closely with the

USFWS Wetlands Status and

Trends program to utilize their network of analysis plots as the sampling frame for the NWCA.

When these efforts are paired

, we will for the first time be able
to measure progress towar d the national goal to increase the quantity and quality of the nation’s wetlands (Figure 7)

.

Wetland quality or condition speaks to how wetlands differ from their “natural” state, providing an assessment of the overall ecological integrity of the resource and the relative status of wetland processes, such as the ability of a wetland to absorb nutrients. In addition, the NWCA will identify the stressors most associated with degraded wetland condition because they provide insights into the causes of declining wetland quality.



### C. Coastal and Ocean Waters

VISION : Adverse e ff

ects of climate change along with collective stressors and unintended adverse consequences of responses to climate change have been successfully prevented

or reduced in the ocean and coastal e nvironment. 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 us ed.

Coastal and ocean environments are inextricably linked, both spatially and ecologically. This section borrows the concept of the “baseline” (a legal demarcation of ordinary low tide levels that also crosses river mouths, the opening of bays, and along the outer points of complex coastlines) to facilitate the discussion of strategies that may be more applicable to coastal environments (which we loosely define as being on the landward side of the baseline) or ocean environments (seaward of the baseline). The baseline may affect climate change strategies Approx. 1,000 ran domly selected wetland sites sampled in 2011.

National Wetland Condition Assessment

, EPA, 2011n.

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### 37 | Visions & GoalsNational Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

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### 38 | Visions & Goals because of its jurisdictional implications. However, although the terms “coastal” and “ocean” are used primarily to organize this discussion, we recognize that those domains grade into each other and that some strategies may be appropriate on both sides of the baseline.

As in other regions, coastal areas will face challenges to wetlands, watersheds, infrastructure, water quality, and drinking water. Some coastal problems, such as nonpoint source pollution

an d changing precipitation patterns, have the same causes and effects that are found in inland places.

However, the ocean and c oasts will experience unique impacts
that the rest of the United States

will not. Sea level rise is already

a multi

- faceted problem that is worsening (Figure 8)

. Coastal

wetlands and other estuarine habitats are being inundated or eroded, and many will not be

able to sustain themselves as

sea level s continue to rise. The potential for ocean acidification to damage the marine food

cha in, shellfish, and coral is another issue unique to the

coastal and ocean environment. Coastal regions will also experience s altwater intrusion into ground water aquifers, the threats of rising seas to drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, and the effects of varying stream flow on estuarine salinity and ecology

.

Scientific research over the last 10 years indicates that the implications of ocean acidification ( OA ) for ocean and coastal marine ecosystems are potentially very serious since the ocean h as a large capacity to absorb CO 2 from the atmosphere, and that the resulting lowered pH levels in ocean waters can have serious cascading effects. In its 2010 report, “ Ocean Acidification: A National Strategy to Meet the Challenges of a Changing Ocean ,” t he National Research Council (NRC, 2010f) concludes that ocean chemistry is changing at an unprecedented rate and magnitude due to human

- made CO 2 emissions, and that there will be “ecological winners and

losers.” The report also states that “while the ultimate consequences are still unknown, there is a risk of ecosystem changes that threaten coral reefs, fisheries, protected species, and other natural resources of value to society ”.

Climate change impacts will in some respects be one more stressor that EPA’s partners and

programs will try to absorb or accommodate into their practices and portfolios. It will be important for EPA and the NWP to avert or resolve as many of the foreseeable climate adaptation problems as possible, while also preventing harm from responses to climate change

that inadvertently increase vulnerability rather than reducing it

.Na tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

However, in some parts of the country, such as parts of the Pacific Northwest, sea level rise is negated by coastal uplift. Such relative sea level decreases can offset absolute sea level rise and present benefits that enhance wetland preservation in coastal zones.

How others respond to the inevitable climate change impacts on coastal and ocean waters will have a large impact on EPA’s ability to achieve or fulfi ll its mission. EPA will have to cooperate with other interested parties and work to enhance the adaptive capacity of our partners to effectively meet the coming 21st century environmental tests. We Integrated Water Resources Management

will need to work in close concert As changing climates affect the decisions of dam with local, state , tri bal, and managers, coastal issues will be one more consideration. regional organizations and other Managers are already balancing competing demands for federal partners through the wide ecological functions, water supply in reservoirs, water range of existing programs and supply for downstream users, and power generation. Flows passing downstream have an effect on sediment partnerships like the National delivery to coastal systems, the salinity structure of Estuary Program (NEP)

, Large coastal estuaries, and how far upstream the salt front can Aquatic Ecosystems (LAE) , Great push. Waterbodies, and regional ocean The management of coastal waters will need an IWRM groups. Working cooperati vely perspective. The diversion of fresh surface water to with Canada and Mexico will also recharge coastal aquifers is one issue. Where be critical if we are to be desalination is implemented to provide fresh water, discharging or disposing of residual brines will also need successful in near ocean attention. environments.

GOAL 8 : The NWP works collaboratively with partners to ensure that the information and methodologies necessary to address climate change in ocean and c oastal areas are collected or produced, analyzed or formatted , promoted, and easily available.

Protecting coastal and ocean environments from the impacts of climate change will require policy makers and managers to be informed to make effective decisions

. As the problems of climate change emerge and multiply, the need for knowledge will become even more pressing. Further, the NWP and our partners will need to know where to find the necessary information

and tools

. Agencies cannot afford to duplicate efforts, and will need to work together to improve efficiency and leverage limited resources.

Strategic Action 20 : To protect ocean and coastal areas, the NWP wi ll collaborate within EPA and with other federal, tribal, and state agencies to ensure that synergy o ccurs whenever possible, that lessons learned are transferred, that federal efforts effectively help local communities and that they are not duplicative or working at cross

- purposes

.

Ensuring that lessons learned are transferred between the many partner f ederal agencies will maximize the utility and accessibility of new information and methodologies needed by tribal, state, and local communities to effectively prepare for climate change impacts.

Some federal agencies have already formalized cooperati ve me chanisms through written agreements

. For example, EPA and the NOAA have signed a Memorandum of Agreement

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### 39 | Visions & GoalsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

(MOA) to work together on climate adaptation, resilience, and smart growth efforts . I n the New England region, a “Statement of Common Purpose” exists b etween federal agencies working together on climate change adaptation and mitigation, and coastal and marine spatial planning

. Similar agreements to coordinate with other federal agencies in the coastal zone would also be helpful , such as many DOI agencies (e.g.

, USGS , National Park Service (NPS)

, USFWS, and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMR)), as well as Federal Emergency Management Agency ( FEMA )

, USACE , Department of Transportation (DOT) , and the Department of Agricultur e (among others).

Strategic Action 2 1 : The NWP will work within EPA and with the U.S. Global Change Research Program and other federal, tribal, and state agencies to be sure that knowledge and information needed to protect ocean and coastal areas is colle cted or produced, analyzed or formatted for users, and easily available.

The NWP will work within EPA, with the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), and with other federal, tribal, and state agencies to make sure this knowledge and information is produced to inform decision making, and EPA’s Large Aquatic Ecosystem Programs that it is made available in user

- friendly formats through compendiums, web  Chesapeake Bay Program sites, and clearinghouses. Information  Columbia River Basin needed that is specific to coastal and  Great Lakes ocean planning includes:  Gulf of Mexico Program

 Lake Champlain Basin Program  P rojections of relative sea level
ch ange at finer scales, including  Long Island Sound Study

Light Detection and Ranging  Pacific Islands Office
( LIDAR ) land elevations ;  Puget Sound

- Georgia Basin

 Information on ocean acidification  San Francisco Bay Delta Estuary

 South Florida Geographic Initiative and warming;

 M onitoring of environmental effects and system thresholds specific to the coastal and marine environments; and

 I mprovements in the ability to quantify real reductions of CO 2 due to salt marsh and coastal
restoration

.

EPA will continue to share similar information through portals such as ocean.data.gov and federal climate clearinghouses such as the one under development by the USGCRP

.

GOAL 9 : Support and build networks of local, tribal, state, regional and federal collaborators that are knowledgeable about climate change effects and take effective adaptation measures for coastal and ocean environments through EPA’s geographicall y targeted programs.

A primary role of the federal government will be to work within our existing networks to build adaptive capacity at the regional, state, tribal, and local levels.

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### 40 | Visions & GoalsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

Strategic Action 22 : The NWP will work with the NWP’s larger geographic programs to incorporate climate change considerations focusing on both the natural and built

environments.

Geographically

- based programs in which EPA participates include ten Large Aquatic Ecosystems (LAEs), Regional Ocean Partnerships, and regional plann ing bodies established
under the NOC. The NWP will work to ensure that these key geographic programs have the tools necessary to consider climate change effects in their plans and programs. EPA regional and geographic program offices and the Council of LAEs will all play key roles addressing climate change impacts to both the natural and built environments when making policies or decisions, and will work to ensure that best practices and lessons

- learned from local projects are widely shared.

The NWP will c ontinue working with Regional Ocean Partnerships that undertake planning for resiliency. According to the Coastal States Organization’s web site, “[t]here is an ever

- growing recognition that multi

- state, regional Regional Ocean and Great Lakes Partnerships approaches are one of the most

effective an d efficient ways to  Great Lakes Regional Collaboration address many of our ocean and  Governors’ South Atlantic Alliance coastal management challenges. To  Gulf of Mexico Allia nce (GOMA) meet these challenges, governors  Mid

- Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean around the country have voluntarily (MARCO) established Regional Ocean  Northeast Regional Ocean Council (NROC) Partnerships and are working in  West Coast Governors’ Agreement on Ocean collaboration with federal agencies, Health
tribes, local governments, and stakeholders to identify shared priorities and coordinate ocean and coastal management on a regional basis. While each partnership is unique in terms of its region's issues and concerns, they all share a desire for more effective management of ocean and coastal resources. This includes balancing ecological and economic needs, and addressing climate change, through such approaches as ecosystem based management, and coastal and marine spatial planning.” [CSO, 2011]

The NWP will also co llaborate with the National Ocean Council’s Regional Planning Bodies established under the National Ocean Policy’s framework for effective coastal and marine spatial planning (CMSP) (see Executive Order 13547, Stewardship of the Ocean, Our Coasts, and the Great Lakes). The regional planning bodies will implement the framework for CMSP, leading to the eventual development of regional coastal and marine spatial plans (CMS Plans) which will guide and inform agency decision

- making under existing statutory autho rity. The NWP will inform the CMSP process and the development of CMS Plans to implement two Priority Objectives: (1) Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning (CMSP) (which is driven in some areas by the demand for offshore renewable energy development), and (2) Resiliency and Adaptation to Climate Change and Ocean Acidification.

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### 41 | Visions & GoalsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

Strategic Action 2 3

: Address climate change adaptation and build stakeholder capacity when implementing NEP Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans and through the Climate Read y Estuaries Program. Each Program wi ll build its stakeholders’ adaptive capacity through funding, technical assistance, and coordination.

The 28 NEPs around the country improve the quality of estuaries of national significance through community

- based

progr ams. NEPs are strategically positioned to build the adaptive capacity of stakeholders because they work directly

with and within communities. In fact, many of the NEPs have specific goals in their Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans (CCMPs) add ressing climate change adaptation.

The Climate Ready Estuaries (CRE) program, which is jointly administered by

EPA’s OW and Office of Air and Radiation

, provides funding or direct technical assistance to help NEPs complete climate change vulnerability asse ssments and to build their adaptive capacity to respond to climate change. CRE will continue to expand its information and guidance offerings and to develop and share the lessons learned from its sponsored projects. Incorporating CRE tools and methods into the NEP base programs by mainstreaming climate change adaptation into planning documents (e.g.

, CCMP or annual work plans) will ensure that climate change is considered by all NEPs, and will help to prepare communities to respond to climate change impacts

. Many other organizations also manage coastal and ocean resources in or near NEP watersheds, so CRE will work collaboratively with other EPA programs (e.g.,

CRWU ), federal agencies (e.g., NOAA’s National Estuarine Research Reserves and Sea Grant and USDA’s conservation planning activities), land trusts, and other non

- profit coastal organizations to build mutually supportive networks.

Strategic Action 24 : The NWP wi ll conduct outreach and education, and provide technical

assistance to state and local water shed organizations and communities to build adaptive capacity in coastal areas outside the NEP and LAE programs.

All coastal areas, including regions outside NEP and LAE watersheds, need to build the ir adaptive capacity to reduce adverse effects of climate change. The NWP can support the work of states and local watershed organizations by providing technical assistance or educational
support that l everages the work of EPA’s CRE and other geographic programs and partnerships

. Communication will also help minimize the selection of responses to climate change that may work at cross

- purposes, or have unintended adverse consequences

. 

### Figure 9: NEP Study Areas

http://water.epa .gov/type/oceb/nep/index.cfm

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### 42 | Visions & GoalsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

GOAL 10: The NWP addresses climate driven environmental changes in coastal areas and ensures that mitigation and adaptation respons es to climate change are conducted in an environmentally responsible manner.

Impacts of climate change have greater consequences in coastal areas because so much of the country’s population and economic infrastructure are located in those areas

. Coastal ar eas will see greater demand for storm protection and erosion control. Strategies are needed to protect and enhance the natural environment while working toward a sustainable built environment that is prepared for climate impacts

.

Coastal waters have the s ame potential problems with invasive species and water quality that all waters and watersheds have, in addition to marine

- specific challenges such as ballast water discharges from commercial shipping. Changing precipitation patterns will affect runoff, non point source pollution, and combined sewer systems and warmer waters may foster increases in algal blooms and hypoxic conditions, decreas ing the quality of waters for recreational uses such as swimming and other water sports that are extremely important in coastal areas. Warmer water

will also likely worsen the already increasing occurrences of harmful algal blooms and other aspects of water quality , including t he expansion in the range of many invasive species already present in US waters such as zebra mus sels. I ncreasing temperatures in water bodies such as Lake Superior may allow organisms that have established in the other four Great Lakes to more easily establish in Superior's waters. Water bodies that were previously not receptive to invasion by many transoceanic invaders may become more habitable to those organisms.

Coastal wetlands, like all wetlands, are dependent on suitable hydrologic conditions. Climate change will severely challenge the resilience of coastal wetlands. Altered salinity from sea l evel rise and changing hydrometeorology will threaten coastal ecology. Geologic history and geomorphic research suggest that coastal wetlands will have a very hard time surviving at

accelerated rates of sea level rise. Where salt marshes have limited sediment supplies, they will probably not be able to accrete enough material to stay above rising water level. As the intertidal zone shifts upward and landward the area that can sustain salt marshes will shrink

— in places where topography, coastal development, or insular layout prevents ecosystem shifts, marshes may disappear entirely. Some salt marshes may be able to become established up

stream as the salinity changes; however they are likely to replace freshwater tidal marshes, not

to establish new wetland ha bitats. Both freshwater and salt marshes also are subject to changing temperature and precipitation that may affect the ability of existing species to continue

to thrive.

Sea grasses are another very important aquatic resource that is vulnerable to climate change. Sea grass beds serve as critical habitat for juvenile life stages of many marine species. Most sea grass species live in a narrow strip of shallow coastal water and are extremely sensitive to changes in water clarity that control how much sunlight they receive. Warmer water, increased water depth, and turbidity from soil erosion caused by extreme precipitation and other storm events can all reduce water clarity and adversely impact the survival of sea grasses.

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### 43 | Visions & GoalsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

Strategic Action 25 : The NWP will work collaboratively to support coastal wastewater, stormwater and drinking water infrastructure owners and operators in reducing climate

risks and wi ll encourage adaptation in coastal areas.

Impacts of climate change will threaten all types of coastal infrastructure, but the water sector is particularly at risk. Sea level rise and coastal subsidence, storms and storm surge, flooding and coastal erosion, salt water intrusion into coastal aquifers, and increasing water temperatures all threaten wastewater and drinking water treatment facilities, conveyance systems, and utility operations.

Figure 10. Infrastructure Risk from Sea level Rise

Image credit: U.S. Global Change Research Program ( www.globalchange.gov )

.

EPA’s CRWU and CRE programs will continue working together to provide coastal managers and infrastructure operators with planning support and technical assistance to help red uce climate risks and encourage adaptation. The NWP will also consider new approaches for ensuring that financial assistance to the water sector is used in ways that increase resiliency, reduce vulnerability, and avoid adverse unintended consequences.

Stra tegic Action 2 6

: The NWP wi ll work collaboratively to support climate readiness of coastal communities, including hazard mitigation, pre

- disaster planning, preparedness, and recovery efforts.

Climate change impacts such as sea level rise and increased storm intensity will exacerbate existing coastal hazards. Flooding, wind, waves, and storm surge that damage coastal communities can directly affect water quality, as well as damage water infrastructure.

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### 44 | Visions & GoalsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

To avoid such problems and minimize the need for emergency response, the NWP will work within EPA and with other federal, tribal, and state agencies to provide technical assistance to coastal communities for hazard mitigation, and pre

- disaster planning. After a disaster, recovery and rebuilding efforts should avoid choices that reproduce previous vulnerabili ti es. EPA’s CRWU, Stormsmartcoasts.org

... CRE, and Sustainable Communities programs

... was established by the Gulf of Mexico will collaborate to provide local communities with Governor's Alliance with startup funding planning tools to improve resiliency to natural from NOAA and a 3

- year EPA grant to hazards as well as to bring other economic, expand it. Smartcoasts provides a platform

env ironmental, and quality of life benefits. FEMA for the open exchange of information is a critical federal partner; in 2010, EPA and between states, communities, counties and others. A Community of Practice for FEMA signed a MOA that will make it easier for Climate Change includes 100 members the two agencies to collaborate to help across the Gulf region from Sea Grant communities recover from disasters and better programs, NOAA, EPA, FEMA, the five Gulf plan for future resilience, including for climate of Mexico states, counties, parishes, change adaptation (EPA, 2011 i ). The NWP also communities, and universities

. will coordinate with NOAA’s Storm Smart Coasts program to maximize efficiencies in delivering tools and other information to local communities. These programs will assist with vulnerability analyses, and help to develop and implement hazard mitigation strategies.

Local projects supported by EPA grants may be affected by climate change impacts

. EPA will provide advice on how funding recipients can include a n assessment of adaptation and

miti gation measures in their planning for federally funded projects

.

Strategic Action 27 : The NWP wi ll support preparation and response planning for a diverse array of impacts to coastal aquatic environments.

Coastal upland, wetland, and aquatic ecosystems and resources have evolved over centuries and millennia. They are stressed by human uses and human activities, invasive species, and now face further stress from a full range of climate change impacts, including threats such as sea level rise that are unique to coastal areas.

NWP base programs and initiatives will need to be cognizant of threats to coastal water quality. While extensive expertise in restoration planning resides within EPA and at other agencies and organizations, there is a need for decision support tools to help answer challenging questions about whether restoration is viable or whether alternative strategies should be pursued in certain places. Protecting water quality and aquatic habitats such as sea grass beds may require innovative actions like ensuring that the volume and quality of freshwater inflows into estuaries are maintained. In the context of coastal change and sea level rise, decisions must be made about whether some environmental restoration efforts, particularly for coastal mars hes, are realistic or practical.

The NWP will utilize existing partnerships and networks such as the Interagency Coastal Wetlands Workgroup, Coastal America, the National Dredging Team, and other interagency planning groups, to promote the consideration of sea level change and other climate change

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### 45 | Visions & GoalsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

impacts in coastal habitat restoration planning. The National and Regional Dredging Teams will work to promote the beneficial use of suitable dredged material for maintaining and restoring

coastal marshes and other habitats.

In addition, “Blue Carbon” is an emerging concept that refers to the ability of aquatic ecosystems to sequester CO 2

. Should emissions trading practices take hold that include Blue Carbon, the use of external funding from private CO 2 emissions offsets might become a useful strategy for funding restoration or creation of sustainable coastal habitats. Care should be taken, however, to ensure other ecosystem services don’t suffer if some aquatic environments are managed strictly for their ability to sequester CO 2

.



### The sea, the great unifier, is man's only hope. Now, as never before, the old phrase has a literal meaning: We are all in the same boat.

— Jacques Cousteau

GO AL 11 : Protect ocean environments by incorporat ing shifting environmental conditions and other emerging threats into EPA programs.

Protecting the ocean environment from adverse impacts of climate change is critical to human

well

- being because the ocean provides food, regulates our weather, and offers numerous opportunities for renewable energy, among many other benefits. Society will also be tempted to

look to the oceans for seemingly simple solutions. We must ensure that strategies to reduc e carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere do not impose long

- term costs on ocean waters, and that the many uses of marine spaces are responsibly balanced

.

Strategic Action 28 : The NWP wi ll consider climate change impacts a nd associated impacts (e.g., ocean acidification, nitrogen and phosphorus po ll

ution) on marine water quality in its ocean management authorities, policies, and programs.

Climate change impacts to the ocean environment, including temperature increases, incr eased pollutant runoff, hazardous algal blooms, as well as increases in ocean/coastal acidity, hazardous algal blooms, and spread of invasive species, add pressure to already stressed
systems.

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### 46 | Visions & GoalsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

The National Coastal Conditions Report that describes the eco logical and environmental

conditions in U.S. coastal water s will incorporate climate change impacts into its evaluation.

EPA issued a

Memorandum (EPA, 2010e) that recognized

the seriousness of aquatic life impacts

associated with ocean acidification, and

d escribed how States can move forward,

where ocean

acidification information exists, to address it during the CWA 303(d) listing cycle using the current 303(d) Integrated Reporting (IR)

framework. A dditional guidance may be necessary as improved monitoring and

assessment information

becomes available. If Figure 1 1 . Observed northward shift of marine species in the Bering Sea between the years 1982 and 2006. The average shift among the species examined was approximately 19 mi les

north of its 1982 location (red line) (NRC

, 2010c)

.

other climate change impacts on ocean environments substantially affect water quality, such as dissolved oxygen and temperature

, then the NWP will respond to them as well (USGCRP, 2008).

S

trategic Action 2 9

: The NWP will utilize available authorities and will work with existing regional ocean governance structures and federal and state agencies and other networks to ensure offshore renewable energy production does not adversely affect the marine

environment.

F ederal and state agencies are exploring offshore renewable energy production as a means to reduce the production of GHGs and increase energy independence. The NWP must ensure that the installation of renewable energy infrastructure (e.g.

, offshore wind turbines or wave energy
systems, transmission cables, and shore

- based facilities) is conducted in an environmentally responsible manner that does not result in unintended adverse consequences

.

Authorities available to the NWP include the National Environmen tal Policy Act (NEPA), the Marine Protection Research and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA), and the Clean Water Act (CWA).

It will be particularly important to partner with and engage Regional Ocean Partnerships and EPA’s geographic programs (e.g.

, Chesapeake Bay

, Long Island Sound , Gulf of Mexico, NEPs ), as well as other federal agencies, states, and tribes, and to participate in Coastal and Marine Spatial Plannin g (CMSP)

. CMSP is a comprehensive, adaptive, integrated, ecosystem

- based,

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### 47 | Visions & GoalsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

and transparent spatial planning process, based on sound science, to determine how the ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes should be sustainably used and protected now and for future generations. Various sections of the CWA may apply to offshore energy facilities

.

Strategic Action 30: Th e NWP wi ll support the evaluation of sub

- seabed and ocean sequestration of CO 2

.

EPA will work with other agencies and the international community to provide technical

assistance on sub

- seabed carbon sequestration and coordinate with federal partners in

ad dressing proposals for carbon sequestration in the sub

- seabed or other proposals such as potential fertilization of the ocean, including any permitting under the MPRSA or the underground injection control ( UIC ) program that may be required

.

Carbon dioxide sequestration in sub

- seabed geological formations, for example, involves separation of carbon dioxide from industrial and energy

- related sources, transport to and injection into an offshore geological formation, and long

- term isolation from the atmosphere. The NWP will need to ensure that the new technologies are responsibly de ployed to protect the marine environment and to avoid risks to coastal populations and habitats.

Strategic Action 31 : The NWP wi ll participate in the interagency development and impl ementation of federal strategies through the National Ocean Council Strategic Action

Plans and the ICCATF

.

Many federal agencies manage or use coastal and ocean resources to support commerce, maintain national security, and ensure environmental sustainabil ity. It is imperative that the NWP participate in development and implementation of federal strategies to ensure that coastal and ocean environments are protected and are prepared for climate change adaptation and mitigation, especially through the NOC. Th e National Ocean Policy identifies nine priority objectives, including to “strengthen resiliency of coastal communities and marine and Great Lakes environments and their abilities to adapt to climate change impacts and ocean acidification” and “increase knowledge to continually inform and improve management and policy decisions and the capacity to respond to change and challenges.” The NOC is developing a strategic action plan for this objective that will also serve as the National Action Plan (NAP) for

Oce ans and Coasts under the ICCATF. The NWP will continue to participate in writing and implementing this strategic action plan.



### D. Water Quality

VISION : Our Nation’s surface water, drinking water, and ground water quality are protected, and the risks of climat e change to human health and the environment are diminished, through a variety of adaptation and mitigation strategies.

This chapter focuses on the NWP ’s response to climate change impacts on water quality, using both regulatory and non

- regulatory control s. Regulatory controls include water quality standards (WQS), Total Maximum Daily Loads ( TMDLs ) , and the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System ( NPDES ), as well as drinking water regulations such as the UIC program

. Non

­

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### 48 | Visions & GoalsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

regulatory controls include promotion of Green Infrastructure (GI) and low impact development (LID) strategies, and other collaborati ve approaches. (Larger landscape strategies are covered in the Watersheds and Wetlands chapter ). This chapter also includes strategies for maintaining water quality while encouraging the adoption of alternative sources of energy and fuel technologies that reduce greenhouse gas emission s.

GOAL 12 : The NWP protects waters of the United States and promotes management of

sustainable surface water resources under changing climate conditions.

As detailed in the 2008 Strategy

, climate change is expected to impact surface waters in several ways, affecting both human health and ecological endpoints

. For example, it is projected that

warm er air temperatures in ma ny locations will heat surface water temperatures to levels that

will decrease the water’s ability to hold dissolved oxygen, leading to growth of harmful algal blooms and hypoxia. Warmer air temperatures may also lead to more evaporation, which could

cause lower flows and higher salinity, as well as higher concentrations of other substances

. Lower flows and greater salinity w ould likely cause an increase in impaired waters, even if actual pollutant loadings from dischargers do not increase. In many parts of the country,

p recipitation events are expected to become more extreme, increas ing runoff with associated increases in pollutant loads, increasing variability of stream flow and associated sedimentation

, and expanding flood risk

.

Strategic Action 32 : The NWP will encourage states and communities to incorporate climate change considerations into their water quality planning

.

Sensitivity to impacts combined with adaptive capacity is a measure of vulnerability, and understanding vulnerability is necessary as the basis for adaptation planning. That is, the extent of climate change impacts upon different ecosystems, regions, and sectors will depend not only on their sensitivity to climate change, but also on their adaptive capacity or resiliency

. In order to

fac ilitate adaptation of water programs and increase resiliency of water resources, states and

tribes can use existing water quality and watershed planning programs and resources ( e.g., CWA sections 106, 604(b) and 319(h) planning funds) to conduct detailed a ssessments or

d evelop plans to increase their adaptive capacity and prioritize adaptive responses. For example, agencies or local or interstate planning organizations can use section 604(b) funds to

address climate change as part of comprehensive water quality planning efforts 5

.

Strategic Action 33 : The NWP wi ll encourage green infrastructure and low

- impact development to protect water quality and to make watersheds more resilient.

Preserving the ability of the land to absorb water helps to preserve the natural function of wetlands and watersheds while also controlling pulses of stormwater. Both GI and LID

5 Section 604(b) of the CWA establishes a grant program to fund state, local and interstate water quality planning efforts under CWA sections 205(j) and 303(e). This provision requires states to reserve 1% of their Clean Water State Revolving Fund allotment or $100,000, whichever is greater, for planning. Under section 205(j) many states
pass through a t least 40% of these funds to local or interstate planning organizations.

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### 49 | Visions & GoalsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

incorporate approaches to managing stormwater in a way that will reduce runoff. GI and LID management approaches and technologies use infiltration, evapotranspiration, and capture and reuse of stormwater to maintain or restore natural hydrologies ( EPA, 2011 j). They employ principles such as preserving and recreating  For more information on how NWP will natural landscape features, and minimizing work to protect the quality and imperviousness, to create functional and resilience of watersheds, please see appeali ng site drainage that treats stormwater Goal 3 , Strategic Action 10 in the as a resource rather than a waste product Watersheds and Wetlands section,

page 32

. ( EPA, 2011 k ).

The NWP will promote the use of GI and LID through stormwater permitting

, outreach

, and assistance programs to support states and permittees in evaluating benefits and co

- benefits of GI and LID approaches. Efforts will be focused on not only new development, but also ongoing

and re

- development. This Strategic Action supports the Agency goal to incorporate climate change science and scenario information in five rulemaking processes by 2015.

Strategic Action 34 : The NWP wi ll promote the consideration of climate change impacts by NPDES permitting authorities.

As authorized by the CWA , the NPDES permit program controls water pollution by regulating point sources th at discharge pollutants into waters of the United States (EPA, 2009c) . T o help NPDES permit writers prepare for possible climate change impacts to surface waters, the NWP will evaluate and develop, as needed, technical guidance documents for permit writers to improve their decision making processes related to the impacts of climate change, such as use of precipitation and stream flow data , and other data or models.

To promote water quality on a watershed scale, the NWP will continue to encourage the use of flexible watershed approaches, such as watershed

- based permitting and water quality trading, for building surface water resilienc y to climate change impacts. The NWP will also consider the

need for

, and appropriateness of

, incorporating greater uncertaint y into permit calculations, to reflect the uncertainty in climate projections related to NPDES permitting (e.g. precipitation projections).

The NWP will evaluate, when necessary, the use of critical low flow stream conditions considering climate change, and will encourage NPDES permitting authorities to incorporate

revised low

- flow stream estimates into NPDES permit effluent limit development where appropriate

. The NWP will continue to encourage NPDES permitting authorities to consider

inherent climate chan ge impacts (e.g., warmer surface waters ) when evaluating applications for 316(a) variances from thermal effluent limitations.

Strategic Action 35 : For future TMDLs, the NWP will recommend that water quality authorities consider climate change impacts when developing waste load and load allocations, where appropriate.

Under section 303(d) of the CWA , states, territories, and authorized tribes are required to develop lists of impaired waters (i.e., “the 303(d) list”)

. These are waters that are too polluted o r

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### 50 | Visions & GoalsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

otherwise degraded to meet the water quality standards set by states, territories, or authorized

tribes after the implementation of effluent limitations or other pollution control requirements

. The law requires jurisdictions to develop TMDLs for these waters. A TMDL is a calculation of the maximum amount of a pollutant that a waterbody can receive and still safely meet water quality

standards (EPA, 2011 l).

For future TMDLs, the NWP will encourage use of model s to evaluate impacts under a range of project ed future climatic shifts using the best information and tools available. A possible place for incorporating this information The Chesapeake Bay TMDL and Climate Change would be in the margin of safety analysis which provid es a buffer
“ EPA and USGS wi ll work in conjunction with the states to under the assumption of conduct an analysis by 2017 to consider accounting for uncertainty in the quality of the uncertainties of climate change in TMDL allocations. USGS has begun initial assessment of changes in receiv ing water and the level of pollution loads in the watershed under di ff

erent climate pollutant in the discharge. and land

- use scenarios. Initial results wi ll be available in 2012 and be used to further plan assessments for TMDL It is probable that most existing allocations. Enhanced assessment wi ll begin in 2016. ”
TMDLs do not take climate  Chesapeake Exec utive Order Strategy, change considerations into p. 41 [CBPO, 2010 ] account, and due to the number of TMDLs in existence (~40,000) it is not feasible to re

- open each TMDL with the sole purpose of incorporating climate change considerations. However, the NWP will encourage that development of future TMDLs include evaluation of projected climate impacts and uncertainty and incorporate this information into the TMDL, as appropriate. This will be done in a way that recognizes the limitations of current modeling in predicting the pace and magnitude of localized climate change impacts.

Strategic Action 36 : The NWP will identify and work to protect designated uses that are at
risk from climat e change impacts.

A designated use establishes the water quality goals for a specific waterbody and serves as the regulatory basis for establishing controls beyond technology based requirements [40 CFR 131.2]. The water quality standards regulations, implementing CWA section 303(c), require that states and authorized tribes specify appropriate water uses to be achieved and protected. These uses are identified by taking into consideration the use and value of the water body for public water supply; for protection and propagation of fish, shellfish, and wildlife; and for recreational, agricultural, industrial, and navigational purposes. In addition, the CWA places additional emphasis on achieving, wherever attainable, “water quality which provides for the

pro tection and propagation of fish, shellfish, and wildlife and for recreation in and on the water” [Section 101(a)(2)]. EPA’s regulation at 40 CFR part 131 interprets and implements these provisions through requirements that WQS protect the uses specified in section 101(a)(2) of the Act unless those uses have been shown to be unattainable, effectively creating a rebuttable presumption of attainability.

EPA's regulations require that when removing a designated use, the state must provide an analysis (i.e., a U se Attainability Analysis (UAA) ) to demonstrate that the designated use is not

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### 51 | Visions & GoalsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

feasible to attain based on one of the established regulatory factors [40 CFR 131.10(g)]. Additionally, States must conduct a review of their WQS at least once every three years [40 CFR 131.20]. As part of that triennial review, states must examine whether any new information has become available for water bodies where water quality standards specify designated uses that do not include the uses specified in section 101(a)(2) of t he Act. If such new information indicates that the uses specified in section 101(a)(2) are attainable, the state shall revise its WQS accordingly [40 CFR 131.20(a)].

The water quality standards regulation specifies circumstances under which a designated us e may, or may not, be removed or revised [40 CFR 131.10(g), (h), (j), and (k)]. If a designated use is an existing use (as defined in 40 CFR 131.3) for a particular water body, the designated use cannot be removed unless a use requiring more stringent criteria is added.

To target protective efforts, the NWP will identify designated uses that are important to states and tribes, necessary to meet the goals of the CWA, and vulnerable to climate change impacts. For example, recreational uses such as swimming, boating, and fishing may be affected by changes in precipitation levels, which may lead to increased impairments. Cold water fisheries may need particular consideration since such uses may be particularly susceptible to changes in water temperature. To prot ect existing uses and water quality, the NWP will work to ensure full implementation of antidegradation requirements, which, at a minimum, require maintenance and protection of existing uses and the level of water quality necessary to protect the existing

uses.

The NWP will also work with stakeholders to better understand how a state could conduct UAAs, using the six attainability factors in EPA's current regulations, that will address designated use attainability where climate change may be the primary cause of non

- attainment and where impacts cannot be remedied.

Strategic Action 37 : The NWP will clarify how to re

- evaluate aquatic life water quality criteria on more regular intervals

. The NWP will also develop information to assist States

and Tribes who ar e developing criteria that incorporate climate change considerations for hydrologic condition.

Section 304(a)(1) of the CWA requires EPA to develop criteria for water quality that accurately reflects the latest scientific knowledge regarding pollutant concentrations and environmental or human health effects (EPA, 2011p). From time to time, these criteria are updated to account for

advances in the science. States, tribes, and territories may adopt these criteria or other scientifically defensible criteria into their water quality standards. The NWP will clarify how to update criteria on more regular intervals using the best and most accurate science and data related to both the changing climate conditions and how pollutants react to the changing conditions on a pollutant by pollutant basis

.

In addition, since climate changes will affect hydrologic conditions, the NWP will incorporat e the

best available science in an informational document to assist states and tribes that are interested in protecting aquatic l ife from these impacts

.

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### 52 | Visions & GoalsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

G

OAL 13 : As the nation makes decisions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and develop alternative sources of energy and fuel, the NWP will work to protect water
resources from unintended adverse consequences.

A lternative sources of energy and fuel are important for reducing emissions of GHGs , and offer

a number of win

- win energy choices. However, as energy policy decisions are made to take steps to mitigate GHGs, and as technologies go through the regulatory cycle, the NWP is

respons ible for providing perspective on how they affect water resources. As with conventional energy technologies, n ew technologies may also contribute to water quantity and quality problems. This goal identifies actions to reduc e the adverse effects of new tech nologies on

water resources ; similarly, actions are identified to assure that new technologies to improve water quality are also energy efficient.

Strategic Action 38 : EPA wi ll seek opportunities to provide additional assistance to states and permi t t ees to en sure that geologic sequestration of CO 2 is responsibly managed by states and permi tt

ees to protect and preserve underground sources of drinking water.

EPA finalized requirements for geologic sequestration in December 2010, under the authority of

the SD WA ’s UIC Program (EPA, 2 010e) . These requirements are designed to protect underground sources of drinking water ( USDWs ) . The rule builds on existing UIC Program requirements, with tailored requirements that address carbon dioxide injection for long -term

st orage to ensure that wells used for geologic sequestration are appropriately sited, constructed, tested, and monitored during and after injection, and closed including post injection site care in a manner that ensures USDW protection. The NWP will consider opportunities to provide additional assistance to protect USDWs.

Strategic Action 39 : The NWP wi ll work with ORD to be tt

er understand the risks of storing

ethanol

- blended transportation fuels and with the O ff

ice of Underground Storage Tanks to explore opt ions to mitigate such risk through updated policies.

EPA finalized the Renewable Fuel Standard rulemaking in early 2010 (EPA, 2011 m ). The rulemaking implements a statutory provision that requires 36 billion gallons per year of biofuels be used by 2022. In order to adapt to the increased storage of biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel in underground storage tanks ( USTs ) , EPA is working with its partners to gain a better understanding of UST system materials compatibility, functionality of leak detection

t echnologies, and the fate, transport, and remediation issues associated with biofuel releases.

The majority of ethanol

- blended fuel sold in the U.S. is a mixture of approximately 10 percent ethanol and 90 percent gasoline by volume (E10). E85 fuel, a mixture of up to 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline by volume, is also being used for flexible

- fuel vehicles. Unlike other fuel components, ethanol is corrosive and highly water soluble. As a result, special precautions must be taken to ensure that UST system components are both compatible and functional with ethanol blends (EPA, 2009a)

.

The Land Research Program in ORD provides methods, models, and tools needed to remediate leaking UST sites and address fate and transport issues of leaking contaminants

. EPA also

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### 53 | Visions & GoalsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

proposed guidance (EPA, 2010 f) that will clarify how UST owners and operators can comply with EPA's compatibility requirement (40 CFR §280.32), which states that owners and operators must use a system made of or lined with materials that are compatible with the substance stored in the UST system. EPA will continue to explore these and other options for mitigation of risk related to storage of ethanol

- blended fuels in USTs and possible impacts to water quality.

Strategic Action 40 : EPA will cons ider options to provide outreach materials for

stakeholders to encourage the adoption of alternative sources of energ y and fuels that are water efficient and maintain water quality.

To learn more about how NWP A lternative energy sources provide decreased reliance plans to encourage energy efficiency for water utilities, please see Goal 1, on fossil fuels

. Ho wever, t hey still require access to Strategic Action 2 in the water , and may still place added stress on water Infrastructure section

. supplies. EPA will develop a website that consolidates

EPA information on the energy/water nexus, as well as water and energy efficiency information

for various sectors (f orthcoming; includes EPA

- OAR; EPA

- R9 , 201 1). In order to reduce the possibility of adverse impacts to water quality and supply, EPA will seek opportunities and explore options to continue to develop and update outreach materials for stakeholders in

concert with federal agencies such as DOE and its Renewable Energy Technology Program (DOE, 2012) and state water science agencies

.

Strategic Action 4 1 : As climate change affects the operation or placement of reservoirs,

the NWP wi ll work with other federal agen cies and EPA programs to understand the combined effects of climate change and hydropower on flows, water temperature, and water quality.

Hydropower generation is considered a renewable energy resource because the water supplying it is renewable. A hydroel ectric power plant converts the downstream movement of water into electricity by directing the water, often held at a dam or reservoir, through a hydraulic turbine that is connected to a generator. A lthough power plants are regulated by federal and

state l aws to protect human health and the environment, there are a wide variety of environmental impacts associated with power generation technologies. In addition, climate change is likely to affect the amount, timing, and temperature of water used for hydropow er, creating competition for water supply, affecting operational decisions, and altering the background condition of the aquatic system. The NWP will work with other federal agencies and programs to understand and address these combined impacts. For exampl e, NWP could work

with the DOE Wind and Water Power Program (DOE, 201 1, DOE 2012 ) as well as with the

Bureau of Recl a mation and other signatories of the Federal Hydropower MOU (BOR, DOE, USACE) to further coordination and integration of hydropower and other water resource uses (B OR , 2010)

.

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### 54 | Visions & GoalsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

G

OAL 1 4

: The NWP will work to make hydrological and climate data and projections for water resource management available, when needed , in collaboration with other EPA programs and federal, state, tribal, and other partne rs

.

Many of the NWP’s programs are currently faced with a lack of sufficient data to assess national program effectiveness. Whether the data don’t exist or are just not easily or publicly available differs by program, but lack of access to current data an d consolidated analyses is a fundamental problem. As more climate models and vulnerability assessment tools becom e available, the NWP will work with partners from inside and outside EPA to collect , assimilate,

and disseminate historic and projected informa tion from the best sources available. The strategies in this section aim to gather, enhance, and improve access to the data that the NWP and its partners need for water resource management under changing climate conditions.

Strategic Action 42 : Monitor cli mate change impacts to surface waters and ground water.

In order to respond to climate changes, the NWP will need to understand the impacts to surface and ground waters. The NWP will support interagency monitoring ne twork s by coordinating and

collaboratin g with the EPA/State National Aquatic Resource Surveys (EPA, 2011 n) and other agencies’ monitoring programs to encourage them to add the ability to track and evaluate changes to water resources availability and quality using historical, reliable, long

- term monitoring networks

.

Strategic Action 43 : Develop new methods for use of update d precipitation, storm frequency, and observational streamflow data, as well as methods for evaluating projected changes in low flow conditions , in co ll

aboration with other fe deral agencies

.

EPA will work to update hydrological data and methods in collaboration with federal consortia (( e.g.

, the Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force ( ICCATF )

, the Office of Science and Technology Policy ’s Subcommittee on Water Availability and Quality (SWAQ)

, the USGCRP, the Climate Change and Water Working Group (CCAWWG)

, the Integrated Water Resources Science and Services (IWRSS) etc.) ) and will engage partners ((e.g., Federal Advisory Committee on Water Information ( ACWI )

, Water Environment Research Foundation ( WERF )

, the Water Research Foundation ( WRF) ), and others to develop and standardize a process to revise precipitation , temperature, and storm event data nationwide to incorporate expected changes in commonly used data.

Of particular concern are the storm frequency, duration, and intensity estimates ( e.g., 10 year, 24 hour storm events; and 100

- year, 24 hour storm events) and low flow conditions in rivers and

streams at the HUC 12 watershed level.

Updating precipitation records and statistical methods, and developing projections of future precipitation patterns, will enable a fundamental shift in modeling methods, which currently rely on historical data that may no longer be representative of current and future conditions. These

e fforts will fully consider the uncertainty inherent in predictions of the pace and magnitude of

future climate

- change related effects, especially at a local level.

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### 55 | Visions & GoalsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

Strategic Action 44 : The NWP will work to enhance flow estimation using NHDPlus.

The NHDPlus is a comprehensive set of digital spatial data that encodes information about naturally occurring and constructed bodies of water, paths through which water flows, and

related entities ( USGS, 2011 ). It provides full characterization of the flow network, i dentification of unregulated and regulated gages and reaches, and network

- based interpolation and adjustment of flows. In order to enhance flow estimates in the face of climate change, the NWP will support enhancements to NHDPlus as a cost effective means of providing more accurate flow estimates for permitting, TMDLs, watershed planning, and other uses

.



### E. 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.

Native Americans have distinct cultural and spiritual connections to the water and land. The

collective wisdom of elders and ancestors has allowed them to carefully use and manage the land for centuries. Changes to the e arth’s climate provide a new set of challenges for tribes seeking to maintain and protect the ir resources and the safety and health of their people.

Indian tribes are responsible for protecting and restoring tens of thousands of square miles of rivers, s treams, and lakes, as well as ground water in over 110,000 square miles of Indian country in the United States. Because tribes are

co- regulators with EPA for water programs, and are water resource managers for their communities, it is important for EPA to ensure that tribes are able to provide ongoing input and participate in NWP strategies and actions on climate change. It will be important to understand and consider the impact of climate change on Native American communities and their traditional values and cultures, particularly as EPA invests in water management programs in Indian country. Working with Tribes Examples of EPA Adaptation

Activities

 Region 2 awarded a grant to the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe to work together
with all R2 tribal nations to discuss and design adaptation approaches during
2012.

 Region 5 : The Great Lakes National Program O ff

ice is funding Great Lakes tribes to implement cli mate change adaptation projects and programs. Specifica ll y, Lake Superior tribes and tribal organizations received Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) funding through their tribal capacity grants to initiate priority climate change adaptation projects and initiatives; and tribes have been involved in the Lake Superior Sustainability Commi tt

ee which is developing a Lake Superior climate change adaptation plan.

Tribes often express a holistic perspective in viewing and understanding the environment, and seek to achieve “ sustainability” in their lifestyle choices, both environmentally and economically, recognizing that ultimately, it is the environment that sustains us all. Tribal recommendations to EPA include seeing the “big picture” and not compartmentalizing environment al programs into separate media to address threats from climate change.

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### 56 | Visions & GoalsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

M uch of the work with Tribes take s place within the EPA Regions, further described in Chapter IV, Geographic Climate Regions. Th is section describes broadly the kinds of activities the NWP intends to pursue with Tribes

.

GOAL 15 : The NWP incorporates climate change considerations in the implementation of its core programs for tribal Nations, and collaborates with other EPA O ff

ices and federal Agencies to work with tribes on climate change issues on a multi

- media basis to build

sustainabili ty.

Strategic Action 45 : The NWP wi ll ensure that the revised NWP Tribal Strategy and subsequent implementation of CWA, SDWA and other core programs incorporate climate change as a key consideration.

P rinciples to observe include ensuring :

 T ribes are involved in watershed

- based strategies, integrated water resource management strategies, or other geographic strategies that affect tribal resources ;

 T ribes participate in the development of EPA multi

- media strateg ies for addressing climate change impacts on tribal lands ;

 Actions taken are informed by and consistent with the EPA

- Tribal Science Council ’s climate change priorities and research recommendations.

Strategic Action 46 : T he NWP will incorporate adaptation into tribal funding mechanisms,

and will co ll

aborate with other EPA and federal funding programs to support sustainability and adaptation in tribal communities , to the extent allowable by law

.

Examples of actions for the NWP to pursue include:

 Provide guidance on the use of funding programs within the NWP to include mitigation and adaptation planning and implementation as eligible grant activities, as appropriate;

 Work with others in EPA to help clarify for tribes how funding mechanisms can be used for climate planning and implementation, such as the Tribal GAP program managed by the American Indian Environmental Office ( AIEO ) and Community Action for a Renewed Environment ( CARE ); and

 Work with federal partners to coordinate tribal adaptation planning and to conduct training
and education for triba l members and environmental justice communities for building adaptive capacity.

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### 57 | Visions & GoalsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

GOAL 16 : Tribes have access to information on climate change that they can use to inform and engage their communities for effective decision making.

Strategic Action 47 : The N WP will co ll

aborate to explore and develop climate change science, information and tools for tribes to understand local climate impacts and risks to inform adaptation solutions , and will i ncorporate local knowledge where possible.

Examples of information requested by Tribes include:

 Information on environmental conditions and long term trends;

 R isk assessment and management tools to h elp identify environmental risks and inform adaptation solutions;

 Assessments of w atershed conditions and impacts using peer review ed summaries of empirical data specific to geographic areas and water re sour ces, to inform local action;

 Perspectives of tribal elders with historic information to inform understanding and adaptation responses;

 Management options that consider climate change factors to protect watershed resources;

 Case studies of Tribal Environmental Knowledge (TEK) incorporated into program delivery, and guidelines for incorporating TEK into science products; and

 Opportunities to leverage f ederal resources that can provide science information to Tribes

Strategic Action 48 : The NWP wi ll co ll

aborate with others to develop communication
materials relevant for tribal uses and tribal audiences.

Examples of materials requested by Tribes include:

 Information tailored to diff erent climate regions;

 Information linked to tribal culture and traditions; and

 Information for use in elementary, high school

, and tribal college and university curricul a.

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### 58 | Visions & GoalsFigure 12

. Climate Regions as adapted from USGCRP Na tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change



## V. Geographic Climate Regions

A. Introduction

The USGCRP defines eight geographic regions that have broadly common climatological characteristics (USGCRP, 2009 a ). In evaluating the EPA water program for this revised 2012 Strategy, we have

included a discussion of particular issues by climate region. These regions are largely adopted from t he

USGCRP construct with a

few amendments. The ‘Islands’ Region has been

broken into two distinctive Island groups (Caribbean and Pacific Islands); and a Montane Region consisting of the glaciated ranges of the Rocky Mountains, the Sierra Nevada, and the C ascades, was added to reflect its unique geographic features and expected climate change impacts. Further, while the 2000 Assessment also considered ‘Native Peoples and Native Homelands’ as a ‘Region,’ we have included tribal issues in Chapter V, Programmatic Visions, Goals and Strategic Actions.

Several EPA Regions span multiple USGCRP regions (see Figure 12 and Table 1). Each EPA Region address es a variety of climate impacts in their program implementation. This chapter describes strategic issues and



### Climate Regions EPA Regions

Northeast 1, 2, 3

Southeast 3, 4, 6

Midwest 2, 5,7

Great Plains 6, 7, 8

Southwest 6, 8, 9

Pacific Northwest 8 , 10

Montane 8, 9, 10

Alaska 10

Caribbean Islands 2

U.S. Pacific Islands and Territories 9 ke y actions that the EPA Regions will continue to focus on in the coming years , while the Regions also participate in the implementation o f relevant strategic actions discussed in Chapter III above. Table 1. USGCRP Climate Regions and EP A Regions

The federal government is working to deliver climate

servic es not only at a national scale but also at regional

scales. Examples of federal agencies working to develop

localized climate

- related

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### 59 | Climate RegionsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

services include:

 DOI’s Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (LCCs);

 DOI’s Climate Science Centers;

 NOAA Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments (RISAs) ;

 Interagency/NOAA

- led National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS)

 NOAA National Climatic Data Centers; and

 N ational Park Service Climate Friendly Parks initiative.

Further, as described in the ICCATF 2010 Progress Report (CEQ, 2010), regional offices of federal agencies have been asked to coordinate to deliver services related to climate change. As a result, an effort is underway to develop regional hubs that can provide localized assistance, where a regional adaptation coordinator can offer a single point of entry for

stakeholders to access f ederal adaptation science and services. These partnerships will be important for EPA Regions as they work towards achieving their long term goals.



### B. Ongoing Programs Releva nt to Climate Change across All Regions

There are a number of ongoing programs and activities, described throughout this report, that are important for protecting water resources irrespective of climate change, and that are also important for both adapting to climate change impacts and reducing GHG em issions. These core programs and principles being implemented by EPA across all climate regions include:

 G reen Infrastructure (G I) and Low Impact Development ( LID ) ;

 Water efficiency and conservation through th e WaterSense program;

 Building sustainability of water and wastewater infrastructure through the Climate Ready Water Utilities ( CRWU ) program ;

 Improving energy efficiency through the Effective Utility Management ( EUM ) program;

 Promoting proactive, holistic aquatic ecosystem conservation and protection through the Healthy Watersheds Initiative (HWI) ;

 Developing tools for coastal resources via the Climate Ready Estuaries ( CRE ) program and the National Estuaries Program ( NEP ) ;

 Protecting underground sources of drinking water by implementing the Geologic Sequestration (GS) rule; and

 C oordinat ing federal funding and programs through the Partnership for Sustainable Communities between HUD, DOT, and EPA, to align infrastructure investments, such as for

wa ter, housing, or transportation t hat will help reduce pollution and build resilience

.

As EPA continues to develop approaches to mitigate GHG emissions and adapt to climate change, they will be adopted across the climate regions as guided by R egional priorities.

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### 60 | Climate RegionsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change



### C. EPA and Climate Regions – Goals and Strategic Actions

EPA’s Regional programs provide a platform for integrating activities across media, including air, water, and land. Many of the Regions, in fact, have developed, or are developing, Regional energy and/or climate change adaptation plans or strategies

. In addition, after EPA’s agency

wide adaptation plan is finalized in 2012, each region will be preparing an implementation plan providing more detail on how it will carry out the work called for in the agenc y- wide plan, per the

Administrator’s June 1, 2011 Policy Statement on Adaptation (EPA, 2011a)

. This Chapter provides a synopsis of the water

- related activities in the Regions, and identifies long term goals and strategic actions that EPA Regions plan to take in the coming years to build resilience at the national, state, tribal, and local level. Links are provided to Regional web sites where more information can be found.



### Northeast Region

 Regio n 1 : http://www.epa.gov/region1/climatechange/index.html

.

 Region 2 : http://www.epa.gov/region2/climate/

.

 Region 3 : http://www.epa.gov/region03/index.htm

.

The Northeast climate region extends from West Virginia and Maryland in the south to the Canadian border in the north, and is bounded by the northern terminus of the Appalachian Mountain range to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. The region includes 12 states in three EPA Regions (1, 2, and 3) and is home to 63 million people, representing 21 percent of the population of the United States. The population is concentrated along the coast, with a generally more rural interior, and therefore addressing sea level rise and other coastal issues is of particular importance.

Goal

EPA programs in the Northeast Region will work to make coastlines and watersheds more resilient to changes in water temperature, precipitation, and sea level.

Strategic Issues

 Flooding from increasingly frequent and i ntense rain events as well as intense tropical

storm will tax aging infrastructure, including combined sewer systems, and adversely impact water quality ;

 Dense coastal development and shoreline armoring prevents wetland migration and leads
to loss of wetla nds as sea level rises ;

 Increases in the extent of storm surge and coastal flooding will cause erosion and property damage to the densely populated coasts. The State of New York has more than $2.3 trilli on in insured coastal property ( USGCRP

, 2009 b);

 S ea level rise may increase saltwater intrusion to coastal freshwater aquifers, resulting in water resources unusable without desalination. Increased evaporation or reduced recharge into coastal aquifers exacerbates saltwater intrusion ;

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### 61 | Climate RegionsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

 Sea level rise will lea d to direct and indirect losses for the region’s energy infrastructure (e.g., power plants and oil refineries located along the coast, facilities that receive oil and gas deliveries), including equipment damage from flooding or erosion. Damaged energy
faci lities also may be a source of pollution ;

 Sea level rise, increased water temperatures, salinity distribution and circulation, changes in precipitation and fresh water runoff, and acidification will change aquatic ecosystem species composition and distrib ution. This will also result in potential for new or increased prevalence of invasive species ;

 Impacts from increasingly diverse types of energy development (e.g., hydraulic fracturing, biomass, land based and offshore renewable energy development) may negatively impact the region’s water resources ; and

 Despite the increased precipitation that most climate change models predict for the Chesapeake watershed, initial estimates of watershed models are that increases in temperature and consequent increases in evapotranspiration cause a decrease in annual
river flows in the mid

- Atlantic. Considering the Baltimore, DC, Richmond axis is the southern portion of the densely populated Boston

- DC megalopolis, concern is warranted for securing safe and adequate drinking water supplies under climate change conditions in both the Northeast and Southeast climate regions.

Strategic Actions

In addition to promoting the core climate programs (discussed in Section IV .B ), EPA is work ing with the New England Federal Partners g roup , the Mid

- Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean, and other regional networks to support the development of consistent scientific methods and robust datasets to inform long

- term policy decisions on climate change vulnerability assessments and adaptation planning. Th i s involve s:

 Standardizing regional assumptions regarding future climate change impacts; and

 Informing a framework for local, state, and regional decision

- making that accommodates existing and emergent data sources for adaptation planning eff orts.

Additionally, EPA in the Northeast Region will serve as a leader, coordinator, and facilitator within the region on mitigation and adaptation activities, which include:

 Promote water and energy efficiency at water and wastewater utilities, and encour age sustainability by promoting WaterSense, CRE, and water sustainability initiatives;

 Support the NEP and CRE programs in the development of tools and the implementation of sea level rise adaptation measures;

 Continue to engage the National Ocean Policy/National Ocean Council in addressing sea level rise adaptation and mitigation measures;

 Support emergency preparedness/response capabilities in the water sector, such as the mutual aid and assistance networks in New England;

 Promote adoption of GI and LID approaches th rough nonpoint source and storm water management and funding programs (e.g., Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems ( MS4 ) permits that include flexibility for use of LID approaches; and

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### 62 | Climate RegionsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

 Support federally recognized tribes and environmental just ice populations that are already acutely impacted by water issues that may be aggravated by climate change, and may require targeted technical assistance

. For example, Region 2 awarded a grant to the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe to work together with all R egion 2 tribal nations to discuss and design adaptation approaches during 2012.



### Southeast Region

 Region 3 : http://www.epa.gov/region03/index.htm

.

 Region 4 : http://www.epa.gov/region4/water

.

 Region 6 : http://www.epa.gov/region6/climatechange/water.htm

.

The Southeast climate r egion extends from Virginia to the Texas border with Mexico. It includes the South Atlantic Coast, the Piedmont Coastal Plain, the Southern Appalachian Mountains, the Gulf Coast and the southern Mississippi River Watershed. All of EPA Region 4 and parts of Regions 3 and 6 are included in the Southeast region.

The region includes a wealth of ecological and economic resources, such as barrier islands, extensive estuaries, busy shipping ports, and important commercial and recreational fishing

resources. Given the continuing population and business growth in the southeastern coastal states and the ensuing pressures on the coastal zones of this region, there are compounded pressures from decreased water supply as well as increased flooding; sea level rise and intense tropical storms compounded by land subsidence; and heat

- related stress on aquatic ecosystems and human he alth

.

Goals

Region 4 established a cross

- program multi

- media Energy and Climate Change Steering Committee and Workgroup that developed and is implementing an Energy and Climate Change Strategy. Similarly, Region 6 developed a Clean Energy and Climate Change Strategy through a cross program, multi

- media workgroup. These workgroups will work to achieve the following long term goals:

 Sea Level Rise : W ork with coastal states, tribes, counties, cities, and federal partners to enhance adoption of adaptive measures to lessen or avoid significant adverse effects and to increase resiliency.

 Current Data : Ensure that changing precipitation patterns, stream hydrology, and available water resources data are updated and reflected in core water program implementation , a s appropriate and taking uncertainty into consideration

.

 Water Utility Energy and Water Use Efficiency : P romote energy and water use efficiency by working with partner utilities

.

 Geological Sequestration : E nsur e ample S tate program capacities and technica l skills for implementing the Geological Sequestration (GS) Rule for Class VI wells and related permitting program.

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### 63 | Climate RegionsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

 Vulnerable Populations : Work with vulnerable and historically under

- represented
communities to build climate change adaptation and mitigation capacities

.

Strategic I ssues

 Decreased water availability due to increased temperature, increased evaporation, and longer periods of time between rainfall events, coupled with an increase in societal
demand

, is very likely to affect many sectors of the Southeast’s economy

.

 Increasing evaporation and plant water loss rates alter the balance of runoff and ground

water recharge, which (along with sea level rise) is likely to lead to saltwater intrusion into shallow aquifers in certain coastal areas of the Southeast

.

 As sea level rises, barrier island configurations will change and coastal shorelines will

retreat. Wetlands will be inundated and eroded, and low

- lying areas

, including some
communities

, will be inundated more frequently – some perm anently – by the advancing

sea

.

 As sea level rise s , temperature increases and rainfall patterns change the salinity of estuaries, coastal wetlands, and tidal rivers , which are likely to become more v ariable

. There will likely be longer periods of high salinities destro ying coastal ecosystems or displacing them farther inland over time

.

 Higher intensity and potentially more frequent storm surge flooding of coastal ecosystems
and communities are likely in some low

- lying areas

. This concern is particularly acute along
the central Gulf C oast and in south Florida and coastal North Carolina

. Combined with up to two feet or more of sea level rise, increased storm surge is likely to result in significant human and natural resource consequences for this region

.

 H urricane intens ity may increase with climate change and pose an increasingly severe risk to people, personal property, and public infrastructure in the Southeast. Hurricanes have their greatest impact at the coastal margin where they make landfall, causing storm surge,

s evere beach erosion, inland flooding, and wind

- related damage to both cultural and
natural resources.

The warming projected for the Southeast during the next 50 to 100 years will create heat

- related stress for fish and aquatic ecosystems , and may result in a decline in dissolved oxygen in stream, lakes, and shallow aquatic habitats leading to fish kills and loss of aquatic species diversity. Other effects of the projected increases in temperature may include more frequent

outbreaks of shellfish

- borne diseases in coastal waters and altered distribution of native aquatic plants and animals.

Strategic Actions

Region s 3, 4 and 6 intend to support the above long

- term goals through the following strategic

actions :

 Sea Level Rise

 Support National NEPs, focusing on the development of tools and implementing sea level adaptation measures

.

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### 64 | Climate RegionsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

 Engage with the South Atlantic Alliance and the Gulf of Mexico Alliance, to promote resilience and mitigate the impacts of (and adapt to) climate change.

 Continue to engage with the National Ocean Policy/National Ocean Council and the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force to assist in adapting to and mitigating
for the effects of sea level rise.

 Develop pilot regional partnerships with FEMA ’s Long Term Community Recovery Program to encourage pre

- disaster planning and to promote incorporat ion of sustainable, resilient reconstruction and energy management improvements into water/wastewater facilities damaged in declared disaster areas.

 Current Data

 W ork with EPA Headquarters, states, and tribes to incorporate changing temperatures and hydrologic data into EPA and delegated state programs.

 Energy

 Recruit additional WaterSense partners, providing technical assistance, and utilizing applicable grant programs

.  Host GI training workshops and installation of GI demonstration projects. Region 4 has an ongoing project with the C ity of Jacksonville, FL to promote implementation of GI projects and principles. Region 6 is working with Dallas on a series of GI and urban heat island mitigation and adaptation projects.

 Build internal capacity to assist water/wastewater facilities in the assessment of energy use and ways to reduce energy demands, and in identifying willing partners for which
results can be measured to serve as models.

 Develop Regio nal capacity for and implementation of a Regional Pilot Energy Management Program for Water/ Wastewater Facilities.

 Geologic Sequestration

 Host training and other technical assistance activities for states on implementation of
the GS Rule for Class VI wel ls , and exercise regulatory oversight of UIC permits for
CO 2 sequestration

.

 Vulnerable Populations

 Work with vulnerable and historically under

- represented communities to ensure
information , access , and attention exists for building the needed climate chan ge adaptation and mitigation capacities.

 Through a newly established EPA

- Tribal Climate Change Network, EPA Region 6 will continue to work with tribal communities to ensure timely and effective access to and sharing of climate change information for building mitigation and adaptation capacities in Indian Country.

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### 65 | Climate RegionsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change



### Midwest Region

 Region 2 : http://www.epa.gov/region2/climate/

.

 Region 5 : http://www.epa.gov/r5water/

. http://www.epa.gov/r5climatechange/

.

 Region 7 : http://www.epa.gov/region7/water/index.htm

.

The Midwest’s climate is shaped by the presence of the Great Lakes and the region’s location in

the middle of the North American continent. This locati on, far from the temperature

- moderating effects of the oceans, experiences large seasonal swings in air temperature from hot, humid summers to cold winters. Areas from EPA Regions 5 and 7 are included in the Midwest climate region. In addition, Region 2 is connected ecologically to this climate region through the Great

Lakes and the St. Lawrence S eaway. The Great Lakes are a natural resource of tremendous significance in the Midwest, containing 20 percent of the planet’s fresh surface water

. Much of the reg ion, outside of the Great Lakes Basin, drains to the Mississippi River, and as such, contributes to long range impacts in the Gulf of Mexico. Issues of particular concern in this Region include extreme variability in precipitation and temperature, and pres erving the ecological integrity of the Great Lakes.

Goals

The long term goals of EPA in the Midwest region include:

 Use knowledge gained from downscaled climate models and other data to integrate climate considerations regarding precipitation into NPDES permits and long term control plans ( LTCPs ) , taking into account the uncertainty in model results ;

 Understand vulnerability of water

- related infrastructure and work with partners to increase
resilience of the region’s critical infrastructure from extreme st orm events;

 Improve the Great Lakes community’s understanding of how their ecosystems and populations will be impacted by climate change and their ability to plan and implement adaptation measures for those impacts ;

 Protect groundwater and surface water quality and quantity; and

 Protect vulnerable populations.

Strategic Issues

 Variability in precipitation patterns will be a challenge for both drinking water and wastewater utilities and their systems. More intense rainfall can overload drainage systems and water treatment facilities, increasing the risk of waterborne diseases. This is of particular concern for combined sewer overflow (CSO) communities. Increases in such events are likely to cause greater property damage, higher insurance rates, a heavier
burd en on emergency management, increased clean

- up and rebuilding costs, and a growing financial toll on businesses, homeowners, and insurers ;

 In the summer, with increasing evaporation rates and longer periods between rainfalls, the likelihood of drought will increase and water levels in rivers, streams, and wetlands are

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### 66 | Climate RegionsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

likely to decline. Water levels in the Great Lakes are projected to fall between one and two feet by the end of the century (USGCRP, 2009), which may result in significant lengthening of the distance to the lakeshore in many locations , impacting beaches, coastal ecosystems, dredging requirements, infrastructure, and shipping. Declining water levels in the Great Lakes will cause the migration of coastal habitats. Additionally, climate change im pacts may also have profound effects on agriculture, and significant resulting impacts on water quantity and quality ;

 Increased water temperatures will lead to an increased risk of oxygen

- poor or oxygen

- free “dead zones” that kill fish and other living organisms . W armer water and low er oxygen conditions can more readily mobilize mercury and other persistent pollutants , which is of
concern for lakes with contaminated sediment. In cases where increasing quantities of contaminants are taken up in the aquatic food chain, the potential for health hazards will
increase for species that eat fish from the lakes, including humans ; and

 The Great Lakes are a bi

- national resource, shared and managed jointly with Canada. Great Lakes climate change work, therefore, has a bi

- national management and collaboration component.

Strategic Actions

In addition to continuing efforts in core climate change programs such as GI, WaterSense and

CRWU , specific actions to achieve the long term goals in the Midwest region include:

 Work wit h the agriculture community to consider and promote approaches, such as agriculture drainage management, to improve resilience and lessen water quality impacts;

 Review permit applications and issue UIC permits for CO 2 in UIC Direct Implementation

states. Review primacy packages (SDWA § 1422 revision applications/GS Clas s VI applications) and complet e the Class VI primacy approval process ;

 Work with water utilities to promote energy and water efficiency;

 Engage tribes in federal climate change conversations and continue efforts to work with tribes and tribal organizations to initiate climate change adaptation projects and initiatives;
and

 Continue working with environmental justice populations, especially in CSO communities, to improve access to climate change information and to ensure consideration of adaptation strategies.



### Great Plains Region

 Re gion 6 : http://www.epa.gov/region6/climatechange/water.htm

.

 Region 7 : http://www.epa.gov/region7/water/index.htm

.

 Region 8 : http://www.epa.gov/region8/climatechange/

.

The Great Plains climate region extends from the Dakotas and eastern half of Montana in the

north to Texas in the south. On the west, it i s bounded by the Rocky Mountain s and the Basin and Range geographic provinces, and the central lowlands and coastal plain provinces to the east and to the south. Parts of ten states in three EPA Regions (6, 7, and 8) are located in this

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### 67 | Climate RegionsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

vast grassland prairie, which is home to some nine million people, with the population expected to grow to about 14 million by 2050. The population gains will largely be in urban areas.

Key issues in this Region relate to general population growth; loss of snowpack and dec lining surface and groundwater quality and quantity; competition for water between energy, agriculture and public supply; and vulnerability of prairie wetlands, prairie potholes, and playa lakes

.

Goals

The long term goal of EPA in the Great Plains region is to work to ensure long term availability and high quality of water resources and related aquatic habitat and function through:

 Water quality protection and restoration;

 Water conservation and efficiency promotion; and

 Protect ion of vulnerable population s.

Working specifically with partners in the agricultural sector, the renewable energy sector, the oil and gas sector, as well as land developers and land trusts

, will be important in achieving this goal.

Strategic Issues

 General population growth, and shifts in population from the region’s rural to urban centers, will continue to create demands for water storage to maintain sustainable water supplies and increase competition among water users (e.g., agricultural and municipal uses) ;

 Loss of snowpack in the western portion of the region will further impact water use, storage, and irrigation practices. This must be taken into consideration as infrastructure is added in the region ;

 Declining surface and ground water quantity and quality, coupled with more frequent and severe droughts, will continue to exacerbate water shortages in the region ;

 Unique aquatic ecosystems such as prairie wetlands, prairie potholes, and playa lakes will continue to be stressed as changes occur in ground water and surface water sou rces ;

 Increased nonpoint source pollution (e.g., sediments, phosphorus, and nitrogen) is expected as increases in storm intensity are observed. This could result in changes to natural stream morphology and related hydrographs, and negatively impact the bi ological function of aquatic ecosystems; and

 Water quality impacts will be amplified by increases in precipitation intensity and longer periods of low flow in streams.

Strategic Actions

In addition to promoting the core climate programs, EPA’s efforts in t he Great Plains region will

include:

 Water Quality Protection and Restoration

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### 68 | Climate RegionsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

 Work to r educe nonpoint sources of pollution to rivers and streams by leveraging the
OW’s N ational Nutrients S trategy ;

 Work with partners to incorporate changing precipitation patterns, temperature, and hydrology into EPA and delegated state program decision frameworks;

 Build geosequestration evaluation, modeling

, and permitting expertise within EPA Region s through technical workshops, seminars, and related training to enhance sta ff capacity; and

 Exercise regulatory oversight of UIC permit ting for carbon sequestration

 Water Conservation and Efficiency

 Promote water efficiency and energy efficiency at water and wastewater utilities, and

encourage sustainability by promoting WaterSen se, CRE , and water sustainability
initiatives such as GI initiatives workshops and related outreach efforts in major cities and along the United States

- Mexico b order

.

 Vulnerable Populations

 Work with vulnerable and historically under

- represented communitie s to ensure the same level of information and access exists for building the needed climate change adaptation and mitigation capacities; and

 Continue to work with tribal communities to provide access to climate change information, mitigation and adaptation strategies and funding options to ensure the long term viability of natural and cultural resources that support N ative American populations.



### Southwest Region

 Region 6 : http://www.epa.gov/region6/climatechange/water.htm

.

 Region 8 : http://www.epa.gov/region8/climatechange/

.

 Region 9 : http://www.epa.gov/region09/climatechange/

.

The Southwest climate region includes California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and the westernmost portions of Colorado and Texas. EPA Regions 6, 8, and 9 are located in this area. To the west of the region lies the Pacific Ocean; Mexico borders the southern edge; and the Rocky Mountains border a large part of the region to the east. The population of this region, now approximately 54 million, has the fastest growth rate in the nation. The Southwest has multiple climatic zones, each facing somewhat different climate changes impacts. Much of the region is

arid with re latively high air temperatures. Several mountain ranges as well as the Pacific Ocean influence climate and water resources in certain parts of the Region. Water is stored as snowpack during the winter and released to streams in the spring and early summer, helping to meet increasing water demands

. There are three major river systems: the Sacramento

- San Joaquin, the Colorado and the Rio Grande. Several huge water storage and conveyance projects also divert water from rivers for more widespread use by agriculture and growing cities. The lack of rainfall and the prospect of future droughts becoming more severe is a significant concern, especially because the Southwest continues to lead the nation in population growth.

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### 69 | Climate RegionsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

Goals

The long term goals of EPA in the So uthwest region are to work with federal, state, tribal and local partners to:

 I ncrease infiltration ;

 Protect water quality to reduce stress on the ecosystem ;

 Encourage communities and utilities to conduct vulnerabili ty assessments and implement resulting recommendations ; and

 Work with partners and stakeholders to evaluate future drought and flood impacts on water
resources as well as infrastructure resilience

.

Strategic I ssues

 Warmer temperatures will reduce mountain snow packs, and peak spring runoff from snow
melt will shift to earlier in the season , leading to and increas ing the shortage of fresh water during the summer. A longer and hotter warm season will likely result in longer periods of extremely low flow and lower minimum flows in late su mmer. Wat er supply systems that have no storage or limited storage (e.g., small municipal reservoirs) may suffer seasonal shortages in summer ;

 The magnitude of projected temperature increases for the Southwest, particularly when combined with urban heat island effects for major cities such as Phoenix, Albuquerque, Las Vegas, and many California cities, represents significant stresses to health, energy, and water supply in a region that already experiences very high summer temperatures ;

 Reduced ground water supply due to a lack of recharge will be of concern ;

 Warmer ocean temperatures may decrease productivity by stopping entrainment of deep supplies of nutrients. The resulting reductions in commercial species will need to be
addressed to support continued production of fisheries and aquatic life ;

 Increased frequency and altered timing of flooding will increase risks to people, ecosystems, and infrastructure. Increased flood risk is likely to result from a combination of decreased snow cover on the lower slopes of high mountains, and an increased percentage of winter precipitation falling as rain and therefore running off more rapidly ;

 Sea levels are rising and contributing to the loss of wetlands and infrastructure located along coastal corridors; and

 The magnitude and frequency of wildfires have increased over the last 30 years which severely impacts water quality in streams, creeks, rivers, lakes, and estuaries.

Strategic Actions

In addition to continuing to implement the ongoing climate programs

, EPA’s effort in the Southwest will include the following:

 Encourage funding p rograms to fund green infrastructure, energy and water

- efficient upgrades to infrastructure, and water conservation ;

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### 70 | Climate RegionsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

 Work through the California Water and Energy Project (an interagency partners hip) as well as the California Financing Coordinating Committee, to leverage funding to support sustainable water infrastructure and water use efficiency projects ;

 Continue to provide funding for tribal sustainable water infrastructure projects in
coordina tion with the Indian Health Services; and

 Build partners ’ and stakeholders’ understanding of, and the capacity to respond to, risks of climate change and water.



### Pacific Northwest Region

 Region 8 : http:// www.epa.gov/region8/climatechange/

.

 Region 10 : http://yosemite.epa.gov/r10/water.nsf/homepage/water

.

The Pacific Northwest climate region includes Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and the western

third of Montana. It is bounded by the Pacific Ocean on the west and the Rocky Mountains on the east and includes EPA Region 10 and part of Region 8. Canada borders the region to the

north. Of primary concern are i mpacts related to changes in snowpack, stream flows, sea level, forests, and other important aspects of life in the Northwest that are already underway, with more severe impacts expected over the coming decades in response to continued and more rapid climate change.

Goals

The long term goals of the EPA in the Northwest region are to work with federal, state, tribal, and local partners to increase sustainability and reduce vulnerability of communities and infrastructure, including by conserving water and increasing infiltration; and partner with other federal agencies and the regional Climate Science Center to coordinate and leverage climate

research and other activities.

Strategic Issues

 Salmon and other coldwater species will experience additional stresses as a result of rising water temperatures and declining summer streamflows ;

 Sea level rise along vulnerable coastlines will result in increased erosion and loss of land ;

 Declining springtime snowpack will lead to reduced summer streamflows, straining water availability for all uses ;

 Increased insect outbreaks, wildfires, and changing species composition in forests will pose challenges for ecosystems and the forest products industry ;

 Water supplies will become increasingly scarce, calling for trad e- offs among competing uses, and potentially leading to conflict ;

 Increased frequency of flooding will increase risk to people, ecosystems, and infrastructure ;

 Projected heavier winter rainfall may cause an increase in saturated soils and therefore an
in creased number of landslides, particularly where there have been intensive development or forest practices on unstable slopes; and

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### 71 | Climate RegionsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

 Agriculture, ranching, and natural lands, already under pressure due to an increasingly limited water supply, are very likel y to be further stressed by rising temperatures.

Strategic Actions

In addition to continuing to implement the ongoing climate programs

, EPA’s efforts in the

Northwest will include:

 Sustainability

 Encourage sustainable infrastructure approaches ;

 Implement w ater conservation measures;

 Expand use of GI; and

 Encourage communities and utilities to conduct vulnerabili ty assessments and implement resulting recommendations.

 Water Quality

 Implement water quality programs factoring in climate change to reduce str ess on the ecosystem.

 Collaborat ion

 Collaborate with DOI’s LCCs ;

 Engag e in Western Governors Association climate adaptation activities ;

 Partner with the Climate Science Center and other federal agencies; and

 E ngage Tribes in Federal climate conversations and activities.



### Montane Region (Intermountain West)

 Region 8 : http://www.epa.gov/region8/climatechange/

.

 Region 9 : http://www.epa.gov/region09/climatechange/

.

 Region 10 : http://yosemite.epa.gov/r10/water.nsf/homepage/water

.

The Montane r egion , in EPA Regions 8, 9 and 10, includes three glaciated mountain ranges: the Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevada and Cascades. These areas are unique in that t hey rely on winter snow accumulation for their water supply

. Sensitive ecological communities include bogs and fens. Montane glaciers and snowfields are reservoirs of water for the hum a n populations and ecological communities at lower elevations.

Most eco systems in the North American Montane Region are predicted to slowly migrate and shift their distribution towards the north in response to warming temperatures. However, the alpine areas are often distributed as small, isolated regions sur rounded by other habitats. These

areas can be disconnected from each other by wide stretches of land used for timber production, ranching

, or other uses. Instead of shifts in latitude, alpine vegetation and animals will be limited to shifts in altitude, unless connections between suitable habitats can be made. [Jackson, 2006]

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### 72 | Climate RegionsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

Goals

The goal of EPA in the Montane region is to protect the water quality and biological integrity of

the Montane r egion and i ncreas e the region’s resilience to climate change, through water quality and habitat protection and restoration

.

Strategic Issues

 A warmer climate will cause lower

- elevation habitats to move into higher zones, encroaching on alpine and sub

- alpine habitats ;

 High

- elevation plants and animals will lose habitat area as they move hi gher with some

“ disappearing off the tops of mountains ;”

 Rising temperatures will increase the importance of connections between mountain areas ;

 Rising temperatures may cause mountain snow to melt earlier and faster in spring, shifting the timing and distribution of runoff. This in turn affects the availability of freshwater for natural systems and for human uses. Earlier melting leads to drier conditions for the balance of the water year, with increased fire frequency and intensity ;

 Water supplies will b ecome increasingly scarce, calling for trade

- offs among competing uses, and leading to conflict ;

 Increased frequency and altered timing of flooding will increase risks to people, ecosystems, and infrastructure ;

 Projected increases in temperature, evaporation, and drought frequency add to concerns about the region’s declining water resources; and

 Climate change is likely to affect native plant and animal species by altering key habitats such as the wetland ecosystems known as montane fens or playa lakes.

S

trategic Actions

In addition to continuing efforts in core climate change programs, specific actions relative to the Montane region include:

 Increas e protection and restoration of wetlands to optimize percolation of surface w ater into ground water ;

 Increa se protection and restoration of riparian areas to reduce erosion during storm events
and snow melt period s and thereby protect water quality ;

 Increase protection of headwater streams and wetlands to protect the quality of montane
water sources in the mids t of precipitation and runoff

- timing uncertainties ;

 Collaborate with DOI’s LCCs , t he USFWS

, and other DOI agencies in efforts to develop landscape

- scale strategies to address climate change issues on a bio

- regional basis ;

 Coordinate climate change adaptation actions with federal a gencies (g iven the large amount of federal agency holdings in the Montane region ), landholders and others

, ;



##  Partner with other federal agencies to coordinate and leverage climate research and other
activities ; and



##  E ngage tribes in f ederal climate conversations and activities.

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### 73 | Climate RegionsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change



### Alaska Region

 Region 10 : http://yosemite.epa.gov/r10/water.nsf/homepage/water

.

Over the past 50 years, Alaska has warmed at more than twice the average rate of the rest of the United States. Its annual average temperature has increased 3.4 ◦ F, wh ile winters have warmed by 6.3 ◦ F. The higher temperatures are already causing earlier spring snowmelt, reduced sea ice, widespread glacier retreat, and permafrost warming. The observed changes are consistent with climate model projections of greater warming over Alaska, especially in winter, as compared to the rest of the country. Climate models also project increases in precipitation over Alaska. Simultaneous increases in evaporation due to higher air temperatures, however, are expected to lead to drier conditions overall, with reduced soil

moisture. Average annual temperatures are projected to rise between 5 and 13 ◦ F by late this century

. Increasing acidification of Alaskan waters presents a clear threat to Alaska’s

commercial fisheries and subsistence communities (USGCRP, 2009 a)

.

G

oals

 Design and build infrastructure that can withstand warmer conditions and thawin g permafrost, flooding

, and fire ;

 Ensure adequate water supplies for communities dependent on disappearing sources; and

 Protect water quality to reduce stress on the ecosystem s.

Strategic I ssues

 Longer summers and higher temperatures are causing drier conditions, despite trends in increased precipitation. Insect outbreaks and wildfires are increasing with warming ;

 A warmer climate will cause freshwater and saltwater species to move further north or into higher zones ;

 As permafrost continues to thaw and temperatures rise, some lakes and ponds are beginning to disappear. This impacts drinking water sources and reduces wetland habitat while presenting a challenge for the ecosystem and the people who depend on its natural

resources ;

 Permafrost thaw has also caused numerous land slumps along riverbanks which can have an impact on water quality (increasing turbidity) with documented impact s to drinking water
in some Alaskan communities ;

 Coastal storms increase risks to villages and fishing fleets. The combination of losing their protective sea ice buffer, increasing storm activity

, and thawing coastal permafrost is causing some coastal communities to crumble into the sea. Increasing storm activity delays barge operations that supply coastal communities with fuel

. The increased storm intensity puts fishing fleets at higher ris k;

 Displacement of marine species will affect key fisheries. Thawing sea ice is moving the location and limiting the extent of plankton blooms. As plankton move s to deeper waters, it

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### 74 | Climate RegionsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

is less available to species and the food chain that depends on it, including humans dependent on these species for subsistence or economic livelihood ;

 Thawing permafrost damages roads, runways, water and sewer systems, and other
infrastructure ; and

 Opening of t he Arctic from melting sea ice will create new opportunities for shipping

, resource exploration and extraction, and tourism; there may be challenges caused by the
increased traffic. Other key issues are the potential for the introduction of invasive specie s, impacts on subsistence activities, and national security concerns.

Strategic Actions

In addition to continuing to implement the ongoing climate programs, EPA’s work in Alaska will include the following efforts.

 Infrastructure

 Encourage sustainable infrastructure approache s;

 Encourage communities and utilities to conduct vulnerability assessments and implement resulting recommendations ; and

 E ncourage energy

- efficient motors and pumps in infrastructure to reduce GHG
emissions.

 Water Quality and Water Sup ply

 Expand use of GI to delay stormwater runoff

, mimic timing closer to the natural regime

, and increase infiltration

.

 Collaboration

 Collaborate with the Alaska Climate Change Executive Roundtable, , and the DOI’s
LCCs and Climate Science Center in A laska;

 Partner with other f ederal agencies to coordinate and leverage climate research and other activities; and

 Engage Tribes in f ederal climate conversations and activities.



### Caribbean Islands Region

 Region 2 : http://www.epa.gov/region2/climate/

.

Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, part of EPA Region 2, are located in the northeastern Caribbean Sea and are of volcanic origin

. Puerto Rico (PR), including its offshore islands, covers a total area of 3,435 square miles

. The main island of PR has three principal physiographi c areas: the alluvial coastal plains, karst, and the central mountainous interior. Land surface elevations range from mean sea level to 4,389 f ee t above mean sea level. PR is home to approximately 3.9 million people, 70% of whom reside in coastal areas. An nual rainfall in PR ranges from about 30 inches in the western end of the south coast to about 160 inches

near the to p of the El Yunque Rainforest. Surface water provides approximately 75% of the

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### 75 | Climate RegionsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

population’s freshwater needs. However, aquifers also play an important role in providing freshwater, especially to population s in the south coast and to the industrial sector.

The U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI), including the islands of St. John, St. Thomas

, and St. Croix,

cover a total area of 133 square miles. St. T homas and St. John are characterized by steep topography while St. Croix is characterized by lower hills. Precipitation is the only natural source

of freshwater on the islands. The population of the USVI relies on rooftop

- rainfall catchments, large

- scale d esalination of seawater , and ground water

.

The sensitive coastal ecosystems and critical infrastructure of the Caribbean Islands face difficulty due to sea level rise, tropical storms and flooding from heavy rain. Coral reefs are

under stress from warmer t emperatures and ocean acidification. Water supplies are threatened due to both drought and saline contamination of aquifers.

Goals

The long term goal s of the EPA in the Caribbean r egion include:

 Work with partners to understand the vulnerability of coastal wetlands and their migration potential, and to protect the most vulnerable areas ;

 Work with partners to understand the vulnerability of coastal communities and water

- related
infrastructure and to i ncrease their resilience to extreme storm events ; and

 In crease u nderstand ing of the role of multiple stressors plus climate change on ecosystems
and water

- related infrastructure.

Strategic Issues

 Areas with limited ability for wetlands migration will see marked reductions in the ir ability to provide ecosystem services and will be increasingly vulnerable to intense storm damage in
the future ;

 Critical infrastructure (e.g., ports, airports, power plants, and sewage treatment facilities) in
PR and the USVI located in the coastal zone will be vulnerable to storm s urges, sea level rise, and the simultaneous occurrence of both ;

 Many hurricanes and coastal inundations are accompanied by heavy rains and river/stream floods, which impact water quality and stream morphology ;

 Rising sea levels cause intrusion of saltwater into the underground freshwater lens, contaminating the supply of usable ground water and reducing the freshwater supply for the
Caribbean islands ;

 Higher ambient water temperatures and degradation of water quality, including adjustments in pH due to acidification, may affect production rates of aquaculture facilities and their susceptibility to diseases such as microbial infections and parasitic infestations. Presently, there are no aquaculture facilities operating in the Caribbean although a few NPDES permits have been issued ;

 Recent events of increased sea surface temperatures have caused stress to coral reefs in
the USVI and PR. Increasing sea surface temperatures have the potential to reduce the

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### 76 | Climate RegionsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

stability of corals, especially in the presence of str esses from the existing land

- based
sources of pollution ;

 O cean acidification may potential ly diminish the quality of the reefs by impeding the calcification process , i ncreasing carbon in the water, altering ocean chemistry, and making
calcium less available for calcification

. Lower pH could also accelerate erosion of existing

structure s ; and

 L onger periods of drought are expected to occur and may produce an increase in the energy and costs associated with the production of drinking water. This will be par ticularly pertinent in the USVI where desalination is one of the main sources of drinking water

.

Strategic Actions

 Support the development of LIDAR images for the Caribbean Region in order to provide more refined data for modeling purposes ;

 Support the int egration of climate change considerations into FEMA, Commonwealth, and municipal hazard mitigation plans ;

 Promote increased use of GI in the Caribbean to enhance resilience by absorbing and infiltrating stormwater and preventing flooding and pollution impa cts by providing outreach and education to the public and to design and building professionals. Support PR in the development of tsunami

- ready communities;

 Partner with the Caribbean Coastal Ocean Observing System (CariCOOS) and the National
Weather Servic e , and other relevant federal and Commonwealth agencies, to disseminate information and provide outreach to managers of PR’s water infrastructure in regard to current trends;

 Support and encourage increased resilience of water infrastructure through physi cal upgrades, geomorphic feature protection (e.g., barrier islands, mangrove islets, eolianites, beach rock, and dunes), building code revisions, and working with insurance companies to ensure they implement disaster risk reduction measures in the underwriting criteria of their policies; and

 Engage E nvironmental Justice (EJ) populations in education on climate change impacts and planning for climate change adaptation

.


### Pacific Islands Region

 Region 9 : http://www.epa.gov/region09/climatechange/

.

The Pacific Islands region in EPA R egion 9 encompasses the Hawaiian Islands, as well as the

United St ates affiliated Pacific islands, including the territories of American Samoa, the

Commonwealth of the No rthern Mariana Islands (CNMI), and Guam.

The Pacific Islands are more vulnerable to c limate change than nearly any other region in the United States. Key vulnerabilities include availability of freshwater, adverse impacts to coastal and marine ecosystems, and exposure to hazards including sea level rise and inundation.

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### 77 | Climate RegionsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

Goals

 Design and build infrastructure that can withstand storms, flooding, salt spray, and fire ;

 Protect existing drinking water supplies and ensure adequate supplies for communities dependent on disappearing sources ;

 Encourage communities and utilities to conduct vulnerability assessments and implement resulting recommendations ;

 Work with local governments on disaster planning and response, and long term plans to protect infrastructure and human safety ;

 Protect coral reefs, mangroves and other sensitive ecosystems; and

 Edu cate local and cultural leaders on the impacts of climate change and engage them in planning for climate change adaptation.

Strategic Issues

 Rising sea level s

, higher sea temperatures, and ocean acidification associated with climate change are further degr ading coral reefs already stressed by overfishing and pollution

. Their loss diminishes ecological heritage, shoreline protection, food supply from the

sea, and results in a decline in income from ecotourism in the Pacific Island communities where tourism is one of the largest industries ;

 The western Pacific already experiences the highest rate of Category 4 and 5 storms. Climate change may bring more frequent and higher energy storms resulting in potentially catastrophic damage to island infrastructure. Th is degree of damage could cripple the economies of Pacific Island communities for significant periods of time, not only impairing economic development but also the ability of local government to ensure delivery of basic water and sewer and other public hea lth services ; and

 Sea level rise h as multiple implications for Pacific Island communities:

 For the low

- lying atolls, entire islands may be submerged within a generation and may result in environmental refugees seeking new homes;

 For some low

- lying islands , sea level rise can result in “wash over,” in which islands, or portions of islands, are submerged by waves during large storm events. This results in salt water contamination of agricultural lands, significantly decreasing the productivity
of those lands

. This loss of agricultural productivity has an acute impact on the largely
subsistence

- based economies of these communities;

 For many of the islands, sea level rise has an immediate, and accelerated impact on coastal erosion, which affects water quality, coral reef health, coastal infrastructure, available land, and culturally significant sites ; and

 S ea level rise increases the potential for salt water intrusion into the sole source aquifers upon which many Pacific Islands rely for drinking water. There are few or no readily accessible alternative drinking water options when a community is confronted with the loss of productivity of a sole source aquifer.

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### 78 | Climate RegionsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

Strategic Actions

 Work with local, state, and federal agencies, as well as local educational instituti ons, to

ensu re protocols are in place to identify k ey drinking water resources, monitor water quality,
and develop long

- term drinking water protection and management plans ;

 Work with local, state, and federal agencies to leverage capital improvement funds to develop water and wastewater infrastructure designed to be resilient to the effects of climate change ;

 Develop biological criteria as a component of water quality standards as a tool for coral reef protection ;

 Use permitting authorities and enforcement to protect drinking water and near

- shore water quality consistent with the requirements of the Clean Water Act ;

 Work with local, state, and federal agencies to invest in local utility managers and employees for the long

- term to ensure they have the skills and resources to consistently protect public health and safety, even in the event of catastrophic storm events. Collaboratively identify best management practices that are institutionalized through standard operating procedures ;

 Work with local, state, and federal agencies to reduce reliance on fossil fuels through energy audits, conservation incentives, and investment in renewable energy sources. This approach will reduce water quality impacts associated with oil spills and develop an energy
infrastructur e that may be more resilient to severe storm events ;

 Work with local, state, and federal agencies, as well as local educational institutions, to
reduce stressors to coral reef health ( e.g.

, sedimentation and impacts from fishing and
recreation ) and to prot ect coral reef ecosystems in perpetuity ;

 Work with local, state, and federal agencies to build awareness of the potential effects of climate change and opportunities to reduce GHG emissions and adapt to impacts; and

 Engage cultural leaders and EJ populations in education on climate change impacts and planning for climate change adaptation.

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### 79 | Climate RegionsNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change



## VI. Cross

- Cutting Program Support

A. Goal 17: Communication

, Collaboration, and Training

S

trategic Action 49: Continue building the communication, co ll

aboration, and training mechanisms needed to effectively increase adaptive capacity at the federal, tribal, state,

and local levels.

T he NWP will continue building the communication

, collaboration , and training mechanisms

needed to effectively increase adaptive capacity at the f ederal, tribal, state, and local levels

.



### Communicating Effectively

Communication involves three elements: the audience, the message, and the medium. This 2012 Strategy describes the messages , including:

 C limate change poses threats to water resources and the NWP’s mission;

 Ecosystem services are valuable resources for modulating climate impacts ;

 Programmatic actions are being taken to address climate change;

 Information and tools are needed to inform action; and

 Collaborati on is essential for shared learn ing and problem solving.

As described earlier, there are many stakeholders with interests and responsibilities for protecting the nation’s water resources. Some of the audiences the NWP intends to

communicate with include:

 State and tribal co

- regulators who need information and tools to adapt their programs;

 The water utility operators who need tools to calibrate their design and management practices for protecting infrastructure from climate change impacts;

 Natural resource professionals who protect water quality and ecological integrity from compounding stressors, including climate change;

 Tribal communities that have geographically and culturally specific challenges for protecting and preserving their fresh water resources and communities;

 Communities t hat are at risk from sea level rise, flood and drought;

 The public and stakeholders who want to know how the federal government is addressing climate change; and

 Federal agencies with which EPA collaborates

.

In addition to the avenues discussed above thro ughout this document for training and tool development, the NWP will provide communication outlets including:

 NWP Climate Change Website;

 Climate Ready Water Utilities website and toolbox;

 Water and Climate Change E

- Newsletter ;

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### 80 | Program SupportNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

 Webcasts and Webinars – to provide opportunities for targeted training ;

 Ongoing dialogue forums with stakeholder groups and co

- regulators
such as the State

- Tribal Climate Change Council (STC3);

 Speaker Series – for EPA employees to hear from experts ; and

 Annual reports and periodic updates

.

The NWP will continue working with partners and stakeholders to develop communication mechanisms to expand

access to information and resources for general and targeted audiences.

Working in Collaboration Examples of Collaborative Partnership Programs

 Infrastructure:

 Source Water Collaborative

 Rural Community Assistance Partnership

 Capacity Development Program

 Effective Utility Management

 Ocean and Coastal Waters:

 National Ocean Council

 National Estuary Programs

 Watersheds and Wetlands:

 Healthy Watersheds Initiative

 Water Quality:

 Green Infrastructure Initiative

E xisting EPA partnership programs provid e ready access to networks of key entities and can be leveraged to address the challenges posed by climate change while minimizing the ‘overhead’ involved in collaboration. Examples of existing programs and initiatives are referenced throughout this docume nt , some of which are noted in the adjacent text box.

Examples of Regional Collaborations

 Region 1 Federal Partners Group

 http://www.epa.gov/region1/eco/energy/adap
tation

- efforts

- epane.html

.

 Region 4 Southeast Natural Resources Leadership Group

 http://www.epa.gov/region4/topics/envmanag ement/senrlg/index.htm

.

 Region 9 – Water

- Energy Team of the California Climate Action Team ((WET

- CAT)

 http://www.climatechange.ca.gov/wetcat/inde
x.html

.

 Great Lakes Statement of Common Purpose

 http://collaborate.csc.noaa.gov/nroc/default.a

spx

.

 Gulf of Mexico Alliance Action Plan II for
Health y and Resilient Coasts, 2009

- 2014 The NWP will work to expand opportunities for dialogue through both

formal and informal discussion. For example, the Advisory Committee on Water Information (ACWI) and the National Drinking Water Adviso ry Committee (NDWAC) are key Federal Advisory Committee ( FACA s). The

NWP’s State

- Tribal Climate Change Council (STC3) is an important

discussion forum with state and tribal co

regulators. Collaboration with sector partnerships are particularly important

av enues for promoting research, pilots, and communication, including associations such as the Water Utility Climate Alliance (WUCA), WRF and the

WERF

.

C limate impacts are local as are adaptation strategies – hence many EPA Regions are building collaborations with  http://www.gulfofmexicoalliance.org/pdfs/ap2 _final2.pdf?#Page=8

. state, T ribal, and local government

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### 81 | Program SupportNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

Examples of Federal Collaborative F orums

 Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force, Freshwater Workgroup

 OSTP Subcommittee on Water Availability and Quality

 U.S. Global Change Research Program

 Climate Change and Water Working Group agencies as well as with other federal agencies to more effectively

deliver services. I nformation on Regional partnerships can be found

in Section IV, Geographic Clim ate Regions

.

Federal partnerships are also

ess ential to leverage resources and build national capability for adaptation. The NWP will continue to strengthen and expand our coordination on climate change adaptation and mitigation with other federal agencies at both the national and regional

levels

.

D

elivering Tools and Training

Many of the Strategic Actions throughout this 2012 Strategy are driven by the over

- riding need to improve the translation of climate impact projections into materials tailored for NWP partners and

constituents , including regio nally specific information. The NWP will

work to make available information, including training to help practi ti oners apply new tools. The

NWP will collaborate with various forums for delivering the information and training

.

N

ational Water Program Impleme ntatio n

 The core CWA, SDWA and
other statutorily authorized programs within the NWP have training forums that reach out to practi ti oners, such as the NPDES Permit Writers training, Federal Sources of Climate Change Information

 EPA

 Water & Climate: http://water.epa.gov/scitech/climatechange

 Climate Ready Water Utilities: http://www.water.epa.gov/crwu

 Climate Ready Estuaries: http:// www.epa.gov/cre/

 Climate Change: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/

 NOAA

 Climate Service: http://www.climate.gov

 RISAs: http://www.research.noaa.gov/climate/t_regional.html

 Coasts: http://www.csc.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/tools/index.html

 Interagency

 USGCRP: http://www.globalchange.gov

 Smartcoasts: http://stormsmartcoasts.org/ http://www.epa.gov/adr/index.html

the Watershed Academy, the Water Quality Standards Academy, and the D rinkin g W ater Capacity Development Program

.

 P artner organizations host and co

- sponsor training sessions, such as those based on the Clean Water and Safe Drinking Water Infrastructure Sustainability Policy to promote best practices for e ffective u tility m anageme nt, e nergy m anagement, and a dvanced asset

m anagement , and related topics such as GI and LID

.

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### 82 | Program SupportNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

 Conflict Resolution is a field that can help to build skills for collaborating and consensus building for working effectively with stakeholders. The NWP will work with partners and stakeholders to draw upon the expertise and resources of the Conflict Prevention and Resolution Center (CPRC) within EPA’s Office of General Counsel as well as the Regional Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Specialists to conduct train ing

.

Decision Support

 The USGCRP deliver s science and science translation to inform adaptation planning

.

 Federal partners are building regional capabilities, such as the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), NOAA RISA s

, and the DOI LCCs and CSCs

.

 T he interagency Climate Change and Water Working Group (CCAWWG), under the leadership of the Bureau of Reclamation, is working to establish a training program for water resource managers

.

Table 2
2011

- 2015 EPA Strategic Plan
National Water Program Commitments

Goal 1: Taking: Action on Climate Change and Improving Air Quality. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and develop adaptation strategies to address climate change, and protect and improve air quality.

Objective 1.1: Address Climate Chang e. Reduce the threats posed by climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and taking actions that help communities and ecosystems become more resilient to the effects of climate change.

Water

- Related Strategic Measures:

 By 2015, additional programs from across EPA will promote practices to help Americans save energy and

conserve resources , leading to expected greenhouse gas emissions reductions of 740.1 MMTCO2 Eq. from a baseline without adoption of efficient practices.

The WaterSense Program wi l l contribute to achieving greenhouse gas reduction goals through 2015

 By 2015, EPA will integrate climate change science trend and scenario information into five major scientific models and/or decision

- support tools used in implementing Agency environmental management programs to further EPA’s mission, consistent with existing authorities.

Under the CRWU initiative, the NWP wi ll deploy an upgraded version of the CREAT, as well as a comprehensive toolbox of water

- related climate resources by the end of 2012, to better assist water and wastewater utilities in becoming more resilient to climate change.

 By 2015, EPA will account for climate change by integrating climate change science trend and scenario
information into five rule

- making processes to further EPA ’s mission, consistent with existing authorities.

The NWP wi ll incorporate climate change considerations in the development and implementation of a rulemaking by 2015

.
 By 2015, EPA will build resilience to climate change by integrating considerations of climate change impacts and adaptive measures into five major grant, loan, contract, or technical assistance programs to further EPA’s mission, consistent with existing au thorities.

The NWP wi ll help NEP grantees consider as a potential priority climate adaptation and resilience in their Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans s and develop climate adaptation plans and implementation strategies where considered a pr iority.

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### 83 | Program SupportNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change



### B. Goal 18: Tracking Progress a nd Measuring Outcomes

Strate gic Action 50 : 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.

Tracking and measuring progress towards a stated goal provides information about the efficacy of the actions taken to inform adaptive management; provides a way to share information and lessons learned with others working toward similar ends ; and provides transparency to stakeholders who have an interest in the process or outcome. Devising meaningful and practical indicators for tracking progress, however, is complex. It is preferable to measure outcomes

rather than outputs, but outcomes often take many years to realize and may be hard to quantif y. Tracking progress for climate change adaptation poses its own challenges, including how to

evaluate avoided losses.

In addition, t he 2011

- 2015 EPA Strategic Plan includes measures for climate change adap t ation and mitigation actions (see Table 2, above ) and this 2012 Strategy reflects the NWPs’

commitment to achieve these measures. T he EPA Climate Work Group has undertaken a process to refine and update the Agency’ s measures to reflect outcomes towards desired objectives. The NWP will work with the Agen cy Work Group to develop outcome measures applicable to the NWP.



### NWP Phased Approach for Indicators of Progress

Currently, the most amenable approach for evaluating progress is to assess institutional progress toward becoming a resilient and adaptive progr am. The NWP proposes to adopt a phased approach that uses indicators of progress which emphasizes peer

- to

- peer learning rather than a top

- down mandate. A similar approach is in use in the United Kingdom (UK DEFRA 2010)

.

Initially, the NWP Phased Approach will track the NWP’s institutional process and progress in incorporating climate change considerations into EPA programs. Outputs will not be counted per se; rather, the collectivity of actions and their products will demonstrate the weight of evidence

for determining the status of adaptation. An annual internal reporting process will assemble information for evaluating and reporting progres s. The elements t o be assessed include

p rogress toward achieving the stated Goals and Strategic Actions (headquarters programs ); and

p rogress toward implementing Regional s trategies. The NWP will work with its State

- Tribal Climate Change Council and other partners to refine this approach, and develop a model that could be useable by others at their discretion.

Table 3 be low presents a summary of the proposed phases and includes an initial assessment of the progress towards adapting the NWP as a whole

. Recognizing that it may take years or decades to achieve adaptive preparedness and resilience, the NWP designed phases for which progress could be demonstrated within a relatively short time frame (1

- 3 years)

.

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### 84 | Program Support

## Table 3. Phase of Adaptive Management

Full Progress Substantial Progress Initiated

NWP Phases Explanation Examples of Evidence of Achievement NWP Status

1. Initiation • Conduct a screening
assessment of potential implications of climate change to mission, programs, and operations.

2. Assessment

3. Response Development • 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.

• 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. • 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.

• Accountabilities and responsibilities are assigned at appropriate levels within the organization and resources are available to
deve lop a more in

- d epth assessment.

• 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 concer ns 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 dial ogue on building adaptive capacity.

• 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 cap acity.

• Begi n working with an external ‘community of practice’ to engage in tool and program development.

• Rudimentary methods are put in place to track

progress.

• Develop a research strategy and partnerships
to obtain additional needed research. Na tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

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### 85 | Program Support

## Table 3. Phase of Adaptive Management

Full Progress Substantial Progress Initiated

NWP Phases Explanation Examples of Evidence of Achievement NWP Status

4. Initia l Implementation

5. Robust Implementation • Initiate actions in selected priority programs or projects.

• Programs are underway and lessons learned are being applied to additional programs and projects. • Make it clear within the organization that incorporating climate change into programs is
critical

• Initiate actions and plans identified in Step 3.

• Initiate cooperative projects with partners.

• Develop a range of needed information and
tools.

• Begin to institute changes to incorporate climate change into core programs.

• Some program partners have begun to implement response actions.

6. Mainstreaming • Climate is an embedded, component of the

program. • Lessons learned are evaluated and strategies
are refined.

• Efforts are initiated to consider climate change in additional, or more complex, program elements.

• Continue to institute institutional changes to incorporate climate change into core

programs.

• External communities of practice are in place to support ongoing capacity development.

• 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 .

• Methods for evaluatin g outcomes are in plac e.

7. Monitoring and • Continue to monitor • Progress is evaluated and needed changes Adaptive and integrate are implemented. Management performance, new

• As impacts of climate change unfold, climate information, and change impacts and organizational responses lessons learned into are reassessed. programs and plans. Na tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

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### 86 | Program SupportNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change



### C. Goal 19: Climate Change and Water Research Needs

Strategic Action 51 : Work with ORD, other water science agencies, and the water research community to further define ne eds and develop research opportunities to deliver the information needed to support implementation of th e 2012 Strategy , including providing the decision support tools needed by water resource managers.

This section describes the types of research question s that need to be addressed to support the Strategic Actions in this 2012 Strategy

. In general, research for adaptation should provide decision support to manage risk in an evolving context under ranges of uncertainty

.

The NWP collaborates with and relies on the broader research community including EPA ORD, federal science agencies (e.g., USGS, NOAA, and the USGCRP), drinking water and water quality research associations (e.g., WRF and WERF ) , academia, and others

. The NWP is also a member of CCAWWG, a “wor king level” forum to share expertise and planning to build climate adaptation tools and methods across federal agencies. These collaborations have already produced a range of reports and inventories on research needs and activities

. (See: CCAWWG, 2011; W RF , 2011; EPA

- ORD 2012.) The NWP will continue to work with the water research community to further define needs and develop collaborative and coordinated research opportunities to deliver the information needed by water resource managers.



### Cross

- Cutting Res earch Needs

A. Data: Update data for precipitation, storm frequency, and streamflow, and develop new methods for analyzing projected changes, in collaboration with other federal agencies.

1. Of particular concern are the storm frequency, duration, and intensity estimates and low flow conditions in rivers and streams at the HUC 12 watershed level;

2. Improve methods to address non

- stationarity, particularly improving clarity of precipitation data used in wastewater

, drinking water and stormwater management systems d esign

, operation and planning (e.g. TP40, Atlas 14); and

3. Enhance flow estimation using NHDPlus.

B. Decision Support: Integrate non

- stationarity and recent data into decision support tools for water utilities and water quality managers to use in planning across a range of plausible climate change scenarios.

1. Research Translation: Produce annual or biennial synthesis reports of recent research and implication s for decision makers to inform the water resource management community

.
2. M odify climate model outputs that can be used as inputs for hydrologic and management models at the spatial and temporal scales relevant to decision
makers ;

3. Develop regionally

- specific information (include description of observed and projected impacts, scenarios, etc.) for communicating with communities and
tribes ;

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### 87 | Program SupportNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

4. Develop models that integrate hydrology, land cover, air quality and economics for comprehensive assessment and comparison of climate change mitigation and adaptation policies for local, state and federal governments; and

5. Dev elop a rapid response protocol to incorporate the results of the ongoing monitoring data into permitting, planning, and resource allocation decisions.

C. Metrics: Develop measures and metrics to track and determine progress in climate change adaptation and pr eparedness

.


### Research to Support Infrastructure

A. Water Demand Management: Design metrics for water and energy efficiency in key sectors (e.g. municipal use; energy production and agriculture). Produce methods and technology transfers in various sectors to re duce water demand.

B. Water Supply Management: Develop alternative and nonconventional water supplies that will relieve pressure on fresh water sources and ensure the protection of current and future sources of drinking water.

C. Energy

- Water Nexus: Develop zero

- net energy strategies through Life Cycle Analysis of water/energy consumption and optimization and co

- generation.

D. Aquifer Storage and Recharge: Research into technologies to minimize mobilization of

ge ologic chemicals/radionuclides and the formation of new drinking water contaminants by injectate that is already treated to national drinking water standards. Consider natural attenuation of microbes in different soil and geologic profiles and disinfectant byproducts from treated injectate. Also identify configurations that minimize adverse effects on surface water/ground water interchange, e.g., that maintain healthy instream flows to support aquatic habitats.

E. Economics: Conduct cost

- benefit analysis of climate change adaptation strategies.
Evaluate the cost of adapting versus the comparative costs of business

- as

- usual approaches. Calculate the value of built infrastructure at risk from climate change especially from seal level rise and flooding and use this information in economic assessments of potential adaptation strategies

.


### Research to Support Watersheds and Wetlands

A. Monitoring: Identify aquatic ecosystem responses to changes in temperature, precipitation and sea level rise. Identify water chemistry changes including possible acidification effects that may be occurring in freshwater and estuarine systems. Develop water monitoring designs to track parameters relevant to climate change impacts. Identify and measure shifts over time in the condition of water resources attributed to climate change.

B. Hydrology: I mprove the understanding of climate change on the hydrologic function of wetlands and in providing ecological services. Increase the understanding of the hydrological connections between surface water and groundwater to inform IWRM

. Model potential changes to flood regulation, ground water recharge, and surface water base flow given scenarios of wetlands loss. Assess different types of wetlands’ capacity to adapt to climate change.

C. Co

- benefits: Characterize co

- benefits of healthy watersheds, green infrastructure and
site conditions where GI is cost effective and where it is not:

*** Public Comment D raft *** 

### 88 | Program SupportNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

1. Identify climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies that lead to water quality improvements such as increased groundwater recharge and stormwater runoff mitigation and reduced cost for stormwater management and green space connectivity ; and

.
2. Develop method to measure carbon sequestration potential for aquatic ecosystems (e.g., wetland types and forested watersheds).



### Research to Support Coastal and Ocean Planning

A. Ocean Acidifi cation: Understand likely impacts of ocean acidification to coastal systems/system components, and identify and fill information gaps. As sess relative vulnerabilities in order to identify sites appropriate for action to increase coral reef resiliency.

B. Sea Level Rise: Accurate mapping of relative historic and projected sea level rise and its impacts. Determine which coastal wetlands and ecosystems to protect or restore and
those that are “lost”.

C. Temperature: Investigate potential impacts of climate change such as warming water temperatures on eutrophication and ecology.



### Research to Support Water Quality

A. Pathogens: E valuate potential changes in exposure factors and assessment methods for waterborne pathogens that result from climate change. Develop models to better understand how increased water temperature affects pathogen survival and proliferation, drinking water treatment and sanitary waste treatment requirements based on WQBELs
or ELGs. Identify contaminants that may more greatly affect PWS non

- complianc e by increases or decreases in precipitation or ground water levels.

B. Precipitation: Identify impacts from changes, such as extreme precipitation events, that may increase sediment loading or scouring, nutrient, pathogen and toxic contaminant
loads to water bodies.

C. Nitrogen Cycle: Assess air

- water interactions (i.e., sources and sinks) of nitrogen and develop strategies to reduce impacts to aquatic ecosystems and ground and surface drinking water sources.

D. Flow: Characterize ecological flow criteria for aquatic species to protect designated uses given climate change intensifying the competition for finite water resources. The criter ia

may be useful in developing TMDLs

.


### Research to Support Tribes

A. TEK: Strengthen the ability to incorporate tribal traditional knowledge into adaptation strategies relevant to tribes.

B. Overall: Include development of tribal

- specific elements in overall research strategies to understand climate change impacts and to develop adaptation strategies.

*** Public Comment D raft *** 

### 89 | Program SupportNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change



## Appendix A: List of Abbreviation s

ACWI Advisory Committee on Water Information

ASR Aquifer Storage & Recovery

AWWA American Water Works Association

BLM Bureau of Land Management

BOEMR Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation & En ergy

CCAWWG Climate Change Adaptation Work Grou p

CCL Contaminant Candidate List

CEQ White House Council on Environmental Quality

CMSP Coastal Marine Spatial Planning

CRE Climate Ready Estuaries

CREAT Climate Resilience Evaluation and Awareness Tool

CRWU Climate Ready Water Utilities

CT4CW Comin g Together for Clean Water

CWA Clean Water Act

DMR Discharge Monitoring Report

DOE Department of Energy

DOT Department of Transportation

DWSRF Drinking Water State Revolving Fund

EAT Energy Audit Tool

ESA Endangered Species Act

FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency

GHG Greenhouse gas

GI Green Infrastructure

HAB Harmful algal bloom

HWQS Hydrologic and Water Quality System

ICCATF Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force

IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

IWRM Integrated Water Resources Management

LCCs Landscape Conservation Cooperatives

LID Low Impact Development

LIDAR Light Detection And Ranging

MPRSA Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act

MWDs Municipal Water Districts

NAP National Adaptation Plan

NDWAC National Drinking Water Advisory Council

NEP National Estuary Program

NEPA National Environmental Policy Act

NHDPlus National Hydrography Dataset Plus

NMFS National Marine Fisheries Service

NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin istration

NOC National Ocean Council

NPDES National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System

*** Public Comment Draft *** 

### 90 | Appendix ANa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change



## Appendix A: List of Abbreviation s

NPDWR National Primary Drinking Water Regulations

NPS National Park Service

NRC National Research Council

NWCA National Wetland Condition Assessment

NWI N ational Wetland Inventory

NWP National Water Program

OAR Office of Air and Radiation

OCSPP Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention

OGC Office of General Counsel

OGWDW Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water (OW)

OITA Office of Internati onal and Tribal Affairs

OM&R Operations, maintenance and replacement

OP Office of Policy

ORD Office of Research and Development

OST Office of Science and Technology (OW)

OSTP White House Office of Science & Technology Policy

OSWER Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response

OUST Office of Underground Storage Tanks (OSWER)

OW Office of Water

OWM Office of Wastewater Management (OW)

OWOW Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds (OW)

RISAs Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments

SAP Syn thesis and Assessment Product

SDWA Safe Drinking Water Act

SWAQ Subcommittee on Water Availability and Quality

TMDLs Total Maximum Daily Loads

US FWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

UIC Underground Injection Control

USACE U.S. Army Corps of Engineer s

USBR U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

USDA U.S. Department of Agriculture

USDW Underground source of drinking water

USFS U.S. Forest Service

USGCRP U.S. Global Change Research Program

USGS U.S. Geological Survey

WQS Water quality standards

WUE Wat er Use Efficiency

*** Public Comment Draft *** 

### 91 | Appendix ANational Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

*** Public Comment Draft *** 

### 92 | Appendix B 

## Appendix B: Principles for an Energy Water Future

The Foundation for a Sustainable America

The nexus between energy and water is an increasingly important area for focus. There are significant societal and environmental benefits to be derived from improving coordination between the two sectors. Government should take a leadership role in this relationship and lead by example. EPA is proposing principles for government, service providers, and ratepayers to foster valuable collaboration in both the water and energy sectors to work together to meet our water and energy needs nationally and locally. The principles also serve as a reminder that necessary tradeoffs within one decision, e.g., stricter water treatment levels, can be mitigated by efforts elsewhere, e.g., reducing demand for energy/water.



### Efficiency in the use and generation of ener gy and water should form the foundation of how we develop, distribute, recover, and use energy and water. EPA supports:

 Encouraging energy and water efficiency by the ratepayer through the use of efficient products, like ENERGY STAR - and WaterSense

- certifi ed products, supplemented by informed and wise use of resources;

 Improving system

- level energy and water efficiency by water, wastewater, stormwater, and energy utilities and encourage strategic investments in efficiency;

 U sing full cost rate structure s wh ile ensuring access to clean and safe water for low income households;

 Recognizing and reducing the embedded water and energy in manufactured and agricultural products; and

 Relying on education and outreach, in collaboration with local communities, to be a t the forefront of encouraging efficiency.



### The generation, transmission and use of energy should have the smallest impact on water resources as possible, in terms of water quality and water quantity possible. EPA supports:

 Reducing consumption or use of w ater for producing energy and fuels: reduce, recover, reuse, and recycle;

 Analyzing, recognizing and minimizing any impacts on downstream water quality

, water quantity , and the aquatic environment including wetlands when choosing between sources of energy; and

 Practicing good stewardship to minimize potential impacts and avoid contaminants that reduce water’s value or require high amounts of energy for treatment.



### The pumping, treating, distribution, use, collection, reuse and ultimate disposal of

water should have the smallest impact on energy resources as possible. EPA supports:

 Creating an energy efficiency management plan using established energy auditing tools ;

 Addressing leaks in the water distribution system ;National Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

*** Public Comment Draft *** 

### 93 | Appendix B  Using nearby water sources where avail able, including rain harvesting and recycled w ater ;

 Treat ing water to a level that matches the end use; and

 Avoiding unnecessary transport of water and wastewater for treatment or disposal.



### Waste water 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. EPA supports:

 Using wastewater and associated organic solids and treatment byproducts as a source of renewable energy , such a s methane gas, that can be used by treatment plants to reduce
net ‘on

- grid’ energy use;

 Using wastewater for irrigation, accounting for the nutrients in the water as way to reduce the need for additional fertilizers;

 Recycling or reus ing water for appropriate uses, minimizing energy used for treatment, and becoming a reliable source for the future; and

 Extracting and using nutrients, fats, oils and grease from wastewater.



### The water and energy sectors

– government, utility, manufacturers, and consumers

– sh ould move toward i ntegrated r esource m anagement for energy and water from source, production and generation to end user. EPA supports:

 Encouraging the water and energy sectors – both governments and utilities

– to continue to align themselves to breakdown institutional barriers, improve transparency, and maximize efficiencies;

 Encouraging government agencies to look across missions and private utilities to look

across sectors to achieve integrated resource management, maximize efficiencies and avoid unintended consequences ;

 Encouraging government and service providers to leverage and expand upon existing successes and institutions; and

 Promoting t ransparency and collaboration related to research, funding and policy within
institutions and across sectors

, which are essential and will help to leverage lessons learned and expand successes

.


### Maximize comprehensive, societal b enefits

. EPA supports:

 Articulating and r ecogni zing the benefits for the larger sphere of influence of public and private investment – b eyond direct cost savings – in energy and water efficiencies ;

 Enhancing, promoting, and target ing financial incentives and other societal benefits

, including market

- based benefits such as rebates and government programs such as state revolving funds, taxes and tax credits; and

 P lanning to build resiliency for climate change impacts on water infrastructure and water quality to minimize vulnerabilities

.Na tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change



## Appendix C: References

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.

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—

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.

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.

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CEQ, 2010. Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force, report to the President, October 4, 2010, and Water Workgroup Report, October 5, 2010. Available at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq/initiatives/adaptation

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*** Public Comment Draft *** 

### 94 | Appendix CNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

CEQ, 2011b . Instructions for Implementing Climate Change Adaptation Planning In Accordance With Executive Order 13514, Federal Agency Climate Change Adaptation Planning

­ Implementing Instructions , March 4, 2011. Available at: http://www .whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ceq/adaptation_final_implementing_instr uctions_3_3.pdf

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- change

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Dore, M. and I. Burton, 2001. The Costs of Adaptation to Climate Change in Canada: A Stratified Estimate by Sectors and Regions

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.

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at: http://www.epa.gov/oust/altfuels/bfcompend.htm

.

EPA, 2009b. National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). Environmental Protection Agency, March 12, 2009. Available at: http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/

.

*** Public Comment Draft *** 

### 95 | Appendix CNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

EPA, 2009c. National Drinking Water Advisory Council Request for Climate Ready Water Utilities Working Group Nominations. Federal Register, July 8, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 129, pp. 32 595 – 32596. Available at: http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA

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08/w16006.htm

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. Environmental Protection Agency. Available at: http://www.epa.gov/nrmrl/wswrd/wq/wrap/workshop.html

.

EPA, 2010a. FY 2011

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2010. Available at: http://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan.html

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. Clean Water and Drinking Water Infrastructure Sustainability Policy , Oct. 4, 2010.

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.

EPA, 2010e. Underground Injection Control Program. Environmental Protection Agency, December 13, 2010. Available at: http://water.epa.gov/type/groundwater/uic/

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EPA, 2010f. Compatibilit y of Underground Storage Tank Systems with Biofuel Blends

. Federal Register, November 17, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 221, pp. 70241 – 70246. Available at: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/ FR

- 2010

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EPA, 2011b. Coming Together for Clean Water: EPA’s Strategy To Protect America’s Waters. April 2011. Available at: https://blog.epa.gov/waterforum/wp

content/uploads/2011/04/ComingTogether

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- Water

- FINAL.pdf

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EPA, 2011c. Climate Ready Water Utilities Toolbox. Available at: http://www.epa.gov /safewater/watersecurity/climate/toolbox.html

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EPA, 2011d. Sustainable Infrastructure: Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Opportunities, Environmental Protection Agency. Accessed June 12, 2011. Available at: http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/sustain/energyefficiency.cfm

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*** Public Comment Draft *** 

### 96 | Appendix CNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

EPA, 2011e. WaterSense Program Accomplishments, Environmental Protection Agency.

Available at: http://www.epa.gov/WaterSense/about_us/program_accomplishments.html

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EPA, 2011f. WaterSense, Environmental Protection Agency. Available at: http://www.epa.gov/WaterSense/

.

EPA, 2011g. Heal thy Watersheds. Environmental Protection Agency, April 5, 2011. Available at: http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/nps/watershed/index.cfm

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EPA, 2011h. Rolling Easements Primer

. Environmental Protection Agency, June, 2011.

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moa.pdf

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. Environmental Protection Agency, January 4, 2011. Available at: http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/home.cfm?program_id=298

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Available at: http://www.epa.gov/owow/NPS/lid/

.

EPA, 2011l. Impaired Waters and Total Maximum Daily Loads

. Environmental Protection Agency, March 21, 2011. Available at: http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/lawsguidance/cwa/tmdl/index.cfm

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EPA, 2011m. Renewable Fuels: Regulations and Standards. Environmental Protection Agency, March 23, 2011. Available at: http://www.epa.gov/oms/fuels/renewablefuels/regulations.htm

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EPA, 2011n. National Aquatic Resource Surveys. Environmental Protection Agency, April 8,

2011. Available at: http://water.epa.gov/type/watersheds/monitoring/nationalsurveys.cfm

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EPA, 2012. Energy Audit Tool available at: http://www.epa.gov [ forthcoming ].

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Treatment

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*** Public Comment Draft *** 

### 97 | Appendix CNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

Frederick, 2000. Fred erick, K. and G. Schwarz. 2000. Socioeconomic Impacts of Climate Variability and Change on U.S. Water Resources. Washington, DC: Resources for the Future.

FWP, 2011. Fish, Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaptation Workgroup. Available at: http://www.wildlifeadaptationstrategy.gov/index.php

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at: http://www.northeastclimateimpacts.org/pdf/tech/hayhoe_et_al_climate_dynamics_2006.pdf

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*** Public Comment Draft *** 

### 98 | Appendix CNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

NRC, 2010a -d. America’s Climate Choices. Four Volumes: a ) Limiting the Magnitude of Future Climate Change; b) Adapting to the Impacts of Climate Change; c) Advancing the Science of Climate Change; d) Informing E ff

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Available at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climate/sectors/local

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collaboration -for- water.org/

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- 4/final

- report/

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*** Public Comment Draft *** 

### 99 | Appendix CNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

USGCRP, 2009a. Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States , Thomas R. Karl, Jerry

M. Melillo, and Thomas C. Peterson, (eds.). Cambridge University Press, 2009. Available at: http://www.globalchange.gov/publications/reports/scientific -assessments/us- impacts

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Rise: A Focus on the Mid

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and Metrics for Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation, and Mitigation Options

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.

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at: http://www.horizon

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ertal Wastewater

Treatment Plant , March, 2010. Water Environment Research Foundation, Stock No.

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ublicationProfile.cfm&id=OWSO4R07b

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World Resources Institute. Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA), 2005. Available at: http://www.maweb.org/documents/document.358.aspx.pdf

.

*** Public Comment Draft *** 

### 100 | Appendix C

## Appendix D : Goals and Strategic Actions: Lead Offices 6



### Goals and Strategic Actions Lead Office (& Partners)

 Infrastructure: I n 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: • SA1: The CRWU program will work to improve access to OGWDW (OWM) Build the body of vetted climate and hydrological science, modeling, and information and tools assessment tools. needed to incorporate climate change into • SA2 Assist water utilities to reduce GHG emissions and OWM (OGWDW)

planning and decision increase long

- term susta i nability with a combination of
making. energy efficiency, co

- generation, a nd renewable energy

resources.

• SA3: Explore climate change challenges to drinking water OGWD W safety and assist public water systems in meeting health

based drinki ng w ater standards.

• SA4: Promote sustainable design approaches to ensure OWM (OGWDW) the long

- term sustainability of infrastructure and operations

Goal 2: • SA5: Understand and promote through technical OWM (OGWDW) Support IWRM to assistance the use of water supply management sustainably manage strategies.

water resources.

• SA6: Evaluate and provide technical assistance on the OWM (OGWDW) use of water demand management strategies.

• SA7: Increase cross

- sector knowledge of water supply OW IO (All OW climate challenges and develop watershed specific Offices) information to inform decision making.

 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: OWOW Identify , protect, and • SA8: Develop a national framework and support efforts to protect remaining healthy watersheds and aquatic maintain a network of ecosystems. healthy watersheds and OWOW • SA9: Collaborate with partners on terrestrial ecosystems supportive habitat and hydrology so that effects on water quality and aquatic corridor networks. ecosystems are considered.

OWOW throughout the NWP core programs. • SA10: Integrate protection of healthy watersheds Na tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

6 OGWDW=Office of Groundwater and Drinking Water; OWM=Office of Wastewater Management; OWOW=Office o f Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds; OST=Office of Science and Technology; OW IO=Office of Water Immediate
Office

*** Public Comment Draft *** 

### 101 | Appendix D

### Goals and Strategic Actions Lead Office (& Partners)

OWOW importance of healthy watersheds in reducing the impacts
of climate c hange. • SA11: Increase public awareness of the role and

Goal 4: Incorporate climate
resilience into watershed
restoration and floodplain management.

Goal 5: Watershed protection practices incorporate
Source Water Protection to protect drinking water supplies.

Goal 6: Incorporate climate change considerations
into the CWA 404 regulatory program as they relate to permit
reviews and compensatory mitigation.

Goal 7: Improve baseline
information on wetland extent, condition and performance to inform effective adaptation to
climat e change. OWOW in EPA funded and other watershed restoration projects. • SA12: Consider a means of accounting for climate change

OWOW protect and enhance buffers to rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands, and coastal resources as a means of building resiliency. • SA13: Work with federal, state, tribal, and local partners to

OGWDW water delineations, assessments or protection plans to address anticipated climate change impacts. • SA14: Encourage states to consider updating their source

OGWDW 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. • SA15: Continue to support collaborative efforts to increase

OWOW significant degradation determinations in the CWA Section 404 program. • SA16: Consider climate change effects in relation to

OWOW

wet land and stream compensation projects could be selected, designed, and sited to aid in reducing the effects of climate change. • SA17: Evaluate, in conjunction with the USACE, how

OWOW mapping coalitions and training on use of the new federal Wetland Mapping Standard. • SA18: Expand wetland mapping by supporting wetland

OWOW

assessment of the nation’s wetlands. • SA19: Produce a statistically valid, ecological condition

 Coa stal 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. Fed eral, 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 methodolog ies for ocean
and coastal areas are collected, produced, analyzed, and easily
available. OWOW learned are transferred, federal efforts effectively help local communities, and efforts are not duplicative or at

cross

- purposes. • SA20: Collaborate to ensure that synergy occurs, lessons

OWOW needed to protect ocean and coastal areas is collected, produced, analyzed, or formatted for users, and is easily
available. • SA21: Work to be sure that knowledge and information Na tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

*** Public Comment Draft *** 

### 102 | Appendix D

### Goals and Strategic Actions Lead Office (& Partners)

Goal 9: EPA geographically targeted program s support and buil d networks of local, tribal, state, regional and
federal collaborators to take effective adaptation
measures for coastal
and ocean
environments.

Goal 10:
Address climate driven environmental changes
in coastal areas and ensure that mitigation and adaptation are
conducted in an environmentally responsible manner. • SA22: Work with the NWP’s larger geographic programs to incorporate climate change considerations, focusing on
both the natural and built environments.

• SA23: The National Estuary Programs will address climate change adaptation in implementing their Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans (CCMP) and through the Climate Ready Estuary Program, and will build stakeholder capacity.

• SA24: 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 LAE programs.

• SA25: Support coastal wastewater, stormwater, and drinking water infrastructure owners and operators in reducing climate risks and encourage adaptation in coastal

areas.

• SA26: Support climate readiness of coastal communities, including hazard mitigation, pre

- disaster pla nning, pre

disaster planning, preparedness, and recovery efforts.

• SA27: Support preparation and response planning for impacts to coastal aquatic environments. OWOW (Regions)

OWOW

OWOW

OWOW

OWOW

OWOW

 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 11:
Ocean environments are protected by EPA programs that incorporate shifting
environmental conditions, and other emerging threat s.

Goal 12:
Protect waters of the
United States and promote management of
sustainable su rface

water r esources. • SA28: Consider climate change impacts on marine water quality in NWP ocean management authorities, policies, and programs.

• SA29: Utilize NEPA, CWA, MPRSA, and other authorities and work with the Regional Ocean Organizations and other federal and state agencies through regional ocean groups and other networks to ensure offshore renewable energy production does not adversely affect the marine
environment.

• SA30: Support the evaluation of sub

- seabed and ocean

s equestration of CO2.

• SA31: Participate in interagency development and implementation of federal strategies through the National Ocean Council and the NOC Strategic Action Plans.

• SA32: Encourage states and communities to incorporate climate change considerations into their water quality planning.

• SA33: Encourage green infrastructure and low

- impact development to protect water quality and make
watershed s more resili ent. OWOW

OWOW (Regions)

OWOW

OWOW

OWOW

OWM (OWOW) Na tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

*** Public Comment Draft *** 

### 103 | Appendix D

### Goals and Strategic Actions Lead Office (& Partners)

OWM by NPDES permitting authorities. • SA34: Promote consideration of climate change impacts

OWOW authorities consider climate change impacts when developing waste load and loa d allocations. • SA35: For future TMDLs, recommend that water quality

OWM (OWOW) from climate change impacts. • SA36: Identify and protect designated uses that are at risk

OST criteria on more regular intervals; and develop information
to assist S tates and Tribes who are developing criteria that incorporate climate change considerations for hydrologic
condition. • SA37: Clarify how to re

- evaluate aquat ic life water quality

Goal 13:
As the nation makes
decisions to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and develop
alternative sources of energy and fuel, the NWP will work to protect
water resources from
unintended adverse

consequences.

Goal 14:
Collaborate to make hydrological and climate data and projections
available. • SA38: Seek opportunities to provide additional assistance to states and permittees to assure that geologic sequestration of CO2 is responsibly managed.

• SA40: Provide outreach materials for stakeholders to encourage the adoption of alternative sources of energy
and fuels that are water efficient and maintain water quality. • S A39: Work with ORD to better understand the risks of storing ethanol

- supplemented transportation fuels and with the Office of Underground Storage Tanks to explore options to mitigate such risk through updated policies. OGWDW (OWOW)

OGWDW

OWM (OW IO)

OWM 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. • SA41: As climate change affects the operation or

OWOW and ground water. • SA42: Monitor climate change impacts to surface waters

OW IO 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. • SA43: Collaborate with other federal agencies to develop

OWOW • SA44: Enhance flow estimation using 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: • SA45 : Ensure that the revised NWP Tribal Strategy and OW IO Incorporate climate subsequent implementation of CWA, SDWA, and other change considerations core programs incorporate climate change as a key in the implementation of consideration. Na tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

*** Public Comment Draft *** 

### 104 | Appendix D

### Goals and Strategic Actions Lead Office (& Partners)

• SA46: Incorporate adaptation into tribal funding mechanisms, and collaborate with other EPA and federal funding programs to support sustainability and adaptation
in tribal communities. core programs, and
collaborate with other
EPA Offices and federal Agencies to work with tribes on climate change
issues on a multi

- media
basis. OW IO

Goal 16: OW IO • SA47: Collaborate to explore and develop climate change
Tribes have access to scien ce, information and tools for tribes, and incorporate information on climate local knowledge. change for decision OW IO • SA48: Collaborate to develop communication materials making. relevant for tribal uses and tribal audiences.

 Cross

- Cutting Goals

Goal 17: Communication, Collaboration, and
Tra ining

Goal 18: Tracking Progress And Measuring Outcomes • SA49: Continue building the communication, collaboration, and training mechanisms needed to effectively increase adaptive capacity at the federal, tribal, state, and local levels.

• SA 50: 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. OW IO

OW IO

Goal 19: • SA5 1: Work with ORD, other water science agencies, and OST (OW IO) Climate Change and the water research community to further define needs and
Water Research Needs develop research opportunities to deliver the information needed to support implementation of th e 2012 S trategy

, including to provide the decision support tools needed by water resource managers. Na tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

*** Public Comment Draft *** 

### 105 | Appendix DNational Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

*** Public Comment Draft *** 

### 106 | Appendix E 

## Appendix E : Acknowledgments

This 2012 Strategy is the collective product of many people. Special thanks go to the following people who contributed significantly to the development of this document.



## National Water Program Workgroup Members

EPA Office of the Assistant Administrator
for Wat er David Bylsma
Joel Corona
Elana Goldstein

Karen Metchis

John Powers
Office of Groundwater and Drinking
Water

Curt Baranowski

Mike Muse

David Travers

John Whitler

Lauren Wisniewski
Office of Science and Technology

Rachael Novak
Shamima Akhter Office of Wetlands, Oceans and
Watersheds Michael Craghan Paul Cough Holly Elwell
Laura Gabanski Christine Gallagher

Kathleen Kutschenreuter

Tristan Peter -Contesse
Bernice Smith
Office of Wastewater Management

Veronica Blette Caitlin Gregg Randy Hill Sarita Hoyt

Jen nifer Koch

EPA Regional Offices Region 1: Mel Cote

, Ken Moraff, Stephen Perkins, Region 2: Douglas Pabst, Patricia Pechko Region 3: Joe Piotrowski Region 4: Bob Howard, Linda Rimer Region 5: Kate Balasa, John Haugland,
Tinka Hyde Region 6: James R. Brown, Barbara Keeler Region 7: Karen Flournoy, Morris Holmes, Mary Mindrup Region 8: Jim Berkley, Carol Russell Region 9: Michael Mann, Cheryl McGovern, Karen Schwinn Region 10: Paula VanHaagen,
Sharon Wilson Great Lakes Progr am: John Haugland Gulf of Mexico Program: John Bowie 

## O ther EPA Contributors

Office of Air and Radiation

Rona Birnbaum Jeremy Martinich

William Perkins
Office of Policy

Catherine Allen
Gerald Filbin Joel Scheraga Office of Research and Development

James Goodrich
Anne Grambsch

Tom Johnson Andy Miller
Jennifer Orme

- Zavaleta
Chris Weaver Jeff YangNa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change



## S pecial Acknowledgments for Partners and Stakeholders

The NWP owes a debt of gratitude to the many people who have engaged in the dialogue on climate change and water resources. While there are too many to name them all, we especially want to express our appreciation to the following organizations and individuals whose ideas have informed our thinking in the process of developing this 2012 Strategy, and who have created a collaborative problem solving environment that serves the nation well in tackling this complex issue.



### State

- Tribal Climate Change Council

Association of State Drinking Wat er Administrators ( ASDWA )

Denise Clifford, Washington Department of Health Jessica Godreau, North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources Elston Johnson, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Saeid Kasraei, Maryland Department of the E nvironment Dierdre Mason, ASDWA Fred Sickel, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

Jim Taft , ASDWA

Association of State and Inter State Water Pollution Control Administrators ( ASIWPCA )

Dave Akers, Colorado Department of Public Health and Enviro nment Alexandra Dunn, ASIWPCA Arthur Bagge t t, California State Water Resources Control Board Carol Collier, Delaware River Basin Commission Susan Kirsch, ASIWPCA Janet Llewellyn, Florida Department of Environmental Protection Rebecca Weidman, New England I nterstate Water Pollution Control Commission Marcia Willhite, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency

Association of State Wetland Managers ( ASWM )

Anna Buckley, Oregon Department of State Lands Jeanne Christie, ASWM Denise Clearwater, Maryland Department of the Environment Doug Fry, Florida Department of Environmental Protection Ted LaGrange, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Alan Quakenbush, Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation

Ground Water Protection Council ( GWPC )

Mark Fesmire, New Mexico Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department Hal Fitch, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Joe Lee, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Mike Paque, GWPC Sarah Pillsbury, New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services

Dave Terry, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection

*** Public Comment Draft *** 

### 107 | Appendix ENa tional Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change

National Tribal Water Council ( NTWC )

Michael Bolt, Eastern Band of Cherokee Nation Alex Cabillo, Arizona Hualapai Tribe Daniel Chythlook, Aleknagik Traditional Council Steve Crawford, Passamaquo ddy Tribe at Pleasant Point Dave Fuller, Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe Nancy John, Cherokee Nation



### EPA Appointed Members

Steve Etsitty, Navajo Nation EPA Denise Jensen, Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska Jeanine Jones, Western Governors Association/California Department of Water Resources Lynn Kent, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation Chief Oren Lyons, Onondaga Nation, Haudenosaunee Confederacy Naomi Tillison, Bad River Department of Natural Resources Jason Walker, Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Natio n

Association Partners

The Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) and the Water Research Foundation (WRF) wh o conduct research and development activities related to wastewater treatment utilities and drinking water utilities, respectively.

The Ameri can Water Works Association (AWWA) and the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) who provided valuable input and support throughout this process.

The Water Utility Climate Alliance (WUCA) members who have provided leadership on this

issue Clim ate Ready Water Utilities Working Group of the National Drinking Water Advisory

Committee

.



## The real wealth of the Nation lies in the resources of the earth

— soil, water, forests, minerals and wildlife.

— Rachel Carson

*** Public Comment Draft *** 

### 108 | Appendix E