News and Events
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October 26, 2020
Managing Heavy Rainfall with Green Infrastructure
An evaluation of Pittsburgh's Negley Run watershed shows how green stormwater infrastructure could reduce flooding and provide positive economic benefits in areas that face urgent flood risk. Download the report »
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March 5, 2020
Climate-Resilient Planning for Urban Stormwater and Wastewater Utilities
This workshop brought together leaders from 15 major metropolitan water utilities in the United States and Canada and other experts to exchange and discuss current practices, lessons learned, and new ideas for developing actionable rainfall projections and incorporating climate-informed stormwater flows into planning processes. Download the report »
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December 3, 2019
When Can Decision Analysis Improve Climate Adaptation Planning?
A paper by MARISA team members Rui Shi and Benjamin Hobbs proposes two procedures to identify climate adaptation decision problems that would most benefit from using formal decision analysis methods. Careful consideration of uncertainty and flexibility may result in better decisions but requires additional effort. These procedures can help decisionmakers understand in which situations a comprehensive analysis is worthwhile and in which situations a simple analysis should suffice. Download the paper [PDF] »
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April 29, 2019
Responding to the Risk of Extreme Heat in New York City
RAND’s Jaime Madrigano, working with the Consortium for Climate Risk in the Urban Northeast (CCRUN), partnered with the New York City (NYC) Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and others to develop a heat vulnerability index (HVI) for NYC and address the impacts of extreme heat on city residents. The HVI informed many of the initiatives in Cool Neighborhoods NYC, the mayor’s plan to protect against the worst effects of rising temperatures from climate change. Watch a video on the project or read the report »
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March 27, 2018
Adapting to Sea Level Rise in Rural Coastal Communities
What are the effects of sea level rise on rural coastal communities? And as sea level rises, how will coastal communities adapt to the growing challenge of marsh migration and increased flood frequency? MARISA scientists Pamela Braff and Carl Hershner spoke to the Daily Press about the impacts of recurrent flooding and sea level rise on roads and buildings in coastal localities. Read the article »
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December 14, 2018
The Growing Threat of Urban Flooding: A National Challenge
A new report shows that urban stormwater flooding is “a growing source of significant economic loss, social disruption, and housing inequality”. To find out more about what issues affect urban flood risk reduction, critical challenges, and the authors’ recommendations, read the full report »
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December 11, 2018
The Fourth National Climate Assessment
The Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4) was released on November 23, 2018. This report addresses how climate change will affect, and is currently affecting, Americans’ physical, social, and economic well-being. Chapters of interest for the Mid-Atlantic region and Chesapeake Bay watershed are: Chapter 18: Northeast, Chapter 19: Southeast, Chapter 8: Coastal Effects, and Chapter 11: Built Environment, Urban Systems, and Cities
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October 8, 2018
Building Resilience in an Urban Coastal Environment
What are the potential effects of climate change and sea level rise on flood risk, ecosystems, and water quality in New York City's Jamaica Bay? How can flood risk be reduced while also improving water quality, restoring habitat, and improving resilience to extreme weather events? Read the report »
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October 8, 2018
Adapting to a Changing Climate in Southeast Florida
Florida's Miami-Dade and Broward counties are vulnerable to flooding and intrusion of saltwater into drinking water. These risks are driven by sea level rise, changes in precipitation, and urban development. How can the region adapt? Read the report »
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October 1, 2018
Robust Stormwater Management in the Pittsburgh Region
The city of Pittsburgh and its surrounding region face significant—and potentially growing—stormwater management challenges. Analysis can help better understand the system's vulnerabilities and identify solutions. Read the report »
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January 24, 2018
MARISA Co-Principal Investigator Debra Knopman briefs Congress on Infrastructure Policy Options
An infrastructure bill is on the agenda for Congress, but what problems would it fix? In this RAND Congressional Briefing, Debra Knopman discusses policies that promote and deter investment and maintenance of water and transportation infrastructure. Watch the briefing »
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November 30, 2017
An Ambitious Plan to Stop the Ground from Sinking
Southern Chesapeake Bay region Hampton Roads is tackling land subsidence, while also mitigating risks of sea level rise, through an innovative water treatment project. An article by BBC Future looked at the project, along with others from around the world, that are using innovative ideas to tackle both problems. Read the story »
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May 23, 2017
Registrations are now open for Sustainable Climate Risk Management Summer School
MARISA is supporting the 5th Annual Summer School on Sustainable Climate Risk Management held at Penn State University from July 30 – August 4. Registration is open now through May 30. Find out more »
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May 23, 2017
MARISA team at the 2017 National Adaptation Forum
MARISA Advisory Committee member Kristin Baja was a keynote speaker at the forum in St Paul, Minnesota, from May 9 to 11, and Co-Principal Investigator Jordan Fischbach presented recent findings on stormwater management under future climate scenarios for the City of Pittsburgh. Dozens of stakeholders, decision-makers, researchers, and fellow RISA teams were able to meet MARISA team members and discuss ideas about the program at the co-sponsored MARISA-RAND Corporation booth. Find out more »