EPA 600/R-18/083 | January 2018 | https://www.epa.gov/research
United States
Environmental Protection
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Inland Port Community Resilience Roadmap
January 2018
Office of Research and Development

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Inland Port Community Resilience Roadmap
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements, Authors, Reviewers	4
I.	Executive Summary	5
II.	Introduction	7
1.	Definition and importance of resilience	8
2.	Impacts of extreme water levels on ports and need for resilience planning	10
3.	Overview of roadmap for resilience	15
III.	Step 1 - Conduct Outreach and Identify Resilience Objectives	17
1.	Improve routine communication among port community resilience stakeholders	17
2.	Conduct research and communicate with stakeholders	19
3.	Identify resilience goals and objectives	21
IV.	Step 2 - Identify and Analyze Resilience Challenges	29
1.	Define baseline commodity flow and transportation scenario	29
2.	Identify recent and expected trends in extreme events	31
3.	Identify extreme water level scenarios with specific impacts on navigation and costs	34
4.	Conduct research to understand how mode shifts occur	38
5.	Develop alternative freight movement scenarios	40
6.	Estimate impacts at the port and on navigation	44
7.	Estimate impacts to the port community	45
8.	Estimate environmental and human health impacts	47
9.	Estimate economic impacts	55
V.	Step 3 - Identify Strategies to Improve Resilience	57
1.	Public and private infrastructure	58
2.	Transportation operations and equipment	60
3.	Environment and human health	63
4.	Economy 	65
5.	Emergency management	66
VI.	Step 4 - Develop Institutions and Performance Measures to Support
Resilience Objectives	70
1.	Identify and delineate the sources of funding to invest in resilience	70
2.	Develop a process to include resilience measures in freight transportation planning and
port infrastructure projects	71
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3.	Identify responsible parties for various strategies, and a process to revisit progress on a
continuing basis	73
4.	Develop indicators of resilience that can be used to measure progress	74
VII.	Step 5 - Implement Strategies and Evaluate Progress	75
1.	Implement strategies	75
2.	Continuously evaluate progress	76
VIII.	Conclusions	77
IX.	References	78
Appendix A: Memphis Port Community Needs Assessment	85
1.	Summary	85
2.	Community Needs Assessment Process	86
3.	Overview of the Port of Memphis	87
4.	Impacts of High and Low Water	88
5.	Potential Impacts of Climate Change	96
6.	Needs Identified	97
Appendix B: EPA Science Tools	101
1.	EJSCREEN	101
2.	C-FERST 	104
3.	EnviroAtlas	107
Please note: All Web addresses in this document were working as of the time of publication,
but links may break over time as sites are reorganized and content is moved.
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Inland Port Community Resilience Roadmap
Acknowledgements, Authors, Reviewers
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would like to acknowledge the many
individuals who contributed their time and expertise to the development and review of this
guidance document to support resilience planning efforts for inland port communities with
multimodal transportation options. The initial concept for this document came from the work of
Suganthi Simon, former Region 4 Pollution Prevention Coordinator, currently with the Arthur M.
Blank Family Foundation. The Authors also received essential support from stakeholders in the
port cities of Memphis, TN, West Memphis, AR, and the city of Hernando in Desoto County, MS.
Authors
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Siobhan T. Whitlock
Region 4 Office of Environmental Justice and
Sustainability
Office of Research and Development, Regional
Research Partnership Program
Richard Baldauf
Office of Research and Development, Air and
Energy Management Division
Office of Transportation and Air Quality

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Cassandra Bhat
Larry O'Rourke
Amanda Vargo
Michael Savonis
Seth Hartley
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Reviewers
Rick Durbrow
Region 4 Office of Policy and Management
Rafaela Moura
Region 4 Office of the Regional Administrator
Linda Rimer
Region 4 Water Protection Division
Alan Powell
Region 4 Air, Pesticides & Toxics
Management Division
Pamela Swingle
Region 4 Pollution Prevention Program
Stan Buzzelle
Office of Environmental Justice
Andrew Geller
Emily Eisenhauer
Melissa McCullough
James Quackenboss
Elizabeth Smith
EnviroAtlas Team
Office of Research and Development
Nora Hassan
Sabrina Johnson
Christine Koester
Michael Moltzen
Matthew Payne
Benjamin VanGessel
Office of Transportation and Air Quality
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I. Executive Summary
Inland ports are vulnerable to damage or disruptions from extreme high and low water levels.
Extreme water levels can cause periods of flooding or drought and may restrict or alter port
operations and freight movement. Those vulnerabilities affect not only the port itself, but also the
surrounding port community. Improving the resilience of inland ports and the communities that
depend on them will become increasingly important in the future as water levels become more
variable and extreme.
This roadmap provides actionable information and steps for local governments and port and
community stakeholders to increase their resilience to the variability of river water levels. The
major steps include:
¦	Step 1 - Conduct outreach and identify resilience objectives. Step 1 centers on
improving communication between all port community resilience stakeholders and working
with stakeholders to identify resilience goals and objectives. In many cases, there may be
stakeholders who do not currently coordinate closely with the port, but who may have an
important role to play in increasing resilience. Improving coordination can improve the
development of effective port resilience strategies.
¦	Step 2 - Identify and analyze resilience challenges. Step 2 focuses on analyzing
baseline commodity flow, historical and projected trends in extreme events, mode shifts, and
transportation scenarios. Potential impacts include those to public and private infrastructure,
transportation operations and equipment, local and regional economies, environment, and
health. Assessing the impacts of different extreme weather and alternative freight movement
scenarios on the port and port community will help to determine resilience challenges to be
addressed.
¦	Step 3 - Identify strategies to improve resilience. Step 3 outlines potential strategies to
increase resilience by sector, including public and private infrastructure, transportation
operations and equipment, long-term economics, environment and human health, and
emergency management. The majority of these strategies can be implemented at the local
or state government level. Implementation of any resilience strategies, however, will require
coordination across a range of port and community stakeholders.
¦	Step 4 - Develop institutions and performance measures to support resilience
objectives. Step 4 focuses on supporting resilience objectives through funding sources and
a process for incorporating resilience considerations into freight transportation planning and
port infrastructure projects. This step also introduces resilience indicators to measure
performance and a process for revisiting progress made on the resilience goals and
objectives over time.
¦	Step 5 - Implement strategies and evaluate progress. Step 5 focuses on implementing
the resilience strategies and evaluating progress. Implementation will likely involve
managing and coordinating projects across multiple private and public sector agencies.
Based on the performance of existing strategies, and experience with implementation,
adjustments and improvements to the resilience program may be necessary.
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To help implement the roadmap, the Table of Contents doubles as a step-by-step guide to
increasing the resilience of ports and near-port communities to extreme water levels.
There is a large array of possible strategies and processes to address resilience. This roadmap
is intended to help users identify and pursue the most appropriate and high value strategies for
the particular operating environment of a port and the specific characteristics of the larger port
community.
Further, port communities face many challenges including high probability, weather-related risks
associated with flood and drought, and low-probability but extreme risks resulting from
infrequent storms or other hazards. This roadmap is focused on inland ports, which because of
their inland locations, are less likely to experience risks associated with catastrophic events
such as hurricanes. The roadmap is not intended to address all forms of risk or to guide
emergency planning, but rather to offer a process and tools for increasing community resilience
to dynamic conditions that routinely upset normal port operations resulting in environmental,
economic, and even human health impacts that, with careful planning, can be avoided.
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Inland Port Community Resilience Roadmap
II. Introduction
Inland ports are vulnerable to damage or disruptions from
extreme high and low water levels. Those vulnerabilities
affect not only the port itself, but also the surrounding port
community. Many ports are located in areas with a high
percentage of low-income and minority populations,1 and
these populations may be particularly vulnerable due to
limited resources to address these impacts in their
communities.
This roadmap provides actionable information and steps
local governments and port stakeholders can take to
increase their resilience to variability in river water
levels—including extreme high water levels and periods
of flooding, as well as extreme low water levels that may
restrict freight movement. The roadmap includes action
items for a variety of stakeholders, including port and
local government employees and other community
members. The text box on page 17 lists example
stakeholders.
The ultimate goal of resilience in the context of this
roadmap is to ensure that ports and surrounding port
communities grow stronger and more economically
vibrant in the face of future changes and that adverse
health and environmental impacts of these changes are
minimized.
The roadmap builds on an assessment conducted for the
Port of Memphis and its surrounding community in
Memphis, Tennessee (see Appendix A). The assessment
involved desk research and focus groups with several
groups of stakeholders (port authority staff, private
terminal operators, shipping companies, elected officials,
local government staff, nonprofit groups, and community
leaders) to identify existing challenges during times of
drought and flooding. The assessment also identified
potential opportunities to help businesses and communities evaluate how to adapt to future
changes more efficiently and minimize threats to public health and the environment.
Several resources provided in this roadmap are from EPA's Ports Initiative, which brings
together port stakeholders to develop recommendations for a voluntary ports program, the goal
1 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Final Rule, Control of Emissions of Air Pollution from Locomotive Engines and Marine
Compression-Ignition Engines Less Than 30 Liters per Cylinder," Federal Register 73, no. 88 (May 6, 2008): 25098,
https://www.epo.gov/fdsvs/pke/FR-2008-05-Q6/pdf/E8-7999.pdf.
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Key Definitions
This roadmap uses these key terms as
follows:
•	Port - a geo-economic entity,
referring to the collective port-
related activities of a particular place
that may be operated by many
different entities, which may be
public or private, or some
combination of the two*
•	Port authority - a government
entity that may own facilities in one
or more ports, and may include both
seaports and airports*
•	Port community - towns, cities, or
neighborhoods where a port is
located
•	Near-port community - community
(e.g., neighborhoods, residences,
businesses) in the immediate
vicinity of the port and
disproportionately affected by port
operations and related
transportation systems; note that
near-port communities can include
Native American tribal groups and
tribes are sovereign nations, which
may have associated treaty rights
that influence port-community
relations*
*U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Ports
Primer: 3.1 Port Operations," EPA.gov, accessed
July 24, 2017, https://www.epa.gov/ports-
initiative/ports-primer-31-port-operations#authoritv.
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Inland Port Community Resilience Roadmap
of which is to encourage strategies that reduce emissions and improve air quality. As reference
materials continue to become available for ports to use to improve their sustainability and
reduce emissions, these documents will be posted on the Ports Initiative website.2
1. Definition and importance of resilience
The inland waterway system of the United States is used to transport a large portion of the
nation's coal, petroleum, and agricultural products. Localized disruptions to it can result in
difficulties in moving freight through ports, lost wages and economic activity in the community,
and social uncertainty. Because much of the cargo shipped by barge is used as raw materials
for other industries, disruptions in barge transportation at a local scale may also result in
production disruptions and economic losses throughout the country.
The impacts of inland waterway system disruptions were evident during the 2011-2013 flooding
and drought cycles on the Mississippi River, which severely curtailed barge traffic. These
disruptions had significant economic impacts on the barge services, other marine shipping, and
agricultural industries. While barge cargo can often be re-routed to other modes, it can
potentially overwhelm highway and rail systems and can cause localized increases in air
pollution and other negative effects on noise levels, road safety, and emergency access. Low
water levels can restrict freight throughput and have ripple effects throughout the supply chain.
River variability has increased in recent years, and extreme high and low water levels are
becoming more frequent.
Looking ahead, communities with major inland ports are likely to face more challenges related
to extreme weather events, freight movement, and community and economic impacts. The
volume of cargo transported via inland waterways may grow with the Panama Canal
expansion.3 Congestion on existing highways and rail lines is also expected to increase.4 Inland
port communities can respond by becoming more resilient to inland water disruptions.
Community resilience refers to the sustained ability
of a community to withstand and recover from
adversity (e.g., economic stress, public health
pandemics, man-made or natural disasters).
Community resilience entails the capacity of the
community to account for its vulnerabilities and
develop capabilities that aid the community in (1)
preventing, withstanding, and mitigating a stress or
stressors; (2) recovering in a way that restores the
community to a state of self-sufficiency and at least the same level of economic, environmental,
public health, and social functioning; and (3) using knowledge from a past response to
2	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Ports Initiative," EPA.gov, accessed July 2017, http://www.epa.gov/ports-initiative.
3	Sarah Baker, "The Panama Effect: Canal Expansion Should Spark More Cargo, CRE Demand in Memphis," Memphis Daily,
March 18, 2013, https://www.memphisdailvnews.com/news/2013/mar/18/the-panama-effect/print.
4	C. James Kruse, Annie Protopapas, and Leslie Olson, "A Modal Comparison of Domestic Freight Transportation Effects on the
General Public: 2001-2009," Texas Transportation Institute, February 2012,
http://www.nationalwaterwavsfoundation.org/studv/FinalReportTTI.pdf.
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Key Definition
• Community resilience-the
sustained ability of a community to
withstand and recover from
adversity (e.g., economic stress,
public health pandemics, man-made
or natural disasters)
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strengthen the community's ability to withstand future incidents. The text box below provides
additional background for this definition.
Resilience is a multifaceted concept that can be defined in different ways. A variety of organizations
have promulgated slightly different definitions in a variety of contexts, such as:
•	National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine - "The ability to prepare and
plan for, absorb, respond, recover from, and more successfully adapt to adverse events."*
•	Federal Transit Administration - "The ability to anticipate, prepare for, and adapt to changing
conditions and withstand, respond to, and recover rapidly from disruptions such as significant
multi-hazard threats with minimum damage to social well-being, the economy, and the
environment."t
•	National Institute of Standards and Technology Community Resilience Panel - "The ability
to prepare for anticipated hazards, adapt to changing conditions, and withstand and recover
rapidly from disruptions."*
•	Rockefeller 100 Resilient Cities program - Urban resilience is "the capacity of individuals,
communities, institutions, businesses, and systems within a city to survive, adapt, and grow no
matter what kinds of chronic stresses and acute shocks they experience."§
•	Community and Regional Resilience Institute - The ability to "withstand the potential initial
impacts of these events, respond quickly to the events, and recover in a way that sustains or
improves the community's overall well-being.""
•	Executive Order 13653 - "The ability to anticipate, prepare for, and adapt to changing conditions
and withstand, respond to, and recover rapidly from disruptions." n
All touch on the same core principle of the ability to prepare for, withstand, and recover from adversity.
'National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, "Resilience @ The Academies," NationalAcademies.org,
accessed July 2017, http://www.nationalacademies.ora/topics/resilience/.
fFederal Transit Administration, "49 CFR § 602.5 Definitions," Cornell Law School, 2013,
https://www.law.cornell.edU/cfr/text/49/602.5.
^National Institute of Standards and Technology, "Community Resilience Planning Guide for Buildings and Infrastructure
Systems," NIST Special Publication 1190-1, Washington, D.C., 2016, https://www.nist.aov/sites/default/files/communitv-
resilience-planning-quide-volume-1 O.pdf.
§The Rockefeller Foundation, "100 Resilient Cities," 100 Resilient Cities, 2017, http://www.100resilientcities.org/.
"Community and Regional Resilience Institute and Meridian Institute, "Community Resilience System Phase I Report:
Community Experiences, Observations and Implications for FEMA," Community and Regional Resilience Institute and Meridian
Institute, 2012, https://recovervdiva.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/crs-phase-1-report-general-release.pdf.
''Executive Order No. 13653, (November 1, 2013), https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-
office/2013/11/01/executive-order-preparina-united-states-impacts-climate-chanae.
Defining Resilience
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2. Impacts of extreme water levels on ports and need for
resilience planning
2.1 Extreme high water levels
Extreme high water levels have a wide range of
effects on ports, port communities, and the broader
economies that depend on them. Potential impacts
include:
Extreme high water levels can lead to flooding at ports, which in turn can disrupt port
operations and damage cargo, electronic equipment, and port facilities. Erosion caused by
high waters can cause significant damage to port lands and nearby industrial complexes. For
instance, a 1-in-250-year flood in Memphis with an annual exceedance probability of 0.4 percent
in May 2011 (see Figure 1) caused $9 million of damage to President's Island, where the Port of
Memphis is located, in erosion and structural damage to the island itself.5 6 Several port facilities
and some cargo were damaged.
Flooding can also deposit extensive debris and silt that reduces the depths of navigation
channels and requires dredging and cleanup. There are significant costs associated with
dredging as well as uncertainties for how to plan for these costs. The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (USACE) estimates the annual need for maintenance dredging alone ranges from
$1.3 to $1.6 billion, and there are already existing maintenance backlogs.7
High water can also reduce access to the port or associated industrial parks. In response
to reduced port access following the 2011 floods in Memphis, the city added material to elevate
the port access road base to ensure employees can get to work under high water conditions. In
Key Definition
• Port facility - port infrastructure
such as buildings, wharves,
warehouses, yards, and docks
5	Daniel G. Driscoll, Rodney E. Southard, Todd A. Koenig, David A. Bender, and Robert R. Holmes, Jr., "Annual exceedance
probabilities and trends for peak streamflows and annual runoff volumes for the Central United States during the 2011
floods," U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1798-D, Reston, VA, 2014, http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ppl798D.
6	Wayne Risher, "Port of Memphis needs $9 million for flood fix," Commercial Appeal, December 2, 2011,
https://www.pressreader.com/usa/the-commercial-appeal/20111202/281913Q64931512.
7	American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, "Waterborne Freight Transportation: Bottom Line
Report", American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, June 2013,
https://www.vumpu.com/en/document/view/27971418/waterborne-freight-transportation-bottom-line-report-cambridge-.
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some cases, ports may have
little redundancy in terms of
access roads, so flooding on
those access roads can cause
significant disruptions.
High water levels also pose a
threat to the health and
safety of employees working
at docks and on barges. At
high water, the river flows more
quickly, which can create
dangerous conditions and fleet
breakaways.
Damage to terminal facilities
and fast-moving water can
also shut down port
operations and disrupt
commerce on the river. For example, in 2011, the U.S. Coast Guard closed a 15-mile stretch
of the river to reduce pressure on the levees, which caused an estimated $300 million in
economic losses per day.8 As in low water situations, river closures or terminal disruptions can
cause goods to shift to alternate transportation modes, though the precise outcomes are
variable.
High water conditions can cause a temporary spike in employment needs at ports, as
loading and unloading may become more difficult and port operations can increase. Higher
staffing needs raises the cost of moving cargo at the port. In particular, the need for trained
personnel on barges increases and because the demand is high and the supply of trained and
certified pilots is relatively fixed, costs rise.
Finally, locks and dams, which are critical to the inland waterway system, are also
sensitive to damage from extreme high water levels. There are 242 locks in the U.S. inland
waterway system including along the Mississippi River and the Ohio River, two critical shipping
channels particularly for the agriculture sector.9'10 Currently, 60 percent of U.S. locks and dams
are over 50 years old.11 It is estimated that by 2020, 78 percent of locks and dams will exceed
Figure 1: Aerial image of flood extent over Memphis on May 10, 2011,
with water levels at 47.87 feet; box shows President's Island. Image
source: NASA Earth Observatory; image created by Jesse Allen and
Robert Simmon, using Landsat data provided by the United States
Geological Survey
8	Daily Mail Reporter, "$300 million a day: Cost of Mississippi floods revealed as 15 miles of river is closed to shipping," The
Daily Mail, May 17, 2011, http://www.dailvmail.co.uk/news/article-1387910/Fifteen-miles-MississiPDi-closed-shippine-fears-
grow-fiooding-cost-economv-300million-dav.html.
9	Pamela Glass, "Lockdown: Inside America's decaying waterways infrastructure," WorkBoat, January 19, 2017,
https://www.workboat.com/news/coastal-inland-waterwavs/lockdown-decaying-inland-waterwavs-infrastructure/.
10	U.S. Department of Agriculture, "A Reliable Waterway System is Important to Agriculture," U.S. Department of Agriculture,
October 2015, https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/lmportance%20of%20Waterwavs%2010-2015.pdf.
11	Sarah Scully, "Aging river infrastructure means challenges for barges," Houston Chronicle, March 30, 2015,
http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/article/Higher-tax-will-improve-aging-waterwavs-6161707.php.
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their design life.12 Locks and dams are critical to moving freight through shipping channels of
varying water levels. If a lock or dam is damaged or closed for repairs, cargo must often wait
until the lock or dam reopens to continue moving up or down the shipping channel causing
delays.13 Scheduled and unscheduled delays in 2010 imposed $33 billion in costs on U.S.
products.14 In 2013, there were 142,000 hours of unplanned lock closures to make repairs.15 To
keep up with the needs of maritime shipping, the inland marine sector has made improving and
updating locks and trans-modal facilities a top-priority in recent years.16
2.2 Extreme low water levels
History also provides numerous examples of the impacts of low water on barge freight
movements. These impacts include:
Low water events can require the reduction of barge drafts in navigation channels or
close the river all together. Most recently, in August 2012, low water required the closure of
the river at Greenville, Mississippi, for over a week, which prevented access to Memphis and
other ports from the south. Approximately 100 barges were delayed. This section of the river
was also closed during a low water event in 1988.
At the Port of Memphis, among other impacts, the 2012 low water event caused:
¦	Reduced tow sizes, from about 30-45 barges to no more than 25 barges southbound and
36 (no more than 20 loaded) northbound
¦	Reduced draft levels from 12 feet to 9 feet for over a month on the Lower Mississippi17
¦	Reduced barge loads, ranging from 10 to 25 percent less than normal1819
¦	Slowed terminal operations (smaller tonnage per barge means more barges need to be
loaded, plus barges have difficulty getting close enough to docks so it is more difficult to
load or unload material)
12	Pamela Glass, "Lockdown: Inside America's decaying waterways infrastructure," WorkBoat, January 19, 2017,
https://www.workboat.com/news/coastal-inland-waterwavs/lockdown-decavine-inland-waterwavs-infrastructure/.
13	Sarah Scully, "Aging river infrastructure means challenges for barges," Houston Chronicle, March 30, 2015,
http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/article/Higher-tax-will-improve-aging-waterwavs-6161707.php.
14	American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, "Waterborne Freight Transportation: Bottom Line
Report", American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, June 2013,
https://www.vumpu.com/en/document/view/27971418/waterborne-freieht-transportation-bottom-line-report-cambridge-.
15	Sarah Scully, "Aging river infrastructure means challenges for barges," Houston Chronicle, March 30, 2015,
http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/article/Higher-tax-will-improve-aging-waterwavs-6161707.php.
16	Texas A&M Transportation Institute, "Our Inland Waterways: A Maintenance and Funding Challenge," Texas A&M University,
July 16, 2015, https://tti.tamu.edu/2015/07/16/our-inland-waterwavs-a-maintenance-and-funding-challenge/.
17	Karl Plume, "Coast Guard Eases Barge Draft Restrictions on Lower Mississippi River," Chicago Tribune, September 4, 2012,
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-09-04/news/sns-rt-us-usa-grain-bargesbre8830wt-201209Q4 1 barge-northbound-
tows-mississippi-river.
18	John Yang, "Drought Sends Mississippi into 'Uncharted Territory'," NBC News, August 15, 2012,
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/ news/2012/08/15/13295072-drought-sends-mississippi-into-uncharted-territorv?lite.
19	David Bennett, "Low Mississippi River Forces Light-loading of Barges," Delta FarmPress, August 24, 2012,
http://deltafarmpress.com/management/low-mississippi-river-forces-light-loading-barges.
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¦	Slowed river operations, as a narrower river channel means the Mississippi can become
one-way only, and barges must wait for traffic coming from the other direction to pass
¦	Increased likelihood of barge groundings (20 reported cases in 2012)
The American Waterways Operators Association estimated the following impacts from extreme
low water levels:
¦	It costs towing companies at least $10,000 a day when a towboat sits idle.
¦	With every 1-inch loss of water, each barge is unable to move 17 tons of cargo.20
¦	The typical tow on the lower Mississippi is 30-45 barges, resulting in decreased capacity of
up to 765 tons for 1-inch loss of water.21
Reduced drafts could also increase the need for dredging to maintain ideal shipping
channel depths. While there are costs for lost channel depths, there are also significant costs
associated with dredging as well as uncertainties for how to plan for these costs. As noted
above, the USACE estimates the annual need for maintenance dredging alone ranges from
$1.3 to $1.6 billion, and there are already existing maintenance backlogs.22
Low water situations, often linked to droughts, can also affect the amount of hydropower
utilities can produce. The Tennessee Valley Authority, for example, has 29 hydroelectric dams
in Tennessee, which provide about 12 percent of the electricity produced in the state.23
Reductions in hydropower can affect power availability or the cost of electricity, affecting
community members and port stakeholders alike.
Challenges on the inland port system can lead to challenges in other transportation
modes as well. While 6 to 7 percent of all ton-miles are moved on the inland waterway
system,24 the share of inter-city freight moved on the U.S. waterway system is approximately
twice as high at 14 percent. The inland waterway system is very important for specific
commodities, carrying 20 percent of coal consumed for electric power generation, 22 percent of
all domestic petroleum shipments, and 60 percent of farm exports.25 Texas Transportation
20 American Waterways Operators, "Nation's Waterways Operators Concerned about Impact of Drought Conditions, Low Water
Levels," American Waterways Operators, July 20, 2012,
http://www.americanwaterwavs.com/media/press/2Q12/nation%E2%80%99s-waterwavs-operators-concerned-about-
impact-drought-conditions-low-water-O.
22	American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, "Waterborne Freight Transportation: Bottom Line
Report", American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, June 2013,
https://www.vumpu.com/en/document/view/27971418/waterborne-freight-transportation-bottom-line-report-cambridge-.
23	Average for 2013 through 2016, annual net electricity generation for conventional hydroelectric as a portion of all fuels - U.S.
Energy Information Administration, "Electricity Data Browser," U.S. Department of Energy, July 2017,
https://www.eia.eov/electricitv/data/browser/.
24	National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, "Funding and Managing the U.S. Inland Waterways System:
What Policy Makers Need to Know What Policy Makers Need to Know, Chapter 2: Role of the Inland Waterways System in
National Freight Transportation," The National Academies Press, Washington, D.C., 2015,
https://www.nap.edu/read/21763/chapter/4#18.
25	U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, "Inland Waterway Navigation, Value to the Nation," U.S. Army Engineer Institute for Water
Resources, 2009, http://www.mvk.usace.armv.mil/Portals/58/docs/PP/ValueToTheNation/VTNInlandNav.pdf.
21 Ibid.
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Institute estimated that should cargo need to shift from waterways transport to other modes, it is
very likely that congestion would rise on the nation's highways. The hypothetical diversion of
current waterway freight traffic to the nation's highways would add 742 combination trucks (to
the current 887) per day per lane on a typical rural interstate. Cost to ship goods via rail would
also likely increase.26
2.3 Impacts on port community
High and low water levels alike can have numerous effects on inland waterway navigation and
surrounding port communities. Waterway navigation impacts include delays, reductions in the
volume freight that can be moved by barge, reductions in the number of barges that can be
transported, increased cost of barge transportation and increases in truck traffic from mode
shifts. In turn, these impacts can affect environmental and health conditions in nearby port
communities and disrupt the local and regional economies by increasing road and rail
congestion, road and rail infrastructure degradation, and local air emissions from the increased
traffic. Other potential community impacts during a flood or storm surge event could include oil
and hazardous material spills or shipping containers swept into neighborhoods. The Memphis
assessment identified port terminal operators and individual shippers as the stakeholders most
likely to bear the costs of extreme water levels—particularly in the short term—as they absorb
any delays or product losses, but long-term costs will be distributed more broadly. Figure 2
summarizes illustrative port impacts and the cascading effects on port communities, local and
regional economies, and the national economy.
10 SMOKING
-ETY + FIRST
26 C„ James Kruse, Annie Protopapas, and Leslie Olson, "A Modal Comparison of Domestic Freight Transportation Effects on the
General Public: 2001-2009," Texas Transportation Institute, February 2012,
http://www.nationalwaterwavsfoundation.org/studv/FinalReportTTI.pdf.
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National Economy
Local/Regional Economy
Reduced tax
revenues
Port Community
Reduced
erception of
port reliability
Short-term
changes in
Increased
consumer
Disruptions
in goods
Reduced air
quality
Increased
traffic
congestion
employment
prices
Decreased
investment,
job creation,
and economic
evelopment
Figure 2: Illustrative summary of impacts of high and low water levels on inland ports, communities, and economies
Understanding systemic risks associated with severe weather to the inland waterway system is
essential to proper resilience planning. Severe weather can affect port operations and impact
businesses and communities along the river. The economic, social, and environmental impacts
of disruptions in barge freight movements can be significant. By understanding these risks,
inland ports can make plans to reduce their exposure to disruptions that may occur. Developing
an outreach process with port stakeholders and the larger community to understand the
magnitude of the potential impacts and developing strategies to address these risks can
significantly reduce the negative impacts of high and low water levels when they occur.
3. Overview of roadmap for resilience
The ultimate goal of the roadmap is to increase inland port community resilience by increasing
resilience of the inland port itself.
Port communities face many challenges including high probability, weather-related risks
associated with flood and drought, and low-probability but extreme risks resulting from
infrequent storms, or other hazards. This roadmap is focused on inland ports, which because of
their inland locations, are less likely to experience risks associated with catastrophic events
such as hurricanes. The roadmap is not intended to address all forms of risk or to guide
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emergency planning, but rather to offer a process and tools for increasing community resilience
to dynamic conditions that routinely upset normal port operations resulting in environmental,
economic, and even human health impacts that, with careful planning, can be avoided.
Port community resilience requires coordination and action from a variety of actors, including
port stakeholders, local governments, and community stakeholders. While one entity—likely a
port authority or local government office—may lead the effort, all stakeholders have a role to
play.
This roadmap presents a series of steps to increase port resilience and, by association, port
community resilience:
¦	Step 1 - Conduct Outreach and Identify Resilience Objectives
¦	Step 2 - Identify and Analyze Resilience Challenges
¦	Step 3 - Identify Strategies to Improve Resilience
¦	Step 4 - Develop Institutions and Performance Measures to Support Resilience Objectives
¦	Step 5 - Implement Strategies and Evaluate Progress
Each chapter provides background information, resources, and a checklist to facilitate building a
project plan and taking action. The Table of Contents therefore can also double as a step-by-
step guide for the actions that can be taken to increase the resilience of ports and port
communities to changes in water levels.
Icons throughout the roadmap indicate which categories of stakeholders will play a key role in
each step:
Lead organization (likely port authority or local government)
Port stakeholders
Local government stakeholders
Community stakeholders
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. •
I.Step 1 - Conduct Outreach
and Identify Resilience
Objectives
Improve routine communication
among port community resilience
stakeholders
In some ports and port communities, individuals from the
port, local government, and community may not know
each other or communicate regularly, particularly if they
work in different organizations. Improving
0=0 communication within port stakeholder networks and
between port stakeholders, local government
stakeholders, and community stakeholders is important
for resilience.
In addition, stakeholder and expert relationships that
may be important for resilience issues include academic
or research organizations, USACE officials, or
organizations involved in providing real-time water level
monitoring. Private sector supply chain professionals
may also have significant insight and data relevant to the
resilience of freight operations. Resilience experts who
can address planning and engineering challenges and
community stakeholders who may be able to provide
citizen science insights and data are also important to
engage. Experts could include residents from near-port
communities as well as representative vulnerable
populations. EPA's Environmental Justice Screening and
Mapping tool (EJSCREEN) can be used to ensure a
representative sample of community stakeholders are
Notes
Example Port Community
Resilience Stakeholders
Port Stakeholders
•	Port authority or equivalent
•	Private-sector port tenants
•	Public-sector port tenants
•	Port users (e.g., companies that rely
on the port)
•	Nearby industrial facilities
•	Shippers
•	Carriers
•	Port workers
•	Tug operators
•	Riverboat pilots
•	Coast Guard
•	U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Local Government Stakeholders
•	Local government staff (planning,
environmental, air quality,
transportation)
•	Regional planning staff (e.g.,
metropolitan planning organization)
•	State agency representatives (e.g.,
environmental, transportation)
Community Stakeholders*
•	Residents and homeowners in
neighborhoods surrounding the port
•	Faith-based organizations serving
neighborhoods surrounding the port
•	Community-based organizations
serving neighborhoods surrounding the
port
•	National non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) or affiliated
chapters that represent the interests of
the port community
•	Academic and research organizations
Other Resilience Stakeholders
•	Federal and state transportation
departments
•	Civil engineers
•	Transportation planners
•	Risk analysis experts
*U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Draft
Environmental Justice Primer for Ports," EPA-420-P-
16-002, Washington, D.C., 2016,
https://nepis.epa.aov/Exe/ZvPDF.cai?Dockev=P100Q
YGB.pdf.
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included in the conversations by identifying potentially affected minority and/or low-income
populations.27
It can be useful to have key stakeholders on resilience issues communicate more regularly. If an
emergency occurs, individuals who have pre-existing relationships will work together more
effectively. In addition, by communicating more effectively, stakeholders can become more
aware of what their partners are doing, and how their own activities may support them.
Communication and information sharing can be facilitated by in-person meetings, informal
gatherings, a regular email newsletter, briefings, a Linkedln group, or other electronic
communication. Information dissemination could also be incorporated as a component of an
existing communication from a port (e.g., a newsletter). This could be incorporated with the
outreach process described above, or complement it by providing an additional avenue for
communication.
The EPA Ports Initiative, which works in collaboration with the port industry, communities, and
all levels of government to improve environmental performance and increase economic
prosperity, is another resource for increasing communication and collaboration.28 The EPA
Ports Initiative resources include:
¦	Pilot Projects: Port and Near-Port Community Collaboration29 - three pilot projects underway
in Savannah, Georgia, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Seattle, Washington, for the EPA's
Near-Port Community Capacity Building Project to test and build on the community
engagement tools and resources
¦	Ports Primer for Communities30 - interactive tool and reference document to help community
leaders participate effectively in the decision-making process by increasing understanding of
the role of ports and how ports can impact local land use, economic trends, and the
environment, and by providing tools and resources that have been successful in other
communities
¦	Community Action Roadmap: Empowering Near-Port Communities31 - step-by-step guide to
help port communities effectively engage in port decisions that may impact local land use,
environmental health, and quality of life
¦	Environmental Justice Primer for Ports32 - interactive tool and reference document with case
studies to help port decision-makers understand the needs of near-port communities and
27	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "EJSCREEN: Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool," EPA.gov, accessed
July 2017, www.epa.eov/eiscreen.
28	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Port Initiative," EPA.gov, accessed July 2017, https://www.epa.gov/ports-initiative.
29	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Pilot Projects - Port and Near-Port Community Collaboration," EPA.gov, accessed
July 2017, https://www.epa.gov/ports-initiative/pilot-proiects-port-and-near-port-communitv-collaboration.
30	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Draft A Ports Primer for Communities," EPA-420-P-16-001, Washington, D.C., 2016,
https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZvPDF.cgi?Dockev=P100PlUQ.pdf.
31	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Draft Community Action Roadmap," EPA.gov, accessed July 2017,
https://www.epa.gov/ports-initiative/draft-communitv-action-roadmap.
32	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Draft Environmental Justice Primer for Ports," EPA-420-P-16-002, Washington, D.C.,
2016, https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZvPDF.cgi?Dockev=P1000YGB.pdf.
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how they can help address these needs and build productive community relationships
during planning activities and operations
Checklist
S Compile a list of key stakeholders that could be affected by disruptions to the port. See
Example Port Community Resilience Stakeholders text box.
S Reach out to experts who have knowledge and data that can provide advanced warning of
high, low, or variable water levels on the river or local academics who may be studying port
resilience.
S Establish a working group or committee to address resilience that consists of key
stakeholders and experts, including community stakeholder representatives, as appropriate.
S Schedule regular meetings with key stakeholders.
S Share contact information between all parties. Consider other avenues for communication
and information sharing and ensure there are both informal and formal avenues for
communication among port stakeholders.
S Reassess key stakeholders and outreach candidates and determine if any others are
needed. Establish communication and outreach with these additional stakeholders.
S Consult the EPA Ports Initiative website for a suite of collaboration resources.
£
• • •
O2o
2. Conduct research and communicate with stakeholders
One important component of outreach is to share information with stakeholders on why it is
essential to address resilience. This step involves pulling together available information on
extreme water levels, expected trends for those events, and the potential impacts on the port
and port community. More details on analyzing this information are provided in Step 2.
This step also involves evaluating current land use plans, planning processes, and strategic
planning documents to identify existing resilience planning efforts, barriers to implementing
resilience measures, and opportunities for improvement. Determining whether resilience is
being considered in the current planning process is an important output of this effort.
In gathering this information, the port authority or local government lead should meet with
relevant stakeholders (e.g., shipping companies, government agencies, elected officials,
nonprofit groups, community leaders, and academics) as done in the Port of Memphis
assessment to identify challenges stakeholders face from extreme water levels as well as
opportunities for increasing business and community resilience.
Resources for evaluating available information on past extreme water levels and their impacts to
the port and port community include:
¦ Interviews or surveys of stakeholders about past events (see example questions in text box)
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¦	Local news articles about past extreme
water level events
¦	Disaster declaration records
¦	National Weather Service (NWS) Advanced
Hydrologic Prediction Service data on river
levels33
¦	Resources for identifying expected trends
in extreme weather include: The National
Climate Assessment
¦	The USACE climate change and hydrology
literature assessments and analysis tool of
river basins across the United States.
After assembling this information, the lead
entity can communicate higher-level findings to
other stakeholders that will build a "big picture"
understanding of why planning for port
resilience is an important issue for
stakeholders. For example, it may be helpful to
communicate potential impacts of extreme
water level events on the local economy, air
quality, health, and employment. Much of this
information may already exist, but needs to be
pulled together, packaged, and communicated
to key stakeholders. A best practice is to use
simple messages, repeated often from trusted
sources.34 Obtaining buy-in on the foundational
concepts and principles behind resilience
planning can help increase support for more
concrete and specific goals and actions.
Checklist
S Begin the research process by evaluating
available information on past extreme water
levels and their impacts to the port and the
port community.
Example Questions for Stakeholders about
Past Extreme Events
Port Stakeholders
•	What were the impacts of a previous extreme
water level event on port facility infrastructure?
Facility operations? Movement of goods? Staff
ability to access the facility?
•	What are your most pressing challenges related
to facility maintenance and operations?
•	Are there any key water level thresholds (low or
high) that you watch for and at which point you
change your operations?
•	What data or information do you maintain on
damages or maintenance costs associated with
past events?
Other Stakeholders
•	How much does the city coordinate with the port
and local communities in times of extreme water
levels and routinely?
•	What were the impacts of a previous extreme
water level event on air pollution? Noise
pollution? Land-based transportation?
•	Was there a plan in place for dealing with the
impacts? If so, what were the successes and
challenges of implementing the plan?
•	What data or information do you maintain on
pollution or transportation impacts associated
with past events?
All
•	How did you cope with the impacts?
•	How long did it take to return to "business as
usual"?
•	Were problem areas fixed or upgraded after the
last event? Do you think you would be more or
less impacted by a future event?
33	National Weather Service, "Advanced Hydrological Prediction Service," National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
accessed 2017, https://water.weather.eov/ahps/.
34	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Reach Out & Communicate about Climate & Energy," Climate and Energy Resources
for State, Local and Tribal Governments, accessed May 2017,
https://19ianuarv2017snapshot.epa.gov/statelocalclimate/reach-out-communicate-about-climate-energy .html.
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S Identify, at a high level, expected trends in extreme water levels, such as those due to
climate change. A more detailed assessment can occur later and is described in Step 2.
S Review and evaluate existing land use plans, current planning processes that are already in
place, and any strategic planning documents that could be updated.
S Prepare a document to communicate a "big picture" understanding of why resilience is
important in port communities and how impacts on the port can have larger implications for
the local economy and community. See text box for tips for effective communication.
S Share information with stakeholders on why port resilience is an important issue.
Tips for Effective Communication*
•	Define Objectives - Stay focused on the "why." Consider the overarching goals of your project
and communication strategy.
•	Define and Understand Audiences - Get to know who you are trying to reach so that you can
identify the most effective messages, channels, and methods to engage them. Determine what
motivates those you want to reach, what they value, and who they trust.
•	Develop and Test Key Messages and Frames - Messages will help you use what motivates
stakeholders to accomplish your objectives. Research what has been done before; ask audiences
what they want; test the effectiveness of messaging; and pick a simple message that can be
repeated often by trusted sources.
•	Develop a Timeline - Maximize impact by engaging stakeholders early and often, considering
when there are critical project milestones and when people will be receptive to your message.
•	Identify Channels - Determine where you will reach your audiences by considering how target
audiences receive information and repeat messages over multiple channels.
•	Select Methods and Trusted Messengers - Choose how your audience will receive the message
(methods and messengers). Identify trusted sources to deliver your message and the most
effective communication method for your message.
*U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Reach Out & Communicate about Climate & Energy," Climate and Energy Resources
for State, Local and Tribal Governments, accessed May 2017, https://19ianuarv2017snapshot.epa.aov/statelocalclimate/reach-
out-communicate-about-climate-enerav .html.
3. Identify resilience goals and objectives
In order to improve the resilience of the port, community, and economy, it is necessary to first
identify the desired performance level of the port, community, and economy during and following
an extreme water level event. This will facilitate identifying goals and objectives for achieving
and maintaining that desired level of performance. By defining specific and actionable goals,
private and public sector partners can be encouraged to focus their efforts on initiatives that
support these goals. One way to measure resilience, for example, would be to measure whether
the port community would be the same (or otherwise acceptable) levels of operational, social,
environmental, and economic functioning at extreme water levels as at normal water levels.
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SYSTEM
Specific goals can be identified for multiple areas, including
improving the resilience of port infrastructure operations, the port
community, environmental and human health, and the local economy, as detailed below.
In addition, port stakeholders can gain awareness of how their
own ongoing activities may be prioritized to support their own
resilience, particularly when identifying vulnerabilities and
implementing resilience strategies. To be resilient, port
communities should effectively balance economic, environmental,
and societal benefits and costs associated with marine
transportation system operations. Insert
Each set of stakeholders should articulate their resilience goals and objectives to inform a
coordinated resilience effort.
3.1 Port infrastructure and operations goals
Port stakeholders developing resilience goals for infrastructure and operations might consider
the following "functioning" measures:
¦	Port operational functioning:
-	Number of barges loaded/unloaded per day
-	Volume of freight movements through the port
-	Employees unable to access port facilities
-	Portion of operations that could function on backup power sources
-	Backup power capacity
-	Operation of power lines
-	Product inventory damaged in flooding
¦	Infrastructure functioning
-	Integrity of road infrastructure under various water level scenarios and operational
scenarios (i.e., volume of freight movement via truck)
-	Integrity of rail infrastructure under various operational scenarios (i.e., volume of
freight movement via rail)
-	Integrity of drinking water and sewage infrastructure under various scenarios
Therefore, actionable goals might include target levels of functioning, such as:
¦	Move X amount of freight per day regardless of water levels
¦	Minimize disruptions from extreme events to fewer than X hours per event
¦	Maintain the integrity of road infrastructure under a high operational scenario of X volume of
freight movement via truck
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There are many cases where improving port resilience will also improve the efficiency and value
of port infrastructure. Having targeted resilience goals will help make clear how improving
resilience is consistent with existing business, operational, environmental, and community goals
that may exist. Measurable and actionable goals will also help with identifying appropriate
resilience strategies and tracking resilience progress.
Checklist
S Evaluate existing data on barge activity such as number of barges loaded/unloaded per day
and whether or not barge activity levels may be affected by extreme water levels.
S Identify actionable resilience goals to maintain port operations and infrastructure.
Notes
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3.2 Port community goals
Port communities can also experience impacts from port
operational disruptions and should increase their resilience
as well. Near-port community infrastructure (e.g., roads,
bridges), networks (e.g., neighborhoods, churches,
businesses, schools), and individuals are all impacted by
port operational disruptions, although the impacts may not
always be immediately perceived. In addition, other
community infrastructure could be affected by the same
events that disrupt the port—especially in the case of
flooding.
Local effects may include environmental risks, such as
flooding or drought conditions, water quality and pollution
concerns; noise pollution from port, truck, and marine
vessels; health risks such as higher concentrations of air
pollutants; changes in port employment needs; roadway
congestion; and safety concerns from truck traffic passing
through neighborhoods near the port. Further, the
residential neighborhoods near inland ports—those most
likely to be affected by port disruptions—may often be
home to overburdened communities with lower incomes or
other disadvantaged demographic groups. These
communities often face a cumulative burden of local
impacts due to their proximity to polluting industries and
lack the resources to respond or recover from the impacts
(e.g., transportation to evacuate during a flood disaster,
healthcare to cover the consequences of higher air
pollutant exposure, access to information).35
One way for local governments to reduce near-port
community impacts is to set environmental justice goals to
reduce disparate impacts of the port and the freight
transportation system on local citizens. Guidance from the
National Environmental Justice Advisory Council to the
EPA recommends goals focused on zoning and land use
decisions, emergency planning and preparedness, climate
adaptation planning including green infrastructure and built
Key Definitions
This roadmap uses these key terms as
follows:
•	Environmental justice - The fair
treatment and meaningful
involvement of all people regardless
of race, color, national origin, or
income, with respect to the
development, implementation, and
enforcement of environmental laws,
regulations, and policies*
•	Overburdened communities -
Overburdened describes ethnic,
minority, low-income, tribal, and
indigenous populations or
communities in the United States
that potentially experience
disproportionate environmental
harms and risks due to exposures
or cumulative impacts or greater
vulnerability to environmental
hazards. This increased
vulnerability may be attributable to
an accumulation of both negative
and lack of positive environmental,
health, economic, or social
conditions within these populations
or communities, including the
inability to participate meaningfully
in the decision-making process.!
*U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
"Environmental Justice," EPA.gov, accessed July
24, 2017,
https://www.epa.gov/environmentaliustice.
fll.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Plan EJ
2014," Washington, D.C., 2011,
https://nepis.epa.aov/Exe/ZvPDF.cai/P100DFCQ.
PDF?Dockev=P100DFCQ.PDF.
35 Community Resiliency in Environmental Justice Industrial Waterfront Communities Work Group, "Proposed
Recommendations for Promoting Community Resilience in Environmental Justice Industrial Waterfront Areas," National
Environmental Justice Advisory Council, May 2015, https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-
08/documents/communitvresilienceineiindustrialwaterfrontcommunities.pdf.
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environment measures, upgrading and retrofitting utilities and infrastructure, and pollution
prevention strategies.36
Research
Environmental
Justice
Healthy, Sustainable,
and Equitable
Communities
Improving planning and flood adaptation and mitigation efforts can help local communities
increase their resilience to extreme weather events and the subsequent port operational
disruptions. Other resources for developing community resilience goals include:
¦	The Rockefeller 100 Resilient Cities Framework37
¦	The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Community Resilience Planning
Guide38
36	Community Resiliency in Environmental Justice Industrial Waterfront Communities Work Group, "Proposed
Recommendations for Promoting Community Resilience in Environmental Justice Industrial Waterfront Areas," National
Environmental Justice Advisory Council, May 2015, https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-
08/documents/communitvresilienceineiindustrialwaterfrontcommunities.pdf.
37	The Rockefeller Foundation, "The City Resilience Framework," 100 Resilient Cities, accessed 2017,
http://www.100resilientcities.org/resilience#/- /.
38	National Institute of Standards and Technology, "Community Resilience Planning Guide for Buildings and Infrastructure
Systems," NIST Special Publication 1190-1, Washington, D.C., 2016, https://www.nist.gov/sites/default/files/communitv-
resilience-planning-guide-volume-1 O.pdf.
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¦	The U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit39
Measures of social "functioning" that may help to create targeted community resilience goals for
these topics may include:
¦	Roadway congestion (e.g., volume/capacity ratios)
¦	Homes, businesses, and schools flooded
¦	Homes, businesses, and schools with flood insurance
¦	Number of hospital visits
¦	Respiratory illness rates
¦	Life expectancy
¦	Unemployment levels
¦	Emergency power generation emissions
Therefore, targeted community resilience goals may include:
¦	Reduce roadway congestion from X volume/capacity ratio to Y volume/capacity ratio
¦	X percent unemployment rate
¦	Increase flood resilience efforts such as implementing Community Rating System40
floodplain management activities, green spaces with water retention ponds, bioswales,
permeable pavement, and other green infrastructure options
¦	Decrease disproportionate impacts on minority and low-income populations in near-port
communities from port-related activities such as diesel emissions from truck traffic
congestion or oil and hazardous material spills during flood events
¦	Update local planning documents and emergency procedures
¦	Update zoning laws to create a buffer between port activities and residential areas
Checklist
S Identify a representative group of stakeholders across the near-port community to work
together to create actionable goals for near-port community resilience to port disruptions.
S Consult the EPA Ports Initiative's near-port community capacity building and engagement
tools (described under Step 1.1).41
39	National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, "U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit," Toolkit.Climate.gov, accessed May 2017,
https://toolkit.climate.eov/.
40	Federal Emergency Management Agency, "Community Rating System," Department of Homeland Security, accessed 2017,
https://www.fema.gov/national-flood-insurance-proeram-communitv-rating-svstem.
41	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Near-Port Communities," EPA.gov, accessed 2017, https://www.epa.gov/ports-
initiative/near-port-communities.
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S Develop actionable community resilience goals to increase the resilience of the local
community to extreme weather events and port disruptions. Goals could address impacts
such as environmental justice issues, flooding, or road congestion.
SEPA
EJSCREEN: Environmental Justice Screening
and Mapping Tool
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environmental justice (EJ) mapping and screening tool called E JSCRtf
combines environmental and demographic indicators in maps and rep
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3.3 Environmental and human health goals
Ports produce a spectrum of environmental and
health effects, including noise pollution, air
pollution, water pollution, and solid waste.
EPA's EJSCREEN42 and Community-Focused
Exposure and Risk Screening Tool (C-FERST)
43 can help port and community stakeholders
develop environmental and human health goals.
EJSCREEN allows users to assess
environmental and demographic indicators and
C-FERST allows users to explore exposure and
risk reduction options. The C-FERST Issue
Profiles contain links and information about
specific environmental issues that may be of
concern. Profiles are also provided on other
topics that may be beneficial to communities
including brownfields, smart growth, and
healthy housing.
Air emissions are one of the most prominent
impacts. In order to develop appropriate air
emissions reduction goals and objectives, ports
should conduct a baseline emissions inventory
of all equipment associated with the port. This
includes the barge emissions, truck emissions,
cargo handling equipment, and other
associated sources.
SEFW
Community-Focused Exposure and Risk
Screening Tool (C-FERST)
View Your Community

* \
*7*
Questions
and Answers
Community Focused Exposure and Risk Screening Tool (C-FERSTI provides access to resources that can be used to help communities team
more about their environmental issues and rtsks. the options below show how to use C-ftRST tovlewacommuntty'senwonment.
compare community environmental conditions, explore and team about environmental issues, plan projects with community guides, and
C-FERST User Forum.
View
Compare
Explore

Mode shifts that may occur if barge transportation operations are disrupted could increase air
pollutant emissions in port communities. During an extreme water level event, air emissions will
increase from the number of trucks needed to replace barges, and potentially from emergency
power generation sources. Reducing air emissions from the existing freight transportation
system is one way to minimize the air emissions impacts of mode shifts on human health.
42	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "EJSCREEN: Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool," EPA.gov, accessed
July 2017, www.epa.gov/eiscreen.
43	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Community-Focused Exposure and Risk Screening Tool (C-FERST)," EPA.gov, accessed
2017, https://www.epa.gov/c-ferst.
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Other measures of environmental and health "functioning" may include:
¦	Particulate matter, ozone, and other pollutant levels estimated through inventory or air
monitoring
¦	Asthma-related hospitalizations
¦	Water pollution levels
¦	Noise decibel measures in the community
¦	Solid waste production
Therefore, actionable environmental and health goals can involve targeted reductions in air
emissions and other pollutants, such as:
¦	Reduce X pollutant emissions/levels by Y percent
¦	Maintain X air quality during extreme events
¦	Decrease asthma-related hospitalizations by X percent
¦	Reduce the air emissions of truck activity by X percent
Checklist
S Conduct a baseline emissions inventory of all equipment associated with the port.
S Identify and learn more about potential environmental and human health issues using
EJSCREEN44 and EPA's Community-Focused Exposure and Risk Screening Tool (C-
FERST).45
S Identify actionable resilience goals to reduce
power generation during extreme water level
S Identify actionable resilience goals to reduce
S Identify actionable resilience goals to reduce
waste.
air emissions from mode shifts and emergency
events.
emissions from trucks serving the port,
other pollutants such as noise, water, and solid
3.4 Economic goals
Economic resilience goals could include providing the capacity to transport freight by alternative
modes. Barge transportation is often the least costly way to transport bulk commodities for
industries located near an inland waterway. If flooding or low water disrupts barge operations,
having access to rail transportation can allow businesses to continue to operate with minimal
44	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "EJSCREEN: Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool," EPA.gov, accessed
July 2017, www.epa.eov/eiscreen.
45	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Community-Focused Exposure and Risk Screening Tool (C-FERST)," EPA.gov, accessed
2017, https://www.epa.gov/c-ferst.
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economic disruption. Providing bulk freight transportation alternatives is one way to reduce the
cost impacts of flooding and low water on barge freight movements and local industries.
Other economic resilience goals could focus on diversifying the port community's economy. If
the economy is reliant on only a few barge-dependent industries, the impacts of flooding and
drought on economic activity will be more pronounced. Economic diversification of the local
economy is a broader and longer-term strategy that can be pursued to make a port community
more economically resilient. Obtaining an understanding of how reliant a local economy is on
inland waterway transportation can be a first step in defining an economic resilience goal.
Resilience goals should also focus on maintaining economic growth. Measures of economic
"functioning" to consider under extreme water level conditions might include:
¦	Feasibility (capacity and competitiveness) of alternate modes to transport river freight
¦	Unemployment levels
¦	Wage levels
Therefore, actionable economic resilience goals might include establishing target levels of
functioning, such as:
¦	Expanding industry access to roads, rail, or other alternative freight modes
¦	Hiring X temporary employees during extreme water level events to maintain operations
¦	Expanding or improving road or rail infrastructure to attract industries that are not as heavily
dependent on port transportation
Checklist
S Identify actionable resilience goals for improving the access of barge-dependent industries
to alternative low-cost transportation options during flooding or low water events.
S Identify actionable resilience goals to diversify economic activity in the port community.
IV. Step 2 - Identify and Analyze Resilience
Challenges
1. Define baseline commodity flow and transportation scenario
The first step to identify and analyze resilience challenges is to understand what freight is
moving in a region and what freight flows are forecast based on existing trends. This can serve
as a baseline to measure how changes in the reliability and cost of inland waterway freight
transportation may affect the business-as-usual freight movement scenario. Port stakeholders
will be central to this effort.
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Sources of data include:
¦	Waterborne commerce statistics - provides data on waterborne freight movements by port,
waterway, origin, and destination, as well as whether freight is moving up- or down-river
¦	USACE - may have more detailed data on freight tonnage moving to individual docks, but
this is often considered confidential business information that can only be used with special
permission
¦	Freight Analysis Framework (FAF) - FAF public data provides data on freight tonnage
moved by all modes (air, truck, rail, marine) for "port regions"
¦	Local metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) or state departments of transportation
(DOTs)
¦	Individual port stakeholders
Baseline freight flows are typically developed by commodity, origin, and destination. The time of
year freight flows occur could be important to estimating the impact of seasonal flooding,
although this type of data is not typically available in existing databases. Developing an
understanding of freight flows to and from the port is the first step in understanding the
vulnerabilities of the port and local economy to disruptions in barge transportation and the
potential for mode shifts. Port stakeholders should therefore be aware of port operations
information such as whether any specialized equipment is used to move specific freight
commodities or if the port is vulnerable to freight traffic disruptions at particular times of year or
between particular origins and destinations.
Port stakeholders should also consider how freight flows may change in response to major
projects and economic drivers such as the Panama Canal expansion completed in June 2016,
which may change the quantity or type of freight moving through a given port. Although port-
specific projections remain uncertain, the Panama Canal expansion is expected to significantly
alter freight flows across the United States. Ships are now able to carry up to 13,200 containers
instead of 4,400 containers through the Canal between the Pacific and the Atlantic Ocean.46
This means, for example, that many shipments from Asia that previously went to West Coast
ports to be transported by rail or truck throughout the United States, may instead come through
the Canal to Gulf Coast or East Coast ports.47 Higher quantities of freight can be moved through
the Canal faster and more cost efficiently. The Port of Memphis is one of the U.S. ports that may
see higher freight flows as a result of the expansion and because of the port's prime proximity to
rail and truck routes.
46	Sarah Baker, "The Panama Effect: Canal Expansion Should Spark More Cargo, CRE Demand in Memphis," Memphis Daily,
March 18, 2013, https://www.memphisdailvnews.com/news/2013/mar/18/the-panama-effect/print.
47	William Fierman, "The New Panama Canal is Opening Soon and will cause an 'Evolution' in a Vital US Industry," Business
Insider, May 8, 2016, http://www.businessinsider.com/panama-canal-rail-2016-4.
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Checklist
S Review data on freight moving through the port, including freight flows by commodity and
freight flows by origin, destination, and time of year, if possible.
S Define a baseline freight flow and transportation scenario given the data available.
S Consider how the Panama Canal expansion and other drivers may affect the baseline
commodity flow or transportation scenario.
S Share information on port operations with port stakeholders.
2. Identify recent and expected trends in extreme events
Next, identify recent and expected trends in extreme events to better understand if and how
extreme water levels are changing over time. This can inform a range of plausible scenarios and
assessment of potential impacts under those scenarios.
Changes in the frequency, intensity, and duration of extreme weather events such as drought
and floods appear likely to increase in the future. Extreme temperatures are expected to
increase in the lower Mississippi River basin, for example, which could cause synergistic
impacts with changes in seasonal rainfall and contribute to more frequent and severe droughts.
While average rainfall is difficult to predict, more rain will likely fall as heavy downpours leading
to higher flooding potential.48
The following resources provide information on recent and expected trends:
¦	U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Information System (NWIS) (recent
trends) - NWIS provides real-time and historical data at stream and river gauges across the
country, including high and low water records.49
¦	USACE Nonstationaritv Detection Tool (recent trends) - This web tool allows the user to
apply a series of statistical tests to assess the stationarity of annual peak streamflow data
series at any USGS annual instantaneous peak streamflow gage site with sufficient data.
For example, the tool shows that for the St. John River at Nine mile Bridge, Maine, there has
been a statistically significant increase in peak flows (see Figure 3).50
48	Jerry M. Melillo, Terese (T.C.) Richmond, and Gary W. Yohe, "Climate Change Impacts in the United States: The Third National
Climate Assessment," U.S. Global Change Research Program, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 2014,
doi:10.7930/J0Z31WJ2.
49	U.S. Geological Survey, "National Water Information System," USGS.gov, accessed May 2017,
https://waterdata.uses.eov/nwis.
50	U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, "Nonstationarity Detection Tool (NSD) - PROD," US Army Corps of Engineers, accessed 2017,
http://corpsmapu.usace.armv.mil/cm apex/f?p=257:2:Q::NO::::.
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Nonstationarity Detector Trend Analysis Method Explorer
Trend in Maximum Annual Flow at
ST. JOHN RIVER AT NINEMILE BRIDGE, MAINE
Timeframe Selection
1860
co 30 K
E 25K
Q- 2QK
2065
1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015
Water Year
Monotonic Trend Analysis
Is there a statistically significant trend?
Yes, using the Mann-Kendall Test at the .05 level of significance
Yes, using the Spearman Rank Order Test at the .05 level of significance.
What type of trend was detected?
Using parametric statistical methods, a positive trend was detected.
Using robust parametric statistical methods (Sen's Slope), a positive trend was detected
Please acknowledge the US Army Corps of
Engineers for producing this nonstationarity
detection tool as part of their progress in climate
preparedness and resilience and making it freely
available.
Figure 3: USAGE Nonstationarity Detection Too! trend analysis screenshot
¦ USACE Climate Hydrology Assessment Tool (recent and expected trends) - This web
tool accompanies USACE's Engineering and Construction Bulletin 2016-25, Guidance for
Incorporating Climate Change Impacts to Inland Hydrology in Civil Works Studies, Designs,
and Projects.51 The tool walks the user through the process of detecting trends in observed
annual peak instantaneous streamflow, climate-modeled projected annual maximum
monthly flow range, and trend detection in annual maximum monthly flow models. For
example, Figure 4 shows results for the Lower Mississippi-Hatchie watershed [Hydrologic
Unit Code (HUC) 0801], The blue line shows the projected annual maximum monthly
streamflow, and the yellow bars show the range.52
51	U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, "Guidance for Incorporating Climate Change Impacts to Inland Hydrology in Civil Works
Studies, Designs, and Projects," Engineering arid Construction Bulletin 2016-25, Washington, D.C., 2016,
http://www.iwr.usace.armv.mil/Portals/70/docs/Climate%20Change/ecb 2016 25.pdf.
52	U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, "Climate Hydrology Assessment Tool - PROD," U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, accessed 2017,
http://corpsmapu.usace.armv.mil/cm apex/f?p=313:2:Q::NO.
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Range of 93 Climate-Changed Hydrology Models of HUC 0801 -Lower Mississippi-Hatchie	1) Choose a HUC-4
. , „ . , _ _ . , 080!-Lower Mississippi-H ..
Projected Rooted Runoff not biased collected- ->ot for use in quantitative assessments.	1	
2) Change Displayed
Date Range of
Modeled Data
(If Desired)
Legend
| Mean of 93 Projections
["I Range of Projections
60K
I
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CMIP-5 Data, Downscaled to HUC-4 level via BCSD Method, Based on 93 combinations ofGCM/RCP model projections
Climate Hydrology Assessment Tool v. 1.0	Analysis: 7/26/201711:08 AM
Figure 4: USACE Climate Hydrology Assessment Tool hydrology projections screenshot
¦	USACE climate change and hydrology literature reviews (expected trends) - In 2015,
USACE commissioned a series of literature reviews on climate change potentially affecting
operations in various USACE Regions. Each of the 21 regional reports "summarizes
observed and projected climate and hydrological patterns cited in reputable peer-reviewed
literature and authoritative national and regional reports, and characterizes climate threats to
USACE business lines."53 These reviews provide higher-level information than the two
previously mentioned tools.
For example, recent and expected trends for the Port of Memphis include:
¦	Expected increases in the frequency and areal extent of droughts (of at least 12-month
duration) in the lower Mississippi River basin.54
¦	Expected increases, albeit relatively small, in the number of high (>10 mm) precipitation
days for the region, the number of storm events greater than the 95th percentile
53	U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, "Responses to Climate Change Program: Recent US Climate Change and Hydrology Literature
Applicable to US Army Corps of Engineers Missions," U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, revised September 30, 2015,
http://www.corpsclimate.us/rccciareport.cfm.
54	E. Joetzjer, H. Douville, C. Delire, P. Ciais, B. Decharme, and S. Tyteca, "Hydrologic benchmarking of meteorological drought
indices at interannual to climate change timescales: A case study over the Amazon and Mississippi river basins," Hydrology
and Earth System Sciences 17, (2013): 4885-4895, doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-4885-2013.
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of the historical record, and the daily precipitation intensity index (annual total precipitation
divided by number of wet days).55
While the Mississippi River is highly managed, changes in heavy precipitation events leading to
flooding, along with the potential for increased droughts could exacerbate challenges to existing
inland port operations. These events could also create further disruptions in the social and
economic conditions within the surrounding community. Ports should collect data and review
severe weather trends to understand better their vulnerabilities to severe weather, and the need
for strategies to enhance resilience.
Checklist
S Collect and summarize information on extreme weather trends.
S Provide stakeholders with information pertaining to the impacts of drought and flooding on
the river to understand the magnitude of the potential risks.
S Communicate with the USACE to understand how extreme weather and river water levels
affect river management.
3. Identify extreme water level scenarios with specific impacts
on navigation and costs
Next, identify potential high and low water level scenarios to determine potential impacts of
events and facilitate resilience planning.
3.1 High water events (floods)
Port operations are highly sensitive to variable and extreme water levels on the river. High water
levels can flood ports, damage port infrastructure, damage cargo, create safety risks for port
workers, and shut down operations for days at a time. Floods that affect the port may also affect
nearby communities (including residences) and other infrastructure, such as access roads, rail
lines, and utilities, on which the port and community depend.
Defining a high water scenario involves using recent and expected trends to develop one or
more scenarios for how many additional high water events may occur and how large those
events might be. Based on these scenarios, the impacts and costs of these floods can then be
estimated, and the vulnerability of port operations can be assessed.
For example, the Mississippi River at Memphis has experienced two of its highest all-time crests
since 2011.56 River gauge records indicate that river levels on the lower Mississippi have
become increasingly variable over time. In addition to year-to-year variability (Figure 5), in
55	U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, "Recent US Climate Change and Hydrology Literature Applicable to US Army Corps of Engineers
Missions: Lower Mississippi Region 08," U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, September 1, 2015,
http://www.corpsclimate.us/docs/rccvarreports/USACE REGION 08 Climate Change Report CWTS-2015-01 Lo.pdf.
56	National Weather Service, "Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service," National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
accessed 2017, http://water.weather.gov/ahps.
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recent years river levels have fluctuated up to 3 feet within a single day, and 7-8 feet over two
days (Figure 6).
Mississippi River Flood Gauge at Memphis Yearly Record High and
Low Level
• T f 1W*





1930	1940	1950	1960	1970	1980	1990	2000	2010
Action Stage ^^^Flood Stage ^^^Moderate Flood Stage «^«Major Flood Stage • Annual Low Water Records • Annual River Crest Records
Figure 5: Annual high and low river levels, Mississippi River at Memphis, 1927-2016 (chart developed by ICF using
data from National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service, Mississippi River at Memphis (MEMT1)
120-day Hydrograph, Mississippi River at Memphis
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Figure 6: Example hourly river levels (shown for the 120-day period, 10/1/2014-7/21/2015) (chart developed by ICF
using data from USGS National Water Information System, Mississippi River at Memphis)
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Variability in river levels disrupts port operations. For instance, high water situations can flood
port facilities, damage cargo, and create safety risks for port workers. Low or high water levels
can also impede the loading and unloading of barges.
Extreme weather event scenarios, such as events like Superstorm Sandy, should also be
considered. Many ports along the East Coast faced damages and/or closures due to
Superstorm Sandy. National Cooperative Freight Research Program (NCFRP) Report 30
completed a Superstorm Sandy case study profiling six port terminals under the control of the
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. In addition to the extensive damage to the ports
and storage facilities, all other alternative modes of freight transport were also affected.
Roadways, railways, and airports also experienced damage and limited operations during and
immediately following the storm. An extreme event similar to Superstorm Sandy that goes
beyond just flooding impacts could temporarily paralyze shipping operations and therefore
should also be considered as a "worst-case" scenario.
Resources for collecting data on the prevalence and likelihood of flooding include:
¦	NWS Advanced Hvdroloqic Prediction Service57
¦	The USGS National Water Information System58
¦	USACE Climate Hydrology Assessment Tool59
Checklist
S Collect data on the prevalence and likelihood of flooding.
S Explore event histories and future outlooks for weather-related changes in water levels from
flooding. Examine related impacts of erosion on riverbanks and navigation channels.
S Develop high water event scenarios based on historical data and projected changes in the
future.
S Identify critical threats to the port community as illustrated by the historical level of severity
and frequency of events.
S Establish an understanding of how management of the river by the USACE or others affects
river variability.
57	National Weather Service, "Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service," National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
accessed 2017, http://water.weather.eov/ahps.
58	U.S. Geological Survey, "National Water Information System," USGS.gov, accessed May 2017,
https://waterdata.uses.gov/nwis.
59	U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, "Climate Hydrology Assessment Tool - PROD," U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, accessed 2017,
http://corpsmapu.usace.armv.mil/cm apex/f?p=313:2:Q::NO.
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3.2 Low water events (droughts)
Port operations are highly sensitive to extreme low
water levels on the river, as well as to extreme high
levels. For instance, high or low water events could
affect the vulnerability of navigation channel depths and
allowable drafts to erosion or other changes in the river
bed. In low water situations, inland waterways have
less capacity to handle freight. For instance, on the
Mississippi River, barges must reduce their loads and
the number of barges that can pass through the river at
a given time can be restricted. A 2012 drought event on
the Mississippi River, for example, affected the Port of
Memphis by disrupting shipping operations, closing the
Kinder Morgan terminal for nine months until barges
could reach the docks, stranding hundreds of barges,
and causing Ingram Barge to cut its shipping volume by
40 percent.60
When freight cannot pass on the river, shippers have
several options, including: wait until water levels rise,
dredge to maintain port operations (at significant
additional cost), divert freight to an alternate port or
river, divert freight to rail, or divert freight to truck.
Decisions about how to move individual units of cargo
during an event rests with the product owners and is
dependent on factors such as time sensitivity of
delivery, global prices for the product, capacity of
alternate modes, prices on alternate modes, and the
availability of infrastructure to support transfer. Some industries, like oil refining, can only move
product by barge (because it is too large or requires specialized containers to transport by any
other means), so refineries are forced to limit production until the product can be moved. When
river levels are too low, barges may need to reduce their tonnage in order to navigate the river.
This can increase the cost per ton.
As discussed previously (recall Figure 2, for example), when low water events impair waterway
throughput, this can lead to several cascading effects throughout the port community, local
economy, and national economy. For example, freight diversions to truck could increase local
air pollution near the port, increase prices for consumer goods, and lead to reduced perceived
reliability of the port for potential investors.
Defining a low water scenario involves identifying one or more scenarios for however many
days river traffic may be restricted due to lower water. In addition, estimates of the level of
Implications of Low Water
Levels for Freight Movement
•	For every 1 inch of lost water,
each barge is unable to move 17
tons of cargo*
•	Typical tow on the Lower
Mississippi is 30-45 barges,*
meaning decreased capacity of
up to 765 tons for 1 inch of lost
water.
•	Cargo capacity (dry tons):
Barge: 1,750 tons
Rail car: 110 tons
Truck: 25 tons
*American Waterways Operators, "Nation's
Waterways Operators Concerned about
Impact of Drought Conditions, Low Water
Levels," American Waterways Operators,
July 20, 2012,
http://www.americanwaterwavs.eom/media/p
ress/2012/nation%E2%80%99s-waterwavs-
operators-concerned-about-impact-drouaht-
conditions-low-water-0.
fC. James Kruse, Annie Protopapas, and
Leslie Olson, "A Modal Comparison of
Domestic Freight Transportation Effects on
the General Public: 2001-2009," Texas
Transportation Institute, February 2012,
http://www.nationalwaterwavsfoundation.org/
stud v/Final Report TTI .pdf.
60 Wayne Risher, "Ripple effect - Low water cuts into shipping volumes, raises costs," Commercial Appeal, July 17, 2012,
https://www.pressreader.com/usa/the-commercial-appeal/20120717/28195601490058Q.
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restriction are also needed. How many days would inland waterways be closed? How many
barges would be delayed and for how long? How many days would there be draft restrictions for
barges and what level of restrictions would there be? One or more scenarios could be
developed based on historical impacts of low water events and trends in extreme weather.
S Develop low water event scenarios based on historical data and projected changes in the
future.
S Identify critical threats to the port community as illustrated by the historical level of severity
and frequency of events.
S Establish an understanding of how management of the river by the USACE affects river
variability.
S Explore event histories and future outlooks for weather-related changes in water levels from
drought. Examine related impacts on navigation channels.
4. Conduct research to understand how mode shifts occur
If extreme water levels—particularly low water levels— increase the cost or transit time of barge
transportation, freight may be shifted to truck or rail transportation modes. The types of mode
shifts that are likely can be difficult to predict, and will be determined in real-time by the length of
haul, type of commodity, availability of alternative modes, cost of alternatives, service
requirements, infrastructure, and competitiveness of industries. Table 1 shows some key factors
that affect mode shifts.
Checklist
Notes
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Table 1: Key Factors Affecting Mode Shifts
Factors affecting mode shifts	Potential impact
Length of haul
Long hauls would tend to be shifted to rail, while shorter
hauls would tend to be shifted to truck. Route circuitry may
vary depending on origins and destinations.
Availability of competing transportation
modes
Rail facilities are fixed in place, so may only be available to
some shippers or receivers.
Commodity value
Lower value commodities will be more sensitive to the cost
of transportation since transportation may represent a
larger percentage of the price paid by the consumer.
Increases in transportation costs will increase the price of
these commodities more, and could reduce demand.
Service requirements
Some commodities may be less sensitive to transportation
disruptions since they can be stockpiled at low cost. For
example, utilities may maintain large inventories of coal.
Infrastructure
Specialized equipment may be required to load or unload
commodities to rail lines or onto trucks.
Cost of competing transportation options
The cost of transportation alternatives may vary
significantly depending on market conditions. Captive
shippers may pay more for rail transport.
Competitiveness of industry
Some business operations may only be marginally
profitable. Transportation cost increases that are too large
could render some business activities uneconomic,
resulting in reduction of freight shipments.
During the Port of Memphis assessment, port stakeholders identified mode shifts as an area
that would benefit from more research. Understanding mode shifts require a detailed
understanding of logistics in a port's region. This requires an understanding of the transportation
options available in a region and the ability of local businesses to use these alternatives.
Ports may also benefit from documenting and tracking basic data on truck traffic during low and
high water events. Some of this data may be already available from continuous traffic
monitoring devices currently in place. There was little data available in Memphis on whether
truck traffic increases due to mode shifts during instance of high and low water levels.
Checklist
S Exchange information with local carriers and shippers concerning the impacts of low and
high water events on their use of barge transportation and their use of alternative modes of
transportation during these events.
S Understand the magnitude of freight diversions, if they are necessary, to truck and rail
during extreme water level events. Consider the social and economic impacts of diversions
as well.
S Understand important localized congestion and emissions impacts at potentially sensitive
locations, if freight diversions are necessary.
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5. Develop alternative freight movement scenarios
Building on the understanding of baseline freight movement and how mode shifts occur, analyze
the potential impacts on freight movement under the high and low water scenarios (from Step
3).
As discussed, high and low water events can alter the movement of freight. Impacts could
include a reduction in the total quantity of freight moved by barge, changes in the timing of
freight movement, shifts of barge freight to other modes, and changes in freight origins and
destinations.
The full extent of disruption, however, is dependent on the temporal and geographic scale of
disruption as well as on the type of commodity affected. Short-term events will be less disruptive
than long-term events that may require permanent re-routing of freight. On a geographic scale,
if the disruption is limited to a certain port in an area with easy access to rail or roadways,
alternative modes of transportation can be used with little impact. However, if another mode is
not available, too costly, or lacks the capacity to transport the freight such as not having the
necessary equipment, then delays and disruptions will be more widespread.
For instance, in some cases alternative modes may lack the equipment to accommodate
different types of dry bulk or liquid bulk freight, or lack container loading equipment. In addition,
it may be necessary to transport new types of freight during flooding to repair infrastructure or
provide emergency supplies. All of these factors should be considered when developing
alternative freight movement scenarios in the context of climate resilience.61
Alternative freight scenarios are based on changes in cost, transit time, reliability, and other
factors that affect barge transport. High and low water events in particular could increase
delays, increase cost per ton-mile, and result in mode shifts.
Based on increases in barge transport costs, one can forecast how freight would likely be
shifted from barge to truck or rail under the different high and low water scenarios. Mode shifts
can be estimated with economic models that account for commodity, length of haul, value,
transit time or other characteristics. Mode shares by commodity can be estimated and mode
shifts could be calculated based on changes in tonnage from baseline commodity flows. One
model that integrates the mode shift analysis with an emissions model is the Geospatial
Intermodal Freight Transportation (GIFT) model.62 A variety of resources for estimating mode
shifts in freight flow are summarized in Table 2.
61	National Cooperative Highway Research Program, "NCHRP Report 732: Methodologies to Estimate the Economic Impacts of
Disruptions to the Goods Movement System," Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., 2012,
https://transops.s3.amazonaws.com/uploaded files/nchrp rpt 732.pdf.
62	The Laboratory for Environmental Computing and Decision Making, "Geospatial Intermodal Freight Transportation (GIFT),"
Rochester Institute of Technology, accessed May 2017, http://www.rit.edu/gccis/lecdm/gift2.php.
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Table 2: Summary of Models Related to Multi-Model Shifts in Freight Flows
Weaknesses

Accessibility
Relevance

Model or
framework
(complexity, data
requirements,
cost)
(geographic, modal,
sustainability)
Strengths
SuDDortina
Some data are
Covers barge, truck,
Focuses
Limited
Secure and
available for free
and rail, but was
specifically on
geographic
Resilient Inland
from the USACE,
developed for a
barge freight
coverage and
Waterways
but original data
specific segment of the
movements and on
requires
CSSRIW)
collection is
Upper Mississippi
the availability of
significant data

required for

infrastructure to
inputs

different regions

transfer freight
between modes
making the model
results more
accurate than
generic mode shift
models

National Oceanic
Free tool with no
Port profiles are
Provides an
Information is
and Atmospheric
inputs or outputs
available for all ports in
overview of all
general and
Administration
and easy to
the U.S. and cover
major port
therefore should
CNOAA') Port
navigate checklists
marine and truck
resilience issues to
only be used as a
Resilience Tool
and datasets
(landslide access to
ports) modes
consider and easy
to use checklists
starting point
Geosoatial
Free, web-based,
Covers road, rail, and
Estimates the
Requires
Intermodal
technically
marine modes of
environmental
significant
Freiaht
complex tool that
transportation across
impacts of mode
resources to
Transportation
allows user to
the U.S., considers all
shifts and the
acquire and run
(GIFT) Model
develop
commodity flows, and
geographical
the model

customized
can estimate mode
distribution of


scenarios including
shifts based on
emissions


different types of
changes in cost



equipment, cost,




and freight flow




patterns



Community-LINE
Free tool with
C-LINE can be used
Simple and user-
Both C-PORT
Source Model ((>
readily available
nationwide to measure
friendly tools with
and CLINE only
LINE) and
data and a user-
roadway impacts
initial
address
Community-Scale
friendly format
C-PORT provides air
parameterization
dispersion of
Near-Source Air

quality impact data
provided for both
emissions but do
Quality System to

based on port activity
emissions (based
not estimate
Assess Port-

at a community scale;
on available
secondary
Related Air

C-PORT has been
inventory data) and
pollutants such
Quality Impacts

parameterized for 24
meteorology, plus
as ozone directly.
(C-PORT)

ports (primarily in the
C-PORT allows for
C-PORT is


southeast U.S.) and
uploading of local
currently


additional
data where
parameterized for


parameterizations are
available. Both
24 ports primarily


continually being
tools estimate
in the southeast,
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1 Accessibility
Relevance


Model or
framework
(complexity, data
requirements,
| cost)
(geographic, modal,
sustainability)
Strengths
Weaknesses


added. C-PORT can
be applied anywhere in
the U.S. even if initial
parameterizations
specific to port
activities may not be
available, because C-
PORT allows local
emissions data
uploads.
dispersion of
criteria pollutants
(or surrogates) and
air toxics.
with additional
ports added
continually.
MIT Port Mapper
Free tool with
readily available
data and mapping
feature
Covers marine vessels
across the entire U.S.
and considers all barge
freight including
commodities such as
chemicals, coal, and
manufactured goods
Wide geographic
coverage and
includes all major
shipping
commodities
Only covers port-
to-port
commodity shifts
In order to support resilience planning, port stakeholders should develop and review one or
more alternative freight movement scenarios. One approach would be to develop a worst-case
scenario and an alternative scenario. By developing projections of the impacts of severe
weather on barge transportation and mode shifts, ports can obtain a better picture of the likely
impacts on local communities from increased truck traffic and its associated effects. Generally,
the more alternative modes of transportation available to the port, the more resilient the port will
be to extreme water level disruption. The Port of Memphis, for example, is often affected by
river lows and highs, but benefits from easy access to five Class I railroad carriers, two barge
fleeting services, Interstates 40 and 55, Memphis International Airport, and a multitude of other
barge and truck transportation services.
NCHRP Report 732 presents a five-step process for evaluating a range of freight network
disruption events and the potential economic impacts that ports can follow to better understand
their vulnerabilities.63 Ports should consider commodity characteristics, such as value, time
sensitivity, and volumes and disruption characteristics, such as duration, geographic scale,
number of transport alternatives available, and significant disruptions within a specific industry
sector. These characteristics will inform the transport costs, inventory costs, lost industry
productivity, and output variables to assess the economic impact. The steps to this framework
include:
63 National Cooperative Highway Research Program, "NCHRP Report 732: Methodologies to Estimate the Economic Impacts of
Disruptions to the Goods Movement System," Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., 2012,
https://transops.s3.amazonaws.com/uploaded files/nchrp rpt 732.pdf.
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1.	Identify the direct and immediate physical impacts of a network disruption - such as
specific transportation facilities affected and modes of transport within, into, and out of
the affected region.
2.	Identify current and future affected network flows by facility - such as mode re-routing or
long-term disruption implications.
3.	Identify freight supply chain characteristics and parameters.
4.	Model the response of the supply chain to disruptions - such as short-term mode re-
routing.
5.	Model the economic impacts of network disruptions by examining social and public
sector costs and direct supply chain costs.
Port stakeholders can increase their resilience by understanding potential extreme weather
risks, preparing a response to extreme weather events, and expanding access to alternative
modes of transportation as well as necessary equipment or resources to swiftly facilitate mode
shifts.64
NCHRP Report 732 also offers network-based models and industry supply chain models for
estimating the economic impacts of disruption. Network-based models assume freight is
diverted and estimate the transport costs and inventory value of impacts. These models include
simple cargo diversion models in which freight is assumed to be diverted to the least-cost
alternative and freight network simulation models in which a complex network of single-mode
and multiple-mode freight flow diversions are evaluated. Industry supply chain models, including
business supply chain optimization and dynamic supply chain simulation models, alternatively
optimize business operations and address industry decisions regarding sourcing, inventory
levels, and route choice.
NCHRP Report 732 additionally presents two types of economic impact models: static/input-
output-based models and dynamic economic simulation models. Static/input-output-based
models assume declines in industry final demand and calculate the associated direct, indirect,
and induced impacts across all industries. Dynamic economic simulation models provide a more
complex analysis assuming changes in supply, demand output, prices, or other direct economic
impacts, and using dynamic modeling to simulate the overall economic impact.
Checklist
S Use data on the impacts of severe weather on barge movements to estimate mode shifts.
S Produce one or more alternative freight movement scenarios by commodity, origin, and
destination.
64 National Cooperative Highway Research Program, "NCHRP Report 732: Methodologies to Estimate the Economic Impacts of
Disruptions to the Goods Movement System," Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., 2012,
https://transops.s3.amazonaws.com/uploaded files/nchrp rpt 732.pdf.
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6. Estimate impacts at the port and on navigation
Estimate the potential direct impacts at the port of the extreme water levels under the chosen
scenarios. The introduction details the potential effects of extreme high and low water levels,
beginning on page 10.
In Memphis, for example, the high water event of 2011 caused $9 million of damage to
President's Island (where the Port of Memphis is located) in erosion and structural damage to
the island itself.65 66 It also precipitated a $20 million investment by the USACE to reconstruct the
river bank.67
The low water event of 2012, on the other hand, reduced draft by about 3 feet, reduced tow
sizes, reduced barge loads, and increased incidence of groundings.68
One method to estimate impacts at port and on navigation is to conduct a vulnerability analysis.
A vulnerability analysis includes:
¦	Identifying any potential navigation limitations under the scenario. For example, consider
key issues and constraints about infrastructure capacity, such as channel depths and
widths, under-bridge clearances, navigation obstacles and the flexibility of docks in high and
low water. Also, consider the feasibility of actions to maintain port operations under
changing water levels such as dredging.
¦	Identifying the location, condition, and potential vulnerabilities of port infrastructure used for
water freight transportation. Consider whether some freight can be unloaded at different
docks. Some freight may require specialized equipment to unload or require an industrial
facility for unloading without a reasonable alternative bulk transportation option.
¦	Evaluating the vulnerability of landside infrastructure connections, industrial complexes, and
land. Assess the vulnerability of critical access points to the port such as rail lines, bridges,
and roadways.
Checklist
S Conduct a vulnerability analysis to examine the impact of flooding and low water on port
assets and operations. Also, assess the vulnerability of rail and road access points.
S Collect information on the cost impacts to barge transportation from changes in water levels
on the river.
65	Daniel G. Driscoll, Rodney E. Southard, Todd A. Koenig, David A. Bender, and Robert R. Holmes, Jr., "Annual exceedance
probabilities and trends for peak streamflows and annual runoff volumes for the Central United States during the 2011
floods," U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1798-D, Reston, VA, 2014, http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ppl798D.
66	Wayne Risher, "Port of Memphis needs $9 million for flood fix," Commercial Appeal, December 2, 2011,
https://www.pressreader.com/usa/the-commercial-appeal/20111202/281913Q64931512.
67	Ibid
68	Wayne Risher, "Low water causes unusual traffic jam, blocking commerce along Mississippi River," Knoxville News Sentinel,
August 22, 2012, http://archive.knoxnews.com/business/low-water-causes-unusual-traffic-iam-blocking-commerce-along-
mississippi-river-ep-360201258-356738301.html/?bppw=absolutelv&suppressAds=voubet.
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S Collect information on the additional potential costs for maintaining port operations under
high and low water level events such as dredging the shipping channel.
7. Estimate impacts to the port community
Freight diversions to alternate land-based modes of transportation such as trucks and trains can
increase road and rail congestion, road and rail degradation, and local air pollution which may
negatively affect the larger port community and, in particular, the near-port community. The
impacts of additional freight movements and emissions on near-port communities could be
estimated by examining data on the population exposed to emissions. Analysis of data on
population characteristics could be used to determine if there are disparate impacts by race,
economic class, or other socio-economic characteristics that are relevant to environmental
justice. Disadvantaged groups may be less able to adapt to stress on their local community.
Local impacts may also include noise and other environmental impacts, congestion, safety, and
employment impacts.
The EPA has developed a number of tools and resources that can assist community
stakeholders and local governments with assessing freight movement impacts on the port
community. These include:
¦	EPA's EJSCREEN tool to help identify overburdened communities and provide an initial
screen on air emissions impacting a community. This tool allows a community to view a
combination of environmental and demographic indicators, and generate other reports,
including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Environmental Public
Health Tracking (EPHT) Network which provides environmental health issues for a
community's county.69
¦	EPA's C-FERST tool to create maps to visualize a community's environmental concerns.
The Community Data Table provides a summary of environmental conditions for a
community, including estimated concentrations, exposures and risks for select pollutants, as
well as demographic information. C-FERST also allows users to add local data,
observations and photographs to the maps for ground-truthing.70
¦	EPA's Environmental Justice Primer for Ports for more information on how to identify
environmental justice populations and impacts.71
¦	EPA Ports Primer, Section 5.0 for more information on goods movement and transportation
planning, land use, potential community impacts, and case study examples.72
69	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "EJSCREEN: Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool," EPA.gov, accessed
July 2017, www.epa.gov/eiscreen.
70	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Community-Focused Exposure and Risk Screening Tool (C-FERST)," EPA.gov, accessed
2017, https://www.epa.eov/c-ferst.
71	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Draft Environmental Justice Primer for Ports," EPA-420-P-16-002, Washington, D.C.,
2016, https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZvPDF.cei?Dockev=P1000YGB.pdf.
72	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Ports Primer: 5.0 Land Use and Transportation," EPA.gov, accessed 2017,
https://www.epa.gov/ports-initiative/ports-primer-50-land-use-and-transportation.
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In Memphis, for example, high volumes of truck traffic—even in "normal" times—
disproportionately affect neighborhoods in South Memphis, bordered by both Interstate 240 and
Interstate 55. South Memphis is a low-income, majority African American neighborhood with a
high prevalence of childhood asthma. Changes in traffic congestion or truck traffic due to port
disruptions from high or low water events could thus disproportionately affect this neighborhood.
Flooding that affects the port can also directly affect the port community if it is not protected by
levees. High waters can back up other rivers and streams that feed into them resulting in flood
damage to homes and businesses. This is true, for example, for the Port of Memphis community
in Frasier, Millington, and other portions of North Memphis. Flood control measures can also be
rendered less effective by damage from previous floods and debris.
Stakeholders should also engage in conducting a vulnerability assessment to examine the
impact of flooding and other extreme weather events on residential communities in close
proximity to the port. A holistic approach should be taken to the assessment, focusing on the
overall community health and well-being. A community's physical, social, and economic
vulnerabilities must be inventoried and mapped to guide the development of resilience
strategies. Active participation of local stakeholders is essential to the data gathering process.
¦	Physical vulnerabilities - Estimate and map the number of people and property at risk,
including critical facilities (e.g., hospitals, fire and police stations, daycares, schools, sewage
and water treatment facilities, other utilities).
¦	Societal vulnerabilities - Identify and map the most socially vulnerable populations. This
group includes the elderly, low-income households, women and children, and those with
special needs and disabilities. It also includes linguistically isolated populations, or those
with other cultural barriers.
¦	Economic vulnerabilities - Identify and map employers in the community at risk of closure or
restricted access. Estimate the number of employees at each location.
For guidance on identifying and evaluating, community risk and vulnerabilities, see NOAA's
Community Vulnerability Assessment Tool (CVAT) Methodology. Although piloted in New
Hanover County, NC, a coastal community, the methodology is transferable to any hazard in
any location.
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Checklist
Identify the vulnerability of communities and potential impacts on communities from the
ports. See EPA's EJSCREEN and C-FERST tools.73 74
Identify whether there are environmental justice implications associated with air emissions
and other impacts. See EPA's EJSCREEN tool and the Environmental Justice Primer for
Ports.7576
Assess other types of local impacts including noise, congestion, safety, and employment.
See the EPA Ports Primer. Section 5.0.77
Identify additional physical, societal, and economic vulnerabilities from extreme water levels.
Estimate environmental and human health impacts
UltlU Once changes in freight transportation activity have been estimated, including mode shifts, the
emissions and human health effects can then be estimated—likely by the local air quality
department. In addition to air emissions, which are described in more detail below, ports that
OSo contain Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) facilities and Superfund sites can
leech harmful chemicals or contaminants into the water supply or larger port community during
flood events.
There are three components to a community health risk assessment for air emissions, including:
¦	Estimating emissions or pollutants,
¦	Assessment of the ambient concentration of those pollutants, and
¦	Assessment of exposure concentrations and pollutant exposure health risk assessment.
The specific steps necessary to implement each of these analyses are discussed below in more
detail.
Identify pollutants to measure. Emissions are typically estimated for criteria air pollutants
(CAPs) and may also be estimated for mobile source air toxics (MSATs). The Clean Air Act
requires EPA to set National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for six common air
~
~
~
~
^ 8.
73	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "EJSCREEN: Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool," EPA.gov, accessed
July 2017, www.epa.eov/eiscreen.
74	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Community-Focused Exposure and Risk Screening Tool (C-FERST)," EPA.gov, accessed
2017, https://www.epa.gov/c-ferst.
75	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "EJSCREEN: Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool," EPA.gov, accessed
July 2017, www.epa.gov/eiscreen.
76	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Draft Environmental Justice Primer for Ports," EPA-420-P-16-002, Washington, D.C.,
2016, https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZvPDF.cgi?Dockev=P1000YGB.pdf.
77	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Ports Primer: 5.0 Land Use and Transportation," EPA.gov, accessed 2017,
https://www.epa.gov/ports-initiative/ports-primer-50-land-use-and-transportation.
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pollutants. These criteria pollutants are particulate matter (PM), ground-level ozone (O3),78
carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxides (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and lead. CAPs are those
that EPA regulates by developing human health-based (primary) and/or environmentally based
(secondary) criteria for permissible levels. Each has one or more temporal averaging periods
associated with the threshold level. For example, EPA regulates PM2.s(the fraction of particulate
matter with diameter less than 2.5 micrometers) based on concentrations averaged over 24-
hour and annual average periods.
Hazardous air pollutants, also known as "air toxics," are those pollutants known or suspected to
cause cancer or other serious health impacts.79 Seven pollutants with significant contributions
from mobile sources have been identified as among the national- and regional-scale cancer risk
drivers. These priority MSATs include: acrolein, benzene, 1,3-butadiene, diesel particulate
matter (DPM) plus diesel exhaust organic gases, formaldehyde, naphthalene, and polycyclic
organic matter.
In general, heavy-duty trucks and other diesel powered equipment will have the greatest
impacts on NOx, PM2.5, and DPM. Some studies focus on changes in these pollutants. Which
pollutants to consider depends on the goals and context of the analyses. For instance, some
areas are nonattainment areas for specific pollutants.
Select air emissions model(s) and measure emissions. The choice of which model to use to
estimate air emissions will depend on the desired emission sources and complexity of the
analysis. EPA created the Motor Vehicle Emissions Simulator (MOVES) model to estimate
emissions produced from on-road and off-road mobile sources for both CAPs and air toxics. The
MOVES model does not include marine vessels or locomotives, and thus other approaches
would be needed to estimate these emissions. The GIFT model integrates an emissions model
with a mode shift model and could also be used for this type of analysis.
The accessibility, relevance, strengths, and weaknesses of emissions analysis tools are
summarized in Table 3.
Table 3: Summary of Tools to Estimate Air Emissions
Tool or report
Accessibility
(complexity, data
requirements,
cost)
Relevance
(geographic, modal,
pollutants)
Strengths
Weaknesses
Motor Vehicle
Emissions
Simulator
(MOVES2014a)
Low - technically
complex, high data
requirements
Medium - any
geography and
pollutant; includes on-
road and most non-
road sources
(locomotives and
Widely accepted
model and
considered
accurate
Requires training
and experience
to run the model
78	Note that 03 is not directly emitted, but rather a product of chemical reactions involving NOx and Volatile Organic Carbon
(VOC) species with sunlight in the atmosphere.
79	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Hazardous Air Pollutants," EPA.gov, accessed 2017, https://www.epa.gov/haps.
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Tool or report
Accessibility
(complexity, data
requirements,
cost)
Relevance
(geographic, modal,
pollutants)
Strengths
Weaknesses


marine engines are not
included)


SmartWav Tools
Medium -
technically
accessible, but
requires detailed
fleet data
Medium - any
geography; pollutants
include CO2, NOx,
PM10, and PM2 5;
includes individual
tools for shippers,
logistics companies,
and truck, barge, rail,
air, and multimodal
carriers
User-friendly and
EPA-approved
model
Designed for use
by individual
company fleets
and operations
EPA Guidance
Manual on
Emission
Inventories for
Ports
Low - technically
complex and
significant data
requirements
High - applies to any
geography, relevant
modes (including
marine vessels and
rail), and pollutants
Provides flexible
approaches to
capturing port
modes
Requires
significant data
collection and
calculations,
different for each
mode
EPA Investigation
of Fuaitive
Emissions from
Petrochemical
Transport Baraes
Usina Optical
Remote Sensina
High - simple if
applying emission
rates of study
Low - only applies to
fugitive emissions from
barges transporting
petrochemicals
Simple
description of
results
Results have
limited
application
Texas
Transportation
Institute Modal
Comparison of
Domestic Freiaht
Transportation
High - report
presents results of
study
Low - present national
level mode shift
analysis
Provides
accessible
overview of
modal shift
impacts
Not applicable to
smaller
geographic
scope and does
not provide novel
emissions model
Geospatial
Intermodal Freiaht
Transportation
(GIFT) Model
Low - technically
complex
High - estimates local
level emissions for all
relevant modes
Widely accepted
and accurate
model applicable
to freight mode
shifts
Requires
significant
resources to run
model
Community-LINE
Source Model ((>
LINE) and
Community-Scale
Near-Source Air
Quality System to
Assess Port-
Related Air Quality
Impacts (C-PORT)
Free tool with
readily available
data and a user-
friendly format
C-LINE can be used
nationwide to measure
roadway impacts; C-
PORT provides air
quality impact data
based on port activity
at a community scale;
C-PORT has been
parameterized for 24
ports (primarily in the
southeast U.S.) and
Simple and user-
friendly tools with
very accurate
data; both
estimates
emissions and
conducts the
dispersion
analysis
Both C-PORT
and C-LINE only
addresses air
toxic
concentrations,
but C-PORT is
not
parameterized
for all ports
nationwide
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Tool or report
Accessibility
(complexity, data
requirements,
cost)
Relevance
(geographic, modal,
pollutants)
Strengths
Weaknesses


additional
parameterizations are
continuously being
added. C-PORT can
be applied anywhere in
the U.S. even if initial
parameterizations
specific to port
activities may not be
available, because C-
PORT allows local
emissions data
uploads.


Select air dispersion model and assess ambient concentration of these pollutants. Once
emissions estimates are produced, an air dispersion model is required to estimate ambient air
concentrations of the pollutants. American Meteorological Society and the EPA Regulatory
Model (AERMOD) model is capable of such assessments at the regional level and is EPA's
currently recommended model for such assessments. There are a number of other tools to
choose from, each with different strengths and weaknesses. These are described in Table 4
below.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Table 4: Summary of Dispersion and Air Quality Analysis Tools
Tool or report
AERMOD (American
Meteorological
Society/Environmental
Protection Agency
Regulatory MODel)
Modeling System
Accessibility
(complexity, data
requirements,
cost)
High - technically
accessible and
commonly applied,
with moderate
data requirements
Relevance
(geographic,
modal,
pollutants)
High - may be
applied to any
conveyance
source type, but
expected to
perform better
when limited to
inert pollutants in
simpler or near-
field dispersion
situations
Capable of
modeling any
conveyance
method and most
pollutants of
interest relatively
easily
Somewhat
complicated to
implement and
accuracy reduced
for far-field
applications
CALPUFF Modeling
System
Medium - more
technically
complex in
execution and
data requirements
than AERMOD but
less than PGMs
High - may be
applied to any
conveyance
source type and
expected to
perform better
than AERMOD in
Enhanced set of
pollutants and
capabilities over
other dispersion
models; applicable
to any
transportation
More complicated
to use than other
dispersion models
and without
universally
recognized
accuracy
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Accessibility
1 Relevance


Tool or report
(complexity, data
(geographic,
Strengths
Weaknesses
requirements,
modal,


cost)
pollutants)




far-field, complex
terrain, or urban
scale applications
source; could be
used to determine
regional impacts of
mode shifts
improvements;
intended for
regional rather
than local
applications
Photochemical
Transport Models
Low - very
complex to
implement with
high data
requirements
Medium -
applicable for
urban- to regional-
scale analysis for
a complete set of
pollutants
Comprehensive
analysis method;
could be used to
determine regional
impacts of mode
shifts
Results are slow
and difficult to
obtain and
generally limited to
episodic analysis;
resource intensive
to operate;
intended for
regional rather
than local
applications
Community-LINE
Source Model ((>
LINE) and
Community-Scale
Near-Source Air
Quality System to
Assess Port-Related
Air Quality Impacts
(C-PORT)
Free tool with
readily available
data and a user-
friendly format
C-LINE can be
used nationwide to
measure roadway
impacts. C-PORT
provides air quality
impact data based
on port activity at
a community
scale, but is
currently only
available for
Charleston, SC
Simple and user-
friendly tools with
very accurate
data; both
estimates
emissions and
conducts the
dispersion analysis
Both C-PORT and
C-LINE only
addresses air toxic
concentrations;
but C-PORT is not
applicable
nationwide
Assess exposure concentrations and conduct pollutant exposure health risk
assessment. Once ambient concentrations of pollutants have been assessed, the population
pollutant exposure and resulting incremental changes in health risk from the action may then be
estimated based on the ambient concentrations from the dispersion model through an exposure
and risk analysis. This could be done by using the EPA Air Pollutants Exposure (APEX) model
throughout the region with post-processing for incremental health risk impacts, or by
implementing a direct, screening-type assessment. The tools and resources that ports can use
to evaluate exposure and health risks are summarized in Table 5.
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Table 5: Summary of Exposure and Health Risk Assessment Tools
Tool or method
Accessibility
(complexity, data
requirements,
cost)
Relevance
(geographic,
modal, pollutants)
Strengths
Weaknesses
Direct
Calculation
(using any of the
data analyses
from Table 3 &
Table 4 to apply
risk factors to
the predicted
concentrations
to assess risk)
High - relies on
publicly available
information and
methodology
crafted entirely by
the user
High - can be
tailored directly to
the problem at hand
and estimate
exposure and risk
No special software
required to assess
risk; very flexible
and customizable;
all required inputs
available
Requires complete
characterization by
the user, including
complex
calculations;
unlikely to be able
to allow stochastic
or time-series
exposure estimates
Air Pollutants
Exposure Model
(APEX)
Medium - software
is easily accessible
and commonly
applied, but with
high data
requirements
High - may be
applied to
concentrations from
any conveyance
source type and
includes in-vehicle
exposure
Capable of
assessing
population
exposure through
multiple scenarios
Does not calculate
risk directly;
complex to use
Hazardous Air
Pollutant
Exposure Model
CHAPEM')
Medium - software
is easily accessible
and commonly
applied, but with
high data
requirements
High - may be
applied to
concentrations from
any conveyance
source type and
includes in-vehicle
exposure, but with
lower resolution
than APEX
Capable of
assessing
population
exposure through
multiple scenarios
Does not calculate
risk directly;
complex to use;
more typically
applied to national
screening level
assessments
Although there is no standard set of models specifically for estimating port air emissions and
health effects, one possible set could include MOVES, AERMOD, APEX, coupled with a
postprocessor to assess health risk. These models are EPA's recommended models for
emissions and dispersion, and assess exposure in a method similar to that done by EPA in
other applications.
In the Memphis port community, a series of maps by pollution type in Shelby County,
Tennessee, were created from EPA stationary facility data.80 All emissions pollutants analyzed
(CO, Lead, Mercury, NH3, NOx, PM2.5, SO2, VOC), except CO, are highest near the port. Figure
7, for example, shows the concentration of mercury emissions for Shelby County. These
concentrated emissions have implications for the larger community, especially if there is an
80 Angela Antipova, "Maps of air borne emissions (PM2.5. PM10, NH3, NOx, S02, VOC and Lead) in Shelby County, TN. (2008)"
(personal communication, 2015).
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increase in emissions from rail and truck freight movement. High air pollutant concentrations are
associated with a variety of negative health effects such as heart attacks, asthma attacks,
bronchitis, respiratory symptoms, and premature death,81 Children and elderly residents are
most at risk.
Figure 7: Mercury emissions in Shelby County, Tennessee82
By estimating emissions, dispersion, and exposure and human health risk, regions can obtain a
better understanding of the incremental health impacts associated with changes in operations
throughout it, due to extreme water levels.
In addition, consider potential risks to ecosystems, ecosystem services, and related health
outcomes. EnviroAtlas is a web-based decision support tool that combines a geospatial
mapping application with downloadable information related to ecosystem services (nature's
benefits). The tool allows users to view and analyze maps and Interpretive information on
ecosystem services using seven broad benefit categories to organize its information and data:
¦	Clean Air
¦	Clean and Plentiful Water
81	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "EPA's Report on the Environment: Outdoor Air Quality," EPA.gov, accessed May
2017, https://cfpub.epa.gov/roe/chapter/air/outdoorair.cfm.
82	Angela Antipova, "Maps of air borne emissions (PM2.5. PM10, NH3, N0X, S02, VOC and Lead) in Shelby County, TN. (2008)"
(personal communication, 2015).
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¦	Natural Hazard Mitigation
¦	Climate Stabilization
¦	Recreation, Culture, and Aesthetics
¦	Food, Fuel, and Materials
¦	Biodiversity Conservation
For example, the Memphis Community Summary Factsheet from EnviroAtlas provides an
overview of the local community including land cover, demographics, and ecosystem services
data.
The Eco-Health Relationship
Browser, a complementary tool to
EnviroAtlas, interactively displays
the linkages between selected
ecosystems, ecosystem services,
and health outcomes. The
information in the Browser is
meant to interactively display
nature's benefits to human health
and well-being, and is based on a
systematic literature review of
peer-reviewed journal articles
published through 2014. An
update to 2015 is currently
underway.
Checklist
S Identify environmental
linkages between the port and the
le emissions, for example.
S Collect information on barge activity, much of which is readily available. However, detailed
information on truck movements may not be available at some ports. If resources permit,
additional data on truck trips may be collected through truck origin destination surveys.
Truck trip tables may also be estimated to characterize regional origins and destinations for
trucks.
/ Engage with and receive input from affected communities. Refer to ERA'S Ports Primer on
how communities should effectively engage with ports over environmental concerns.83
°rivers of Cha09e
local community. Consider key sources of point and
83 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Draft A Ports Primer for Communities," EPA-420-P-16-001, Washington, D.C., 2016,
https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZvPDF. cgi?Dockev=P100PlLJQ.pdf.
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S Consider the full spectrum of environmental impacts including air, noise, water, and solid
waste from port activities. Consider, for example, stormwater runoff and waste management
of the industries at ports.
S Determine whether ports have contaminated or potentially contaminated industrial land on
their premises, which could leech contaminants under higher or more frequent flood water
levels.
S Use the tools and resources provided in Table 3 of the roadmap to estimate air emissions.
S Use the tools and resources provided in Table 4 of the roadmap to estimate emissions
dispersion and air quality.
S Use the tools and resources provided in Table 5 of the roadmap to estimate exposure and
human health risk.
S Identify additional potential risks to ecosystems, ecosystem services, and related health
outcomes.
&
9. Estimate economic impacts
Disruptions of port activities have broader economic impacts in the port community.
Stakeholders from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, City
of Memphis, Shelby County, and the Port of Memphis emphasized that port vulnerability to
extreme water levels may damage Memphis' reputation as a reliable transportation hub and
harm Memphis' ability to recruit and retain company operations in the Memphis area, which has
significant implications for economic development and jobs in the community. The Port of
• # • Memphis contributes an estimated $8.46 billion per year and more than 20,000 jobs to the
w w
Shelby County economy.
84
Port activity disruption effects on reputation and industry recruitment and retention are a
concern for any port. Furthermore, disruptions may raise costs of shipping freight, negatively
affecting freight shippers and receivers. Ports may also be required to employ additional
personnel to clean up debris from floods or repair damaged equipment. In the short run, this
might appear as an economic stimulus to a region, but in the long run this raises the cost of
shipping freight. These costs will be passed on to the customers of the port, increasing their
costs, reducing their productivity, and subtracting from economic growth. Port disruptions or
failures can also affect port communities economically through loss of access to jobs and
damage to infrastructure, roads, and buildings.
Economic impacts from disruptions will therefore vary by industry as shown below:
¦ Goods owners - increased cost to ship goods, which is passed on to the consumer
84 Memphis and Shelby County Port Commission, "The Economic Impact of the Port of Memphis on the Memphis and Shelby
County Economy," prepared by Younger Associates for the Memphis and Shelby County Port Commission, August 2014.
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¦	Port tenants and users - increased labor costs and overtime costs from the cleanup and
recovery process
¦	Terminals - decreased revenues due to reduced freight movement
¦	Towing companies - increased operating costs
¦	Marine services - increased activities (providing refueling and moving barges) and revenues
¦	Local government - short-term tax revenues and long-term ability to recruit and retain
employers
There are different approaches to measuring the broader economic impacts of port operations.
In standard economic impact analysis, there are three different types of impacts: direct, indirect,
and induced impacts:
¦	Direct impacts are created by money from a defined activity entering or being removed
from the economy. For instance, if a port spends money to build a levee to make the port
more resilient, the money spent to build the levee would be considered a direct impact.
¦	Indirect impacts are determined by the amount of the direct effect spent within the study
region on supplies, services, labor, and taxes. It also includes business purchases from
other businesses. For instance, if a construction company purchased sand and gravel and
hired workers, this would be an indirect impact.
¦	Induced impacts are the economic activity and jobs created due to consumers'
consumption expenditures in all local industries. Expenditures arise from the household
incomes generated by the direct and indirect effects of demand changes. For example,
workers who were employed building the levee would spend their income in the local
economy, creating additional impact through their purchase of goods and services.
Economic impact analyses can also be used to assess negative direct effects, which subtract
economic activity from the economy. For instance, if extreme water levels reduce the ability of
local businesses to transport and sell their products, there would be negative direct, indirect,
and induced impacts as well. These would include lost sales to suppliers, job losses, and lost
sales from unemployed workers who no longer have money to spend in the local economy.
Models such as IMPLAN and Regional Input-Output Modeling System (RIMS II) can be used to
assess these types of economic impacts.
One challenge with traditional economic impact analysis models is that they do not account for
changes in input prices. For instance, if the cost of transportation rises, businesses might use
less of the transportation mode. The IMPLAN and RIMS II models discussed above cannot
account for this. It is important to take account of these dynamic effects because they are an
important source of productivity improvements for businesses. Dynamic models such as the
Regional Economic Models, Inc. (REMI) TranSight tool or Transportation Economic
Development Impact System (TREDIS) are needed to capture the productivity impacts of
transportation improvements on the economy.
In general, extreme water level events that disrupt port operations and increase the cost of
barge transport will make the economy less productive and reduce economic output. Likewise,
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investments that make a port more resilient will lower transport costs and improve productivity in
the long run.
While the models mentioned above may be appropriate for more complex analyses, some
regions may want to conduct more simplified analyses of the potential economic impacts. One
approach to this is to examine the regional dependence of industries on barge freight. What
percentage of output, value added, and regional employment are in industries that depend on
barge freight? How diversified is the local economy? Are there only a few dominant industries?
Would these be significantly impaired by disruption of barge freight movements? What
percentage of commodities is being moved by barge? Could these commodities be easily
diverted to rail or truck? Answering these questions can provide a rough estimate of the scale of
likely employment and economic output impacts that are possible from port disruptions. More
complex analyses could be conducted if the economic impacts were deemed likely to be
significant.
Checklist
S Identify the economic linkages between the port and the local economy. Examine the
broader economic impacts of port disruptions on local industries, employment, output, and
the broader supply chain.
S If a comprehensive economic impact analysis is deemed necessary, use economic models
to estimate the direct, indirect, and induced impacts of the extreme water level scenarios.
S If needed, use dynamic economic models if a comprehensive analysis of industry
productivity impacts is needed.
S If economic modeling is not feasible, conduct simplified analysis of potential economic
impacts.
V. Step 3 - Identify Strategies to Improve Resilience
With an understanding of potential impacts, port communities can identify a path to increased
resilience. There are numerous strategies that can improve the resilience of inland port
communities. Comprehensive resilience will likely require a variety of strategies implemented by
a range of stakeholders. This section outlines potential strategies by sector, including public and
private infrastructure, transportation operations and equipment, emergency management,
environment and human health, and long-term economics.
The majority of these strategies are those that can be implemented at the local or state
government level. Implementation of any resilience strategies, however, will require
coordination across a range of port and community stakeholders.
In many cases, there may be stakeholders who do not currently coordinate closely with the port,
but who may have an important role to play in increasing resilience. One overarching strategy
for all stakeholders and sectors is to closely coordinate resilience efforts between internal and
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external stakeholders. This includes expertise, data collection, and shared resources.
Coordinating with other stakeholders and utilizing the resources provided throughout this
roadmap will make a significant difference in the development of effective port resilience
strategies.
1. Public and private infrastructure
Strategies to improve the resilience of inland port infrastructure can include protecting critical
assets through hardening, more resilient design and materials. For example, see the Port
Authority of New York and New Jersey Climate Resilience Design Guidelines.85 Other means
include managing extreme weather events and associated extreme water levels through
operational changes and maintenance improvements or relocating to less vulnerable locations.
Specifically, public and private infrastructure resilience strategies can include increasing
redundancy in roadway access, adopting floodplain management best practices, using flexible
infrastructure, and increasing rail capacity. Each of these strategies is discussed below.
¦	Increasing port access redundancy may be important when the port is only served by a
single roadway that is vulnerable to flooding. Protection of existing access routes (through
flood barriers or elevation) or the creation of redundant access routes could increase a
port's resilience to flooding events and allow port staff and emergency responders to access
the area. It may be necessary to first conduct additional research to identify where
redundant access is needed.
¦	Adopting floodplain management best practices—such as building above the base flood
elevation or raising the elevation of the port, stream abatement, elevating and securing
backup generators, drainage maintenance, retrofitting infrastructure assets, and others—
can reduce flooding vulnerabilities across the community, including and beyond the port. For
example, Port of Memphis stakeholders identified clearing debris from storm drains as an
effective best practice example. At the Port of Cates Landing in northwest Tennessee,
stakeholders decided to purposely build the port above the 100-year floodplain and an
adjacent industrial park above the 500-year floodplain.86
¦	Although retrofits may not always be necessary, installing flexible infrastructure that can
function regardless of water levels—or at least in a wider range of water levels—can be a
cost-effective way to increase resilience. In some areas, individual port stakeholders have
begun to make opportunistic capital investments in flexible infrastructure to increase their
resilience to variable water levels. Flexible infrastructure includes floating docks and flexible
conveyors that are more resilient to extreme river fluctuations. Retractable docks may also
enable smoother port operations under a wider range of water level conditions.
¦	Increasing rail capacity can allow shippers alternative transportation options when barge
transportation becomes disrupted. Extreme water levels have far-reaching economic
85	Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, "Design Guidelines: Climate Resilience," Port Authority of New York and New
Jersey, last updated January 1, 2015, https://www.panvni.eov/business-opportunities/pdf/discipline-euidelines/climate-
resilience.pdf.
86	Northwest Tennessee, "Port of Cates Landing is America's Newest Multimodal Inland Port," Northwest Tennessee, accessed
May 2017, http://northwesttn.com/news-archive/67-port-of-cates-landine.
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consequences when freight cannot be cheaply or easily transported by other means. One
possible way to mitigate these impacts is to incentivize excess or redundant rail capacity
that can absorb barge cargo when necessary.
¦	Prioritizing maintenance for locks and dams to decrease the frequency or severity of
damage and subsequent delays. As previously noted, the inland marine sector has made
improving and updating locks and trans-modal facilities a top priority in recent years.87 This
priority has a co-benefit of increasing resilience to high and low water levels. Pursuit of this
priority will involve broad stakeholder coordination including the freight industry, the EPA
SmartWay program, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), and others.
¦	Other engineering enhancements for port facilities to deal with extreme heat or flooding
may include isolating electrical connections to reduce incidents of lost power, increasing
covered areas for handling goods, and coastal defenses such as installing physical
measures to reduce wave reflection around piers, and increasing breakwater dimensions.
S Conduct a comprehensive port infrastructure assessment to determine vulnerabilities and
appropriate strategies to address them. Account for extreme water level scenarios when
evaluating equipment and infrastructure.
S Consider the vulnerability of access roads to flooding.
S Assess the utility and feasibility of flexible infrastructure and improved rail access.
S Consider adjusting port construction standards to account for an updated understanding of
future extreme water level frequency (e.g., accounting for expected climate change).
S Identify potential resilience measures and best practices appropriate for the port context.
S For local governments, consider using the EPA Smart Growth Flood Resilience Checklist to
increase the community's overall flood preparedness.88
S Consult the NIST Community Resilience Economic Decision Guide for an economic
methodology for evaluating investment decisions to improve the ability of communities to
adapt to, withstand, and recover from disruptive events.89
87	Texas A&M Transportation Institute, "Our Inland Waterways: A Maintenance and Funding Challenge," Texas A&M University,
July 16, 2015, https://tti.tamu.edu/2015/07/16/our-inland-waterwavs-a-maintenance-and-funding-challenge/.
88	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Flood Resilience Checklist," EPA.gov, last updated November 1, 2016,
https://www.epa.eov/smarterowth/flood-resilience-checklist.
89	Stanley W. Gilbert, David T. Butry, Jennifer F. Helgeson, and Robert E. Chapman, "The Community Resilience Economic
Decision Guide," U.S. Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and Technology, last updated April 5, 2017,
https://www.nist.gov/communitv-resilience-economic-decision-euide.
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2. Transportation operations and equipment
Reducing emissions from the existing truck fleet that operates at the port is one way to reduce
the risk of future environmental and human health impacts from mode shifts to trucks. This
strategy has two different components: equipment-based strategies and operational strategies.
Equipment-based strategies can reduce emissions from the vehicles themselves. Operational
strategies can reduce emissions by making truck operations more efficient. Both of these
strategies will have value to port stakeholders now, in addition to making the port more resilient
in the future.
2.1 Equipment-based emissions reduction strategies
The equipment strategies discussed below are focused on reducing air emissions from trucks,
with the goal of making port communities less vulnerable to air quality issues related to future
mode shifts to truck carriers. Port authorities would be primarily responsible for implementing
these strategies with some assistance from local or federal agencies. Example strategies
¦ Voluntary clean truck programs - to reduce emissions from trucks with retrofits, rebuilds,
or vehicle/engine replacements. Because heavy-duty truck fleets serving most ports are
owned by private companies, clean truck programs are typically voluntary and often have
accompanying monetary incentives. EPA has helped to support clean truck programs at a
number of different ports.90 For instance, some ports have clean truck programs that provide
rebates, low-cost financing, or grants to trucking companies serving ports to take emissions
reduction strategies, including:
-	Retrofitting existing trucks with updated emissions control systems, such as oxidation
catalysts and diesel particulate filters that reduce NOx and PM2.5 emissions
-	Purchasing new vehicles that are 2010 or later also ensures that vehicles will have
the latest emissions control equipment
-	Electrification of truck stops
-	Providing clean fuels for trucks in the port community
90 Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, "Port Authority launches program to replace older, more polluting trucks serving
the Port of NY/NJ," The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, March 10, 2010, http://www.panvni.gov/press-
room/press-item.cfm?headl_ine id=1267.
include:
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¦ The SmartWay Partnership91 - a different type of voluntary program that addresses modal
shifts, carrier selection, and more efficient operational practices in addition to fuel-saving
technologies. SmartWay convenes
experts in the freight movement field and
facilitates sharing innovative strategies
and best practices that leading-edge
organizations use to improve freight
efficiencies—and their bottom line. The
companies that sign up for this EPA
partnership make a commitment to
measure their air emissions and energy
usage and as a result, many make
improvements in their operations. The
program allows partners to benchmark
their performance against similar
transportation companies. SmartWay
promotes a variety of equipment
strategies to reduce emissions and
energy use, including wide based tires,
automatic engine shut down and
improved truck aerodynamics.
Businesses adopting strategies such as
mode diversification also have the
added benefit of improving the resilience
of their supply chains.
Checklist
S Identify approaches to incentivize carriers to reduce emissions from trucks serving the port.
S Consider employing equipment strategies based around retrofitting, rebuilding, or replacing
engines and vehicles.
S Consider replacing vehicles that operate within the port with cleaner alternatives such as
electric or hybrid vehicles to reduce emissions.
S Consider electrification of stationary cranes to reduce emissions.
S Encourage carriers to join voluntary programs such as SmartWay.
2.2 Operational emissions reduction strategies
Another way to reduce air emissions from trucks is to implement operational strategies. These
can include:
SmartWay Partnership
The EPA SmartWay Partnership provides
information on best practices for saving fuel and
reducing emissions for truck carriers, rail carriers,
and shippers. The partnership publishes information
on best practices and certifies the effectiveness of
some vehicle technologies. The partnership
provides information on a wide range of
technological and operational strategies. For
example, some of the strategies promoted by the
partnership for truck carriers include:
•	Wide-based tires
•	Weight reduction
•	Low viscosity lubricants
•	Speed reduction
•	Driver training
•	Idle reduction
•	Automatic tire inflation systems
•	Improved freight logistics
•	Improved aerodynamics
•	Hybrid power trains
•	Longer combination vehicles
91 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "SmartWay," EPA.gov, accessed 2017, https://www.epa.gov/smartwav.
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¦	Idle reduction policies - such as reducing truck wait times in the port or restrictions on
truck idling. Reduced wait times may be achieved by more effectively coordinating and
scheduling pick-up and delivery at the port. In some cases, improved terminal gate
operations can reduce truck queueing and idling at the gate.
¦	Congestion reduction strategies - including improving roadway operations and timing
lights near the port. Reducing empty miles or improved routing of port trucks are strategies
that can reduce truck miles traveled and their associated impacts on the community.
¦	Traffic management measures - such as roadway operations and light timing, are also
important during or in advance of extreme water level events to minimize bottlenecks.
Increasing the size of the port is another way to minimize the bottleneck effect on goods.
¦	Enhanced coordination and information sharing - may allow businesses to more
effectively utilize trucks serving the port, reducing emissions. Improving the operations and
access to intermodal terminals may also provide access to rail capacity that can be used if
barge transportation is disrupted.
¦	Reducing the exposure of sensitive populations to air emissions - another strategy
that can improve human health. In urban areas, changes in truck routes (that are
established by regulation) could reduce exposure of residential populations and improve
human health, even if they do not reduce total emissions.
Ports should consider how operational strategies may need to change under an extreme water
level scenario and develop a plan for implementing such changes.
Ports should identify the strategies that are most appropriate for their environment. While some
of these strategies can be directly implemented by the port, others will require coordination
between the port, the private sector, and/or local government.
S Identify alternative routes for truck traffic to limit congestion and noise pollution in near-port
communities.
S Identify operational strategies that are appropriate for the port such as idle reduction
policies, congestion reduction strategies, and traffic management measures.
S Identify strategies to improve coordination and information sharing among businesses that
utilize trucks at the port.
S Consider if alternative operational strategies are needed under extreme water level
scenarios.
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3. Environment and human health
In addition to air emissions, there are a number of other environmental, human health, and
economic impacts that could occur due to low and high water events at ports. Mitigating these
potential impacts can improve the resilience of the port. Example strategies include:
¦	Implementing an Environmental Management System (EMS) could help ports identify
and mitigate the full spectrum of environmental risks. Through an EMS, ports can engage in
a systematic process of assessing and documenting their environmental risks, reporting this
information to stakeholders, and engaging in a process of continuous improvement. An EMS
would cover noise, water, air, and solid waste environmental impacts.
¦	Updating processes for disposing of silt after floods could reduce the environmental
impacts of flooding. When a river floods, it deposits large amounts of silt, which may be
contaminated with hazardous chemicals. Environmental regulations prevent the silt from
being deposited back in the river, and cleanup is expensive. Streamlining the process of
post-flood cleanup could be helpful to reduce costs and speed recovery. Alternatively, more
funds could be allocated toward dredging and beach nourishment programs to help speed
recovery. Changes in environmental regulations and available government funding would be
primarily driven by government agencies, however ports could still take action to streamline
their cleanup process and re-allocate available funds.
¦	Reviewing and ensuring the reliability of flood pumps (where applicable) is another
strategy that can improve resilience. For some ports, such as the Port of Memphis,
backwater pumps are 50 or more years old, and replacement parts may not be easily
available if they were to malfunction. Port authorities should also ensure that pumping
stations have adequate backup power sources. Port communities would be better protected
against flooding if they have replacement parts and backup power ready to respond during
an event.
¦	Increasing coordination with the USACE and the Coast Guard may also serve to make
ports more resilient. The USACE and the Coast Guard manage water levels and traffic on
the Mississippi River and other rivers. Improved coordination—such as regular
communication, open communication lines, or periodic meetings—could improve ports'
ability to cope with fluctuating river levels. For example, river level variability could be driven
as much by river management as by weather events. Enhancing communication would
allow ports to provide their input to river management decisions.
¦	Similarly, increasing communication and coordination with community stakeholders
would also serve to make ports more resilient. Community-level actions, such as community
waste management activities to reduce debris build-up, help to increase both the port and
the community's resilience to flooding. Therefore, it is important for ports to connect with
community stakeholders. Other actions include holding a forum or distributing materials to
educate community members about potential impacts during an extreme water level event
and increasing access to health facilities and services to help reduce air quality impacts on
residents.
¦	Improving river management is another resilience strategy, but may require additional
research on the relative contributions of river management and weather events to river level
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variability. Port stakeholders involved with the Port of Memphis study identified this as an
issue on the Mississippi. For example, river levels in Memphis are influenced by what
happens upstream, including weather events (snow, rainfall, drought, etc.), but also river
management decisions such as whether to store or release water in reservoirs. River
management decisions can also help smooth out the impacts of weather changes and
maintain river levels at a predictable stage. Port stakeholders identified a research need to
determine how river management and weather events have each contributed to the recent
increase in river level variability in Memphis. This knowledge could help inform decisions
about whether and how river management may need to adapt to a changing climate.
¦	Implementing ecosystem enhancements is another way to mitigate extreme water level
impacts on the port while simultaneously strengthening the resilience of the local
ecosystem. Port or community stakeholders could implement ecosystem adaptation
strategies such as wetland restoration, which can help increase port and community
resilience to flooding. Ports can strengthen wetland protection by implementing wetland
management programs to ensure the distribution, diversity, and health of wetland
ecosystems. Sustainable land use and development is another strategy for increasing flood
protection while minimizing ecosystem impacts. Sustainable land use and development
projects, for example, could actively consider and avoid drainage overflow or slope
destabilization. Coastal ports could implement additional ecosystem-based adaptation
strategies, including beach nourishment, coral reef protection, mangrove protection, and
other ecosystem restoration efforts.92
¦	Increasing the availability of river pilots could help to ensure the economic resilience of
ports. Demand for experienced river pilots exceeds supply, particularly in times of extreme
high or low water levels. The training time required to become a river pilot has increased
and many river pilots have left because of medical issues, resulting in a decline of pilots
working in the industry. There may be a need for ports to increase the supply of river pilots,
whether through outreach to encourage more people to enter the profession, or changing
training requirements. This would help ensure that labor shortage would not disrupt barge
operations during low and high-water events.
¦	Ensuring emergency power generators meet the most stringent emissions standards
to minimize potential decrease in port community air quality during grid power failure.
¦	Joining the EPA Ports Initiative, which brings together port stakeholders to develop
recommendations for a voluntary ports program, the goal of which is to encourage strategies
that produce emissions reductions and improve air quality in a meaningful way. The Ports
Initiative offers technical resources, collaboration resources, and best practices for port
operations.93
In general, port stakeholders should work together to proactively document risks to the port.
How susceptible are local businesses to disruptions in the port? Are there changes that can be
made to supply chain management to mitigate these risks? By understanding risk, stakeholders
92	United Nations Environment Programme, "Linking Ecosystems Risk and Vulnerability Reduction: The Case of Jamaica/' Risk
and Vulnerability Assessment Methodology Development Project (RiVAMP), United Nations Environment Programme, Geneva,
2010, http://postconflict.unep.ch/publications/RiVAMP.pdf.
93	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Ports Initiative," EPA.gov, accessed July 2017, http://www.epa.gov/ports-initiative.
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can improve the management of port operations, private sector businesses, and public
organizations to enhance the resilience of the port.
Checklist
S Consider implementing an EMS to comprehensively document all environmental risks.
S Identify vulnerabilities in the systems, procedures, and equipment needed to respond to
floods.
S Work proactively to implement strategies such as ensuring that adequate backup power and
spare parts are available for pumps.
S Research relative contributions of river management and weather events to river level
variability and improve communication about river management.
S Increase communication and work proactively with stakeholders, businesses, and
community members to implement strategies to improve resilience.
4. Economy
Strategies to create a more resilient economy can be based on diversification of the freight
transportation system and economic activity. Port regions whose economies are dominated by
relatively few industries dependent on barge transportation are likely to be less resilient than
those that have economic activity diversified across many economic sectors. In addition, diverse
freight transportation options, including intermodal and rail transportation options, can help to
reduce the impacts of barge transport disruptions. A resource to help communities assess their
economic vulnerability to climate change and improve their economic resilience is the Planning
Framework for a Climate-Resilient Economy, which includes a pilot study conducted in
Kingstown, Rhode Island.94
Knowledge of supply chains and how industry uses transportation should form the basis of a
long-term economic strategy. Port regions may find that they need to conduct research to obtain
a better understanding of the economic impacts of extreme weather events. For example,
flooding on industrial land or access roads can cause significant damage, impose large
economic cost to existing land and property, and disrupt business activity. While some research
has been done in this area, more research is needed on how supply chains respond to
disruptions caused by extreme water levels. This effort could include research on mode shifts
and the extent to which they occur under extreme water level scenarios. It may be possible to
use existing data from continuous traffic counters to get a better sense of how much freight is
being diverted to trucks during extreme water level events. If diversions are common or
important in magnitude, then research into social and environmental impacts could follow.
94 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Planning Framework for a Climate-Resilient Economy," EPA.gov, last updated May 5,
2016, https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/planning-framework-climate-resilient-economv.
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In many cases ports may be separated from the local community and "out of sight, out of mind,"
for most residents. An educational program about the value of the port to the community and the
vulnerabilities it faces due to extreme water levels could increase the political will to implement
strategies to improve port resilience.
S Conduct research to better understand the linkage between barge freight transportation and
the economy.
S Consider diversifying trading partners and business lines to lower risk and manage future
uncertainty.
S Consider improving alternative bulk freight transportation options as well as the access of
barge-dependent industries to alternative low-cost transportation options during flooding or
low water events.
S Consider an economic development strategy to diversify the economy. Consult the Planning
Framework for a Climate-Resilient Economy.95
S Consider establishing an educational program for community members that covers the value
of the port, extreme water level vulnerabilities, and strategies to improve resilience.
5. Emergency management
In addition to the aforementioned strategies, port communities will also need to ensure
emergency management plans and procedures account for trends in extreme water levels.
Emergency management can be broken down into three phases, described below: planning,
response, and recovery.
5.1 Planning
Ports need to plan to prepare to handle an emergency such as flooding. Emergency
management planning can occur at different levels including strategic, operational, and tactical.
The definitions below are based on those used by the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) and are relevant to resilience planning.96 Planning for likely or possible future extreme
weather scenarios can make ports and the surrounding community more resilient.
¦ Strategic plans describe how a jurisdiction wants to meet its resilience responsibilities over
the long term. These plans are driven by policy from senior leadership and establish
planning priorities.
95	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Planning Framework for a Climate-Resilient Economy," EPA.gov, last updated May 5,
2016, https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/planning-framework-climate-resilient-economv.
96	Federal Emergency Management Agency, "Developing and Maintaining Emergency Operations Plans," Comprehensive
Preparedness Guide (CPG) 101, Version 2.0, Washington, D.C., 2012, https://www.fema.gov/media-librarv-data/20130726-
1828-25045-
0014/cpg 101 comprehensive preparedness guide developing and maintaining emergency operations plans 2010.pdf.
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¦	Operational plans provide a description of roles and responsibilities, tasks, integration, and
actions required of a jurisdiction or its departments and agencies during emergencies.
Jurisdictions use plans to provide the goals, roles, and responsibilities that a jurisdiction's
departments and agencies are assigned, and to focus on coordinating and integrating the
activities of the many response and support organizations within a jurisdiction. They also
consider private sector planning efforts as an integral part of community based planning,
and to ensure efficient allocation of resources.
¦	Tactical plans focus on managing personnel, equipment, and resources that play a direct
role in an incident response. Pre-incident tactical planning, based on existing operational
plans, provides the opportunity to pre-identify personnel, equipment, exercise, and training
requirements. These gaps can then be filled through various means (e.g., mutual aid,
technical assistance, updates to policy, procurement, contingency leasing).
Planning for high and low water events can make a port and the surrounding community more
resilient. For instance, clearing debris from storm drains before extreme weather ensures the
drainage system has maximum capacity to reduce the impacts of these events. Having the
proper plans in place will also make the response and recovery to events more effective.
Emergency management planning should be informed by assessing port community
vulnerabilities. This process includes a direct analysis of the potential changes in temperature
and weather affecting the waterway and the subsequent economic, environmental, and health
impacts on port operations and the surrounding port community. FEMA 100-year or 500-year
floodplain maps can be used as a starting point to identify potentially impacted areas from major
flood events. This would provide a greater understanding of the port's resilience to climate
change. It is also important to update plans as needed following extreme water level events.
Points of access to the port are of special concern; their consideration could provide insights
into investments and changes to operations and maintenance that may be needed to enhance
resilience. This analysis would also raise awareness on the importance of climate change
impacts to port representatives.
A Superstorm Sandy case study also identified establishing strong communication and
coordination with government entities, public agencies, public and private organizations, and
stakeholders in advance of an emergency as extremely beneficial during response to and
recovery from an event.97 These connections can help facilitate a faster recovery by providing
resources, information, and assistance.
Checklist
S Define emergency management needs with respect to extreme weather events.
S Develop strategic, operational, and tactical plans.
97 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, "Making U.S. Ports Resilient as Part of Extended Intermodal
Supply Chains," The National Academies Press, Washington, D.C., 2014, https://doi.org/10.17226/23428.
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S Evaluate and update plans and maintenance programs as needed in preparation for or in
response to an extreme water level event.
/ Consider points of access to the port under climate conditions to provide insights into
investments, operations and maintenance, and resilience.
Establish strong partnerships between the port, government entities, public agencies, public
and private organizations, and stakeholders in advance of an emergency event.
5.2 Response
Response activities take place during an emergency and include actions taken to save lives and
prevent further property damage both at the port and across the surrounding port community.
Port operations are one component of community emergency response activities. Closing the
port or shutting down some operations prior to equipment operation thresholds being met could
help prevent damage from extreme weather events and decrease worker and community safety
concerns during the extreme event. For example, tying down cranes can help prevent damage
to port equipment, and securing facilities can protect against environmental contamination
during the event.
Response also includes ensuring critical systems like flood pumps continue to operate
throughout the duration of an extreme weather event to protect critical assets and facilities from
flood waters. Ports and port community members at risk of flooding should consider installing
backup generators above flood levels to maintain critical facilities both at the port and in the
community during an event. Interviews with stakeholders at six New York and New Jersey ports
following Superstorm Sandy identified protecting electrical power as a crucial priority during an
emergency extreme weather event.98 Other ways to prevent power failures during extreme
events are proactive engagement with power providers and looking into micro-grid technologies.
Evacuating or rescuing residents or
workers is another critical component of
response during an extreme weather
event such as flooding. Given the
projected increase in the frequency and
severity of extreme weather events, ports
may want to enhance their emergency
evacuation plans in anticipation. Early
flood warning systems and extreme
temperature warnings are another way to
help save lives and prevent further
property damage.
98 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, "Making U.S. Ports Resilient as Part of Extended Intermodal
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Advance flood warnings can give the port and larger community time to prepare and evacuate, if
necessary, in advance of a flood. Additionally, extreme temperature warnings can alert workers
and port community members to heat stress risks so that precautionary measures can be taken
to reduce heat stress such as adjusting construction windows or opening public cooling spaces.
S Evaluate port operations during or in advance of an emergency. Ensure critical systems
remain operational and shut down any non-essential equipment, if necessary.
S Reassess emergency evacuation plans in advance of the next extreme weather event to
ensure the port and surrounding community are prepared.
S Consider establishing warning systems at the port and in the community to reduce risk such
as early flood or extreme temperature warning systems.
5.3 Recovery
The recovery phase of emergency management includes actions taken to return to a normal or
an even safer situation following an emergency. Recovery includes cleanup and getting financial
assistance to help pay for the repairs. Port communities can consider identifying ways to
maintain economic resilience in the face of extreme events such as utilizing displaced personnel
in debris cleanup and other recovery efforts (e.g., port workers whose jobs are not available
until recovery has occurred). Recovery efforts may include cleaning up debris after floods,
repairing or replacing equipment used to operate the port, rebuilding levees, or repairing
roadways and bridges.
S Target recovery investments toward ensuring the resilience of ports, including investing in
such projects as raising access roads or constructing new facilities in locations that are less
S Utilize new public awareness of the vulnerabilities of the port to build consensus for more
investment in resilience, as part of recovery process.
S Reassess and update all emergency management plans given the planning, response, and
recovery experiences of the last emergency event.
Checklist
Checklist
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VI. Step 4 - Develop Institutions and Performance
Measures to Support Resilience Objectives
1. Identify and delineate the sources of funding to invest in
resilience
The predominant source of funding for port resilience is likely to come from port authorities and
the private sector. Ports regularly employ user fees and charges to tenants to fund infrastructure
improvements. Private sector shippers and dock owners also have significant resources
invested in their facilities. If the business case is made for investments in resilience, these
entities may have access to the financial resources to implement them.
Public agencies also have a role to play and public sector sources of funding for inland port
resilience projects are diverse. A wide range of issues can be included under this area,
including transportation infrastructure, environmental issues, economic development,
community impacts, and others. Because resilience encompasses many different issues, the
potential sources of funding for resilience projects are spread across many federal, state, and
local agencies. For example:
¦	The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) might get involved in funding
a program related to disseminating real-time information on weather and water levels, which
could be relevant to effectively managing port operations.
¦	USACE provides funding for dredging projects, maintenance of inland waterway
infrastructure, and management of water levels along important inland waterway routes.
¦	FEMA helps ports plan, respond, and recover from natural disasters such as floods and
hurricanes.
¦	The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has a funding program for intermodal
connectors, which could help fund access road improvements at ports.
¦	EPA helps ports reduce air emissions, clean up hazardous materials sites, improve water
quality, and consider environmental justice, among other activities.
The "Federal Funding Handbook - Marine Transportation System Infrastructure"99 identifies a
number of federal agencies that offer funding programs and grants that could be used by ports.
In addition to those listed above, they include the Economic Development Administration (within
the Department of Commerce), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of
Defense (DOD), and the Department of Transportation (DOT).
In addition to the federal funding sources noted, State DOTs and other agencies, MPOs, and
local governments also fund projects that can help to improve inland port resilience.
99 Committee on the Marine Transportation System, "Federal Funding Handbook: Marine Transportation System
Infrastructure," Washington, D.C., 2013, http://www.cmts.gov/downloads/MTS Funding Handbook (Final).pdf.
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Checklist
S Reach out to private sector funding sources, including private-sector port tenants, port
users, shippers, and port-reliant industrial facilities.
S Consider the full spectrum of possible funding sources for projects that are needed. Broadly
consider potential funding sources across relevant federal, state, and local agencies.
S Assess if there are approaches to funding resilience projects used by other ports that could
be applied in this port or port community.
2. Develop a process to include resilience measures in freight
transportation planning and port infrastructure projects
Improving resilience in port operations will require a sustained effort. Existing vulnerabilities to
extreme weather events already lead to disruptions, and current investment levels are typically
not adequate to eradicate them. Since climate change will likely increase the severity and
duration of extreme events, the magnitude of the problem—and the budget requirements to
address them—will only grow over time. Further, uncertainties associated with how quickly and
severely the climate is changing are problematic from an engineering and operations
perspective in knowing the appropriate timeframe to address changes in extreme weather in a
cost-effective manner.
Building resilience requires adaptive management, in which extreme events and climate change
are considered as an ongoing and integrated part of the capital, operations, and maintenance
programs developed by port authorities, tenants, and other agencies. Climate change needs to
be mainstreamed in existing planning and programmatic processes. If existing processes are
inadequate, they may need to be expanded or modified to ensure that critical risks, including
climate risks, are addressed. For example, a systems approach to adaptive management will
likely be necessary to encompass the many multifaceted aspects of climate impacts on port
operations. This will require inter- and intra-agency cooperation among the various actors that
operate the port—including the port authority, shippers, utilities, and other service providers—
and tenants and users. Coordinated planning processes across these agencies should be
developed if they do not exist.
A full range of potential adaptation measures should be considered in the planning process.
Incorporate ideas and measures from all relevant departments and other agencies where
appropriate. Planning and programmatic processes to consider include:
¦ Asset management, which provides an excellent model for systematic and rigorous data
analysis, can lead to better decisions to address risk. It is a comprehensive approach of
setting performance goals, collecting and analyzing relevant data over the life of the asset,
matching budget requirements to needed investment levels to meet performance goals, and
evaluating performance on a routine basis. It is a process for service and data-driven
decision-making. Where asset management plans and approaches are employed in port
planning and decision-making, climate change considerations and resilience planning
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should be incorporated. For example, potential freight disruptions from high and low water
scenarios can be incorporated into the region's Long Range Transportation Plan.
¦	Capital improvement programs can increase the resilience of the port's infrastructure.
Since not all assets or systems are equally critical to the operation of the port, it is useful to
assess the criticality of subsystems on which port operations heavily depend. This may not
be limited to systems and equipment under the port authority's direct control but may include
interdependent infrastructure services, such as electricity, potable water, transportation, and
communications. Armed with an understanding of critical infrastructure and current and
future vulnerabilities, the port agencies should then consider ways to improve resilience
through capital investment and evaluate those measures for cost, effectiveness, and
feasibility, among other attributes. Not all capital approaches will be cost-effective or
desirable and a complete range of adaptation options should to be considered. Ways to
minimize or manage costs can be very important. Therefore, developing planning processes
that realistically and appropriately consider climate risk when improvements are needed for
rehabilitation or other reasons is a way to strategically invest in resilience.
¦	Operations and maintenance procedures and approaches are equally important to build
resilience. It is important to develop and institutionalize coordinated procedures for
operations during extreme weather to maximize service performance while maintaining
adequate safety levels. This will become even more important as climate change affects the
frequency, magnitude, and duration of extreme weather events. Maintenance budgets can
be significantly affected, and budgeting for a diverse set of conditions over multiple years
can be a particular challenge. For example, extreme heat may require more frequent road
and rail maintenance, but could be very episodic over the long term.
¦	Plans for port expansions and major improvements provide opportunities to account for
climate change. Less sensitive locations for certain operations could be beneficial to
maintaining higher levels of resilience. Design and materials should be chosen with future
conditions and risks in mind. Finally, good planning practices include close coordination with
affected parties and interested stakeholders, including the community, to result in better
resilience and outcomes.
Resources for integrating climate change into engineering and design practices include:
¦	USACE's Engineering and Construction Bulletin 2016-25, Guidance for Incorporating
Climate Change Impacts to Inland Hydrology in Civil Works Studies, Designs, and
Projects100
¦	FHWA's Transportation Engineering Approaches to Climate Resiliency (TEACR) Study101
100	U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, "Guidance for Incorporating Climate Change Impacts to Inland Hydrology in Civil Works
Studies, Designs, and Projects," Engineering and Construction Bulletin 2016-25, Washington, D.C., 2016,
http://www.iwr.usace.armv.mil/Portals/70/docs/Climate%20Chanee/ecb 2016 25.pdf.
101	U.S. Federal Highway Administration, "Transportation Engineering Approaches to Climate Resiliency (TEACR) Study,"
DOT.gov, last updated December 22, 2016,
https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/sustainabilitv/resilience/oneoing and current research/teacr/.
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¦	Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Climate Resilience Design Guidelines102
Resources for integrating climate change into operations and other management systems
include:
¦	FHWA's Climate Change Adaptation Guide for Transportation Systems Management,
Operations, and Maintenance103
¦	ACRP Project 02-74 (active), Integrating Climate Change Risk into Airport Management
Systems104
¦	NCFRP 50 (active), Improving Freight Transportation Resilience in Response to Supply
Chain Disruptions105
Checklist
S Incorporate climate change into existing planning and programmatic processes.
S Consider a full range of potential adaptation measures.
S Ensure planning processes address development of capital improvement programs that
affect the port's infrastructure to make it more resilient.
3. Identify responsible parties for various strategies, and a
process to revisit progress on a continuing basis
In Step 3. a number of strategies were identified to improve resilience. This step involves
creating organizational accountability for these strategies. In order to ensure that the identified
strategies are prioritized for implementation, it is necessary to explicitly assign an organization
and/or specific individual to serve as the champion for the strategy. Identifying these
"responsible parties" and making clear their roles in achieving the resilience program will foster
better leadership. Progress toward implementing the strategies can then be evaluated on a
continuing basis with the responsible parties. It may be the case that some strategies require
coordination and action by multiple organizations, but even in these cases, a lead organization
and person should be identified to take responsibility of coordinating these organizations
through a committee or some other mechanism.
102	Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, "Design Guidelines: Climate Resilience," Port Authority of New York and New
Jersey, last updated January 1, 2015, https://www.panvni.gov/business-opportunities/pdf/discipline-guidelines/climate-
resilience.pdf.
103	U.S. Federal Highway Administration, "Climate Change Adaptation Guide for Transportation Systems Management,
Operations, and Maintenance," FHWA-HOP-15-026, Washington, D.C., 2015,
http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahopl5026/index.htm.
104	Airport Cooperative Research Program, "Integrating Climate Change Risk into Airport Management Systems [Unpublished],"
Transportation Research Board, accessed 2017, http://apps.trb.ore/cmsfeed/TRBNetProiectDisplav.asp?ProiectlD=4020.
105	National Cooperative Freight Research Program, "Improving Freight Transportation Resilience in Response to Supply Chain
Disruptions [Unpublished]," Transportation Research Board, accessed 2017,
http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProiectDisplav.asp?ProiectlD=4069.
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Checklist
S Identify individuals and organizations that are responsible for the strategies that need to be
implemented.
S Establish a schedule to review progress with responsible parties on a continuing basis.
4. Develop indicators of resilience that can be used to measure
progress
Performance measures such as those identified in Step 1.3 can help port and community
managers evaluate whether resilience strategies are effective at achieving the desired goals.
Resilience is an inherently difficult quality to measure, but certain measurable outcomes can
serve as indicators of resilience to help track progress and improve outcomes over time.
These indicators should be directly related to the community's goals, identified in Step 1. The
community should also provide feedback as resilience indicators are identified. Understanding
the definitions of resilience and sustainability can help elucidate appropriate indicators.
Resilience is defined, in part, as a community's ability to withstand and recover from adversity.
In the context of this roadmap, it means a port community's ability to maintain a level of
economic, environmental, and public health, and social functioning—regardless of river water
levels. One way to measure resilience, therefore, would be to measure whether the port
community would have the same (or otherwise acceptable) levels of economic, environmental,
and social functioning at extreme water levels as at normal water levels.
r
continu
t
Sustainability is the capacity for:
•	human health and well being
•	economic vitality and prosperity
•	environmental resource abundance
continuity	fitness
Resilience is the capacity to:
•	overcome unexpected problems
•	adapt to change (e.g., sea level rise)
•	prepare for and survive catastrophes
1
itness
J
Notes
The EPA Office of Environmental Justice,
as well as the Regional EJ Program Office
should be contacted for assistance in incorporating community feedback,
and identifying individuals with regional expertise in developing resilience
metrics.
Checklist
Develop a list of resilience indicators (i.e., performance measures), using community
feedback, for the goals and objectives identified in Step 1.
S Establish processes to collect data and monitor performance of indicators. For example,
identify specific individuals responsible for collecting each indicator.
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S Conduct baseline assessments of performance measures.
S Compile available indicator data and compare them to river levels to determine resilience.
Use the data to identify ways to improve resilience.
S Coordinate with the EPA Office of Environmental Justice, as well as the Regional EJ
Program Office regarding the development of resilience metrics.
VII. Step 5 - Implement Strategies and Evaluate
Progress
1. Implement strategies
Implementing the resilience strategies identified will involve management, coordination, and
execution of all the individual projects identified for implementation. This will likely involve
projects across multiple private and public sector agencies. Actions may be required at different
levels of government—in local governments, metropolitan planning agencies, and state and
federal agencies. In addition, private sector carriers, shippers, and terminal operators may also
be involved.
Implementation may require port stakeholders to obtain funding from multiple sources. It is
important to note that grants of public money may come with their own requirements and
schedules for implementation.
Port stakeholders will need to determine if existing staff can implement the projects required, or
if new staff or outside contractors need to be hired to execute some of the projects. In this
complex organizational environment, maintaining communication between all of the
stakeholders and staff involved in projects to improve resilience will be an important and
challenging task. Improving resilience will require strong leadership to ensure that the goals of
resilience are met, and that resilience projects receive attention and priority in an often crowded
agenda of activities for all of the organizations involved.
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Notes
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Checklist
/ Identify an overall coordinator for resilience strategies and programs.
Determine if port stakeholders need to hire staff or contractors to implement the resilience
strategies.
/ Obtain funding to implement the resilience strategies.
/ Establish protocols for enhancing communication between key stakeholders
h
Economic
Prosperity
^ab/e
Social
Responsibility
Environmental
Quality
2. Continuously evaluate progress
Resilience is an iterative process. Port communities should continuously evaluate their progress
and vulnerabilities. Progress toward achieving resilience goals should be communicated with
port stakeholders, including updating and publishing indicators of resilience. Showing progress
toward goals can help build momentum for the resilience program, and also identify areas that
may need additional attention.
Feedback should be obtained from stakeholders on their experiences implementing resilience
O-O strategies. Based on experience with implementation, port stakeholders can evaluate what
strategies have worked. In addition, comparisons to other inland ports can help identify best
practices. Based on the performance of existing strategies, and experience with implementation,
adjustments and improvements to the resilience program may be necessary.
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Checklist
/ Publicize progress toward resilience goals
arid indicators.
/ Obtain feedback from stakeholders on
implementation.
/' Make adjustments to the resilience
strategies and implementation as necessary.
VIII. Conclusions
Improving the resilience of inland ports and the communities that depend on them will become
increasingly important in the future as water levels become more variable and extreme. These
projections have the potential to disrupt port operations and have broad economic and
community impacts.
Resilience is an especially challenging area because it requires coordination and
communication across multiple stakeholder groups. In addition, resilience incorporates diverse
goals and objectives, including those related to economic performance, human health,
environmental quality, port operations, and community well-being. There is a large array of
possible strategies to address resilience. Identifying the most appropriate and high value
strategies to pursue must be based on the particular operating environment of the port and the
characteristics of the port community.
This roadmap lays out a set of steps to conduct outreach, improve communication and
coordination, define goals, identify strategies, implement strategies, and evaluate them. The
coordination of a resilience program in a complex organizational environment may be the most
challenging aspect. The foundational components of a resilience program will require significant
work to develop, such as bringing diverse stakeholders together to build consensus and a
common understanding of what needs to be done.
Notes
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IX. References
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Baker, Sarah. "The Panama Effect: Canal Expansion Should Spark More Cargo, CRE Demand
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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. "Funding and Managing the U.S.
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us-usa-grain-bargesbre8830wt-20120904 1 barge-northbound-tows-mississippi-river.
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item.cfm?headLine id=1267.
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Risher, Wayne. "Low water causes unusual traffic jam, blocking commerce along Mississippi
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356738301. htm l/?bppw=absolutelv&suppressAds=voubet.
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2, 2011. https://www.pressreader.com/usa/the-commercial-
appeal/20111202/281913064931512.
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i m prove-ag i ng-waterways-6161707.php.
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df.
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U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. "Nonstationarity Detection Tool (NSD) - PROD." US Army
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Yang, John. "Drought Sends Mississippi into 'Uncharted Territory.'" NBC News. August 15,
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Appendix A: Memphis Port Community Needs
Assessment
This Appendix summarizes the results of a community needs assessment related to drought
and flooding events in the port community of Memphis, Tennessee, which was completed as a
research component for the Inland Port Community Resilience Roadmap.
1. Summary
The Port of Memphis, including the port as a whole and specific tenants, is very sensitive to
variability in river levels on the Mississippi. High water levels can cause destructive flooding and
create hazardous safety conditions. Low water levels, alternatively, can restrict freight
throughput and have ripple effects throughout the supply chain. River variability has increased
in recent years, in addition to the frequency and severity of high and low extremes. Whether this
variability is due to changes in weather or due to river management practices is unknown
among Memphis stakeholders.
The risks may be increasing. Changes in the frequency, intensity, and duration of extreme
weather events such as drought and floods appear likely to increase in the future. Extreme
temperatures are expected to increase in the lower Mississippi River basin, which could cause
synergistic impacts with changes in seasonal rainfall and contribute to more frequent and
severe droughts.106 While average rainfall is difficult to predict, more rain will likely fall as heavy
downpours leading to higher flooding potential.107
Though extreme water levels can severely hamper port operations, disruptions at the port are
not perceived in the community at large. This could be because community members have little
visibility into port activities, because freight diversions are made by individual actors at the port
and are not "captured" in data collection, because impacts are not consistent from event to
event, or because impacts are longer-term.
However, port disruptions can cause freight diversion to alternate modes, which in turn can
increase congestion, road degradation, and air pollution. Perhaps most significantly, port
vulnerability to extreme water levels can harm the city's ability to recruit and retain companies to
have operations in Memphis, with clear implications for economic development and jobs in the
community.
Stakeholders in the Memphis area were not able to discern whether port disruptions from
extreme weather caused community social and economic impacts. The extent of diversions to
trucks will likely require concerted study as port tenants and shippers make individual decisions
regarding diversions to truck or rail. Hence congestion and air pollution impacts from extreme
weather are unknown according to focus groups held in Memphis. There are similar
106	Jerry M. Melillo, Terese (T.C.) Richmond, and Gary W. Yohe, "Climate Change Impacts in the United States: The Third
National Climate Assessment," U.S. Global Change Research Program, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.,
2014, doi:10.7930/J0Z31WJ2.
107	Ibid.
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uncertainties about changes in employment, whether temporary or permanent due to extreme
weather. Port officials suggested that extreme events require an "all-hands-on-deck" mentality
and thus they maintain employment levels to address the crisis. Employment data were not
examined for this study and thus the extent to which employment may be affected is unknown.
Stakeholders identified several needs to help improve community resilience to these events,
including additional research needs, specific vulnerabilities to target, and broader policy needs.
2. Community Needs Assessment Process
The community needs assessment included 2-hour workshops with five groups of key
stakeholders:
•	Ports - including representatives from the port authority and private sector port tenants
•	Local Government - including representatives from multiple City of Memphis and
Shelby County departments
•	State and Federal Government - including representatives from numerous state and
federal agencies, including the: such as the Tennessee Department of Environment and
Conservation, Department of Economic and Community Development, and Department
of Health; U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and FEMA
•	Community and NGO - including representatives from local NGOs and community
leaders representing near-port communities
•	Universities - including local academic experts from the University of Memphis,
University of Tennessee, and Vanderbilt University with expertise in ports, public health,
supply chains, and other relevant topics
Separate workshops were held with each group to facilitate candid and detailed dialogue about
resilience needs from each different perspective.
Forty-five individual stakeholders participated in the workshops, in addition to EPA and
contractor staff.
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3. Overview of the Port of Memphis
The Port of Memphis includes five river ports and almost 100 public and private individual
terminals. It provides $8.46 billion
per year to the Shelby County
economy, supports over 20,000
jobs, and moved 12.1 million tons
of cargo in 2010. The river ports
include the International Port of
Memphis and three ports in
Arkansas as well as the Port of
Gates. The International Port of
Memphis handles more than 90%
of the traffic. It is the United
States' fourth largest inland port,
handling cargoes like tar,
petroleum, cement, asphalt, coal,
steel, fertilizers, salt, rock and
gravel, and grains. Almost all of
the industries included in the
International Port of Memphis are
based on President's Island.
The International Port of Memphis
contains five public terminals with
11 berths. The public terminals
are located at McKeller
Lake/Presidents Island, Rivergate
Harbor, West Memphis Harbor,
Fullen Dock and Warehouse, and
Wolf River Harbor. The Fullen
Dock and Warehouse is the only
terminal in the International Port ol
and trucks.108
Petroleum products (3.1 million tons) accounted for one quarter of all cargoes in the Port of
Memphis and included almost 1.2 million tons of receipts and over 1.6 million tons of shipments.
Food and farm products handled in the Port of Memphis were almost equal (also 22%) to coal at
2.6 million tons, including 588 thousand tons of receipts and almost two million tons of
shipments. The port handled almost 1.8 million tons (15% of total) of crude materials, including
over 1.6 million tons of sand, gravel, rock, and stone. The Port of Memphis handled more than
1.2 million tons (10%) of chemicals and related products
108 World Port Source, "Port of Memphis," World Port Source, 2015,
http://www.worldportsource.com/ports/commerce/USA TN Port of Memphis 1805.php.
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Port of j
Memphis
Fullm
Docks
Memphis
International
Airport
Figure 8: Port of Memphis overview (source: Port of Memphis,
2012, Port of Memphis Brochure, available at:
http://portofmemphis.com/pdfs/Port%20of%20Memphis%20Broc
hure%202012.pdf)
Memphis that directly loads containers to and from barges
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The Memphis & Shelby County Port facilities are served by five Class I railroad carriers, two
barge fleeting services, and a multitude of barge and truck transportation services. The port
facility has immediate access to interstate 40 and 55 and is located less than 15 minutes from
Memphis International Airport.
4. Impacts of High and Low Water
The Port of Memphis has experienced significant impacts from drought and flooding conditions
in the recent past. Significant droughts have occurred in 1988 and 2012. The 2012 event
disrupted shipping, closed the public terminal operated by Kinder Morgan, stranded hundreds of
barges when the river was closed, and caused Ingram Barge to cut its shipping volume by 40
percent.
The Mississippi River has experienced two 300- to 500-year floods over the past 20 years. One
of these events in 2011 resulted in a mile-long and half-mile wide gash down the center of
President's Island, costing $9 million to repair. It also precipitated a $20 million investment by
USACE to reconstruct the river bank.
Port of Memphis stakeholders and river gauge records indicate that river levels on the lower
Mississippi have become increasingly variable over time. In addition to year-to-year variability
(Figure 9), in recent years river levels have fluctuated up to 3 feet within a single day, and 7-8
feet over two days (Figure 10).
Variability in river levels disrupts port operations. When river levels are too low, barges need to
reduce their tonnage in order to navigate the river. Displaced goods must then either wait out
the low water period or be moved onto alternate modes of transportation, such as rail or truck.
High water situations can flood port facilities, damage cargo, and create safety risks for port
workers.
Port officials and tenants report that upriver management of the Mississippi River has become
increasingly variable by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and Coast Guard. They
feel that daily river fluctuations have effectively doubled from approximately 1.5 feet to
approximately 3-4 feet, making operations more difficult. They felt that water management had
become more difficult for these agencies due to increasing water needs upriver from recreation
and riverside development. They acknowledged that weather events may play some role, but
could not state the extent to which daily fluctuations were due to changes in management
versus changes in rainfall and drought. Port representatives reported that addressing river
changes was a daily challenge and that business-as-usual operations were conceptually
relevant, but rarely realized. For their part, the federal agencies reported that the Mississippi
River was well managed, including the impacts of extreme weather events and gave the
impression that disruptions at the Port were controllable.
Impacts of variable water levels on the port have subtle effects on the broader community.
Immediate effects may not be noticeable, but concerns about the river's reliability can harm
Memphis' economic development and ability to recruit and retain industries.
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Mississippi River Flood Gauge at Memphis - Yearly Record High and Low
Level
10
-20
1930 1940	1950 1960 1970 1980	1990 2000 2010
Action Stage	Flood Stage	^^™Moderate Flood Stage
^^"Major Flood Stage	9 Annual Low Water Records	> Annual River Crest Records
Figure 9: Annual high and low river levels, Mississippi River at Memphis, 1927-2016 (chart developed by ICF using
data from National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service, Mississippi River at Memphis (MEMT1)
120-day Hydrograph, Mississippi River at Memphis
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¦Moderate Flood Stage
•Major Flood State
Figure 10: Hourly river levels (120-day period, 10/1/2014-7/21/2015) (data source: USGS National Water Information
System, Mississippi River at Memphis)
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4.1 Low Water Impacts
4.1.1 Effects at the Port
Changes in Goods Movement
Stakeholders at the Port of Memphis—including the port authority and several major private
sector port tenants—indicate that port operations are highly sensitive to variable and extreme
water levels on the river.
In low water situations, the Mississippi River has less capacity to handle freight. Barges must
reduce their loads and the number of barges that can pass through the river at a given time can
be restricted.
When freight cannot pass on the river, shippers have
several options, including: wait until water levels rise,
divert freight to an alternate port or river, divert freight
to rail, or divert freight to truck. Some industries, like oil
refining, can only move product by barge (because it is
too large or requires specialized containers to transport
by any other means), so refineries are forced to limit
production until the product can be moved.
The decisions about how to move individual units of
cargo rest with the product owners and depend on
several factors—many of which may be changing in
real-time during a low water event. Relevant
considerations include:
¦	Time-sensitivity of delivery (including perishable
goods)
¦	Global prices for the product
¦	Capacity of alternate modes
¦	Prices on alternate modes (e.g., rail, freight)
¦	Availability of infrastructure to support transfer
Thus, the outcomes of goods movements may vary from one low water situation to the next.
Economic Impacts
For most industries in Memphis, low water events and associated freight disruptions increase
industries' operating costs. Alternate modes of shipping are more expensive than barges during
"business as usual" situations, and even more so in low water situations when demand for rail
and truck transportation is higher.
Some terminals, such as the Kinder Morgan terminal, simply cannot operate in low water
situations because barges cannot reach their docks. During the 2012-2013 low water event,
Kinder Morgan entered force majeure and was out of service for nine months.
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Implications of Low Water
Levels for Freight Movement
•	For every one inch of lost
water, each barge is unable to
move 17 tons of cargo*
•	Typical tow on the Lower
Mississippi is 30-45 barges,
meaning decreased capacity of
up to 765 tons for 1 inch of lost
water
•	Cargo capacity (dry tons):*
o Barge: 1,750 tons
o Rail car: 110 tons
o Truck: 25 tons
'Inland Waterways User Board, 2004
"Texas Transportation Institute (TTI), A
Modal Comparison of Domestic Freight
Transportation Effects on the General Public:
2001-2009, prepared by TTI Center for Ports
and Waterways for the National Waterways
Foundation, 2012
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Some industries, such as marine services—which provide refueling and move barges in and out
of the port—see increased revenues during low water events.
Economic impacts vary by industry, as shown below.
¦	Goods Owners: Increased cost to ship goods
¦	Port Tenants and Users: Increased labor costs,
overtime
¦	Terminals: Reduced freight movements, decreased
revenues
¦	Towing Companies: Increased operating costs
¦	Marine Services: Increased activities, revenues
These increased costs and market inefficiencies get
passed down and distributed across the national and
global economies.
4.1.2 Effects in the Community
Economic
Low water conditions on the Mississippi, in general and at the Port of Memphis specially, cause
supply chain disruptions that have far-reaching economic implications. However, immediate
economic implications in the Memphis community may be limited—or may be unnoticeable
beyond the boundaries of President's Island without directed study.
Extreme water levels—low or high—can have long-term economic implications for the
community. Stakeholders from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community
Development, City of Memphis, Shelby County, and the Port of Memphis stressed that the
resilience of the port to extreme water levels is critical for industry recruitment and retention in
the Memphis area. High and low water levels that inhibit goods movement and port operation
can damage Memphis' reputation as a reliable transportation hub. Industries choosing not to
establish operations in Memphis or existing industries choosing to leave would devastate the
local economy. The Port of Memphis contributes an estimated $8.46 billion per year to the
Shelby County economy, along with over 20,000 jobs.109
Social
When cargo does get displaced onto trucks, it can increase traffic congestion, road and bridge
deterioration, and diesel emissions, degrading air quality and causing associated health effects
such as decreased lung function, increased heart attacks, and exacerbated asthma. Up to 70
trucks are needed to carry the freight of one barge.110 Texas Transportation Institute estimated
that the hypothetical diversion of current waterway freight traffic to the nation's highways would
Timing of Low Water Impacts
Harvest season (August-
October) is the busiest time of
year for the Lower Mississippi as
grain and other agricultural
products make their way down
river. Low water levels during
the harvest season would have
much larger economic
disruptions than low water at
other times of the year.
109	Memphis and Shelby County Port Commission, "The Economic Impact of the Port of Memphis on the Memphis and Shelby
County Economy," prepared by Younger Associates for the Memphis and Shelby County Port Commission, August 2014.
110	C. James Kruse, Annie Protopapas, and Leslie Olson, "A Modal Comparison of Domestic Freight Transportation Effects on the
General Public: 2001-2009," Texas Transportation Institute, February 2012,
http://www.nationalwaterwavsfoundation.ore/studv/FinalReportTTI.pdf.
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add 742 combination trucks (to the current 887) per day per lane on a typical rural interstate.
Cost to ship goods via rail would also likely increase.111
Diversions to truck traffic would likely be accompanied by increases in oxides of nitrogen (NOx)
and particulate matter (both PM-2.5 and PM-10). Memphis has been designated by the EPA as
nonattainment for ozone (the product of a reaction between NOx and hydrocarbons on warm,
sunny days) but not for Particulate Matter. Increases in NOx could lead to higher levels of ozone
pollution. Higher concentrations of particulate matter could result in a designation of
nonattainment depending on how close to the standard the Memphis area is already. But even
without a nonattainment designation by EPA, areas of high PM concentration, also known as
"hotspots", can have significant health impacts.
Stakeholders in Memphis, however, were unable to identify whether any of these outcomes had
occurred in Memphis in recent low water periods, such as in 2012. High volumes of truck traffic
- even in "normal" times - disproportionately affect neighborhoods in South Memphis, bordered
by both Interstate 240 and Interstate 55. South Memphis is a low income, majority African
American neighborhood with a high prevalence of childhood asthma. One stakeholder reported
on the impacts of truck traffic on south Memphis. He cited potential health impacts from truck
emissions and social disruption due to truck congestion but did not know if incremental truck
traffic expanded during low water events.
This may be, in part, because Memphis has high baseline levels of truck traffic. Three interstate
segments in the region have over 14,000 trucks per day, and several other non-interstate
segments carry over 7,000 trucks per day.112 Of these, several have volume to capacity (V/C)
ratios nearing or exceeding 1, meaning they are highly congested. Figure 11 shows a map of
truck traffic and highway congestion in the Memphis area. Yellow shading indicates a highway
segment has a V/C ratio greater than 1, meaning traffic volume exceeds capacity.
111	Texas Transportation Institute (TTI), A Modal Comparison of Domestic Freight Transportation Effects on the General Public:
2001-2009, prepared by TTI Center for Ports and Waterways for the National Waterways Foundation, 2012
112	Memphis MPO, Direction 2040: Direction 2040: Long Range Transportation Plan, "Chapter 4: Existing Conditions and Needs
Assessment," Memphis Metropolitan Planning Organization, 2014
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Crittenden
Shelby
Tunica
Central Business District
Mem phis Study Area	,
x-MMnitLckvokm	Memphis MPO Area 2040 LRTP
2010 Model V/C Ratio
Memphis MPO Area 2040 LRTP
2010 Model V/C Ratio
Crittenden
Central Business District
Crittenden
Tunica
Memphis Study Area
Figure 11 Interstate (above) and non-interstate (below) truck traffic congestion. Red dots indicate the "top 15"
segments in the Memphis area by truck traffic volume. Yellow and red shading indicate segments with V/C ratios > 1.
Source: Memphis MPO, 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan, Figure 4.34.
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Low water events which strand barges and reduce port activity could result in lower community
employment levels, reduce income, and have undesirable social impacts on the community.
Port officials recognized the potential but stated that retention of well-trained employees was
more important than short term reductions in labor costs. They also described low water (and
high water) situations as times when it was necessary to have full employment to deal with the
crisis at hand. Low water events can result in unusual conditions that require more labor, such a
stranded barges or attempting to load under low water conditions. City and county officials, and
community leaders were not cognizant of any employment changes from extreme weather.
They did not dispute the impacts reported by the Port representatives. While changes in
employment during extreme weather events may occur, it may be necessary to verify them
through data collection and analysis, since the perceptions of community and city
representatives may be too general in nature to discern any such impacts.
4.2 High Water Impacts
High water levels on the Mississippi River (flood stage is defined at 34 feet) can cause flooding
along its banks and those of its tributaries in the Memphis area—including the Wolf River,
Loosahatchie River, and Nonconnah Creek.
4.2.1 Effects at the Port
Flooding can damage cargo, electronic equipment, and port facilities if water reaches them. The
river can also deposit extensive debris and silt that requires cleanup. For example, in 2011
water levels reached 48 feet. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) estimates this flood has an
annual exceedance probability (AEP) of 0.4%, or about a 1-in-250 year flood.113 The flooding
was extensive in the Memphis area, including in President's Island (Figure 12). The flooding
caused $9 million of damage to President's Island in erosion and structural damage to the island
itself.114 Several port facilities and some cargo were damaged.
113	Daniel G. Driscoll, Rodney E. Southard, Todd A. Koenig, David A. Bender, and Robert R. Holmes, Jr., "Annual exceedance
probabilities and trends for peak streamflows and annual runoff volumes for the Central United States during the 2011
floods," U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1798-D, Reston, VA, 2014, http://dx.doi.ore/10.3133/ppl798D.
114	Wayne Risher, "Port of Memphis needs $9 million for flood fix," Commercial Appeal, December 2, 2011,
https://www.pressreader.com/usa/the-commercial-appeal/20111202/281913Q64931512.
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Figure 12. Peak flood inundation, 2011 Mississippi River Flood — preliminary map (source: David Ladd, USGS TN
Water Science Center, 7/29/11)
High water can also reduce access to President's Island and Pidgeon Industrial Park. City
government officials noted that in 2011, roads to Pidgeon Industrial Park flooded, so the city had
to add material to elevate the road base in order for employees to get to work. Both areas have
little redundancy in terms of access, so flooding on those access roads (I-55 and Jack Carley
Causeway for President's Island, and Paul R Lowry Road for Pidgeon Industrial Park). Other
access issues were hinted at but not directly expressed highlighting the potential need for a
vulnerability analysis that includes access points.
High water levels also pose a threat to the health and safety of employees working at docks and
on barges. At high water, the river flows more quickly, which can create dangerous conditions
and fleet breakaways.
Finally, damage to terminal facilities and fast-moving water can also shut down port operations
and disrupt commerce on the river. For example, in 2011, the U.S. Coast Guard closed a 15-
mile stretch of the river to reduce pressure on the levees, which caused an estimated $300
million in economic losses per day.115 As in low water situations, river closures or terminal
disruptions can cause goods to shift to alternate transportation modes, though the precise
outcomes are variable.
115 John Manners-Bell, "Supply Chain Risk: Understanding Emerging Threats to Global Supply Chains," Kogan Page Publishers,
2011, p. 96.
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4.2.2 Effects in the Community
Stakeholders indicate that flooding at the port does not directly affect the community at large
(with the exception of harming potential business recruiting, as discussed above). Memphis and
surrounding areas are largely protected by levees which have not been breached by recent
events. Nonetheless, flooding does directly affect the community during high water events, and
floodwaters—particularly in Frasier, Millington, and North Memphis—can damage homes and
businesses. High waters on the Mississippi effectively back up other rivers and streams that
feed into it. City, county and community representatives report that flood control measures have
been rendered less effective by damage from previous floods and debris. Such floods have
numerous economic, health, and social consequences, and were of considerable concern to
city, county and community representatives, but are not the focus of this study.
It is possible that Port activities would increase during high water events, leading to increases in
diesel emissions in the immediate vicinity. No stakeholders reported this as a concern. Given
the attainment status for PM of the Memphis area, however, hotspot pollution may still be a
cause for concern at the Port.
Port representatives reported that high water conditions can cause employment to increase, as
loading and unloading may become more difficult and Port operations can increase. In
particular, the need for trained personnel on barges increase and the costs increase since
demand is high and the supply of trained and certified pilots is relatively fixed. As in the case of
low water conditions, changes in employment due to high water were generally not noticed by
city, county, and community representatives interviewed. This may be due to the fact that such
changes are small in comparison to overall employment levels, or that the interviewees were
simply unaware of these impacts.
5. Potential Impacts of Climate Change
According to the Third National Climate Assessment (NCA), the incidence and severity of both
droughts and floods could increase over the next 50 to 100 years. Short-term (seasonal or
shorter) droughts are expected to intensify in most U.S. regions, including the lower Mississippi
region. Longer-term droughts are expected to intensify in large areas including the Southeast,
and annual runoff and related river-flow are projected to decline in the Southeast.116
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers commissioned a series of literature reviews on climate
change potentially affecting operations in various river basins. In Region 8, the lower Mississippi
River basin, they reported on Joetzjer et al. (2013) who compared drought indices calculated
using historical data and General Circulation Model (GCM) projections.117 Using an ensemble
projection from five GCMs, Joetzjer et al. found significant increases in the frequency and areal
extent of droughts (of at least 12 month duration) in the region, for the majority of modeled
116	Jerry M. Melillo, Terese (T.C.) Richmond, and Gary W. Yohe, "Climate Change Impacts in the United States: The Third
National Climate Assessment," U.S. Global Change Research Program, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.,
2014, doi:10.7930/J0Z31WJ2.
117	E. Joetzjer, H. Douville, C. Delire, P. Ciais, B. Decharme, and S. Tyteca, "Hydrologic benchmarking of meteorological drought
indices at interannual to climate change timescales: A case study over the Amazon and Mississippi river basins," Hydrology
and Earth System Sciences 17, (2013): 4885-4895, doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-4885-2013.
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scenarios, for the latter half of the 21st century. These results reflect the impacts of projected
temperature and extreme temperature increases.
The NCA also cites the potential for increased flooding. "Inland waterways may well experience
greater floods, with high flow velocities that are unsafe for navigation and that cause channels to
shut down intermittently. Numerous studies indicate increasing severity and frequency of
flooding throughout much of the Mississippi and Missouri River Basins." The Ohio River basin
which feeds the lower Mississippi River is projected to experience increases in overall annual
precipitation as well as in the heaviest rainfall events (the 90th percentile of all events)
according to the US Geological Survey National Climate Change Viewer.118 The heaviest rainfall
events would increase by 6.2% under a moderate emissions scenario (RCP 4.5) and by 13.1%
under a high emissions scenario (RCP 8.5) by the end of the century.
The USACE literature review also indicates increases, albeit relatively small, in the number in
the number of high (>10 mm) precipitation days for the region, the number of storm events
greater than the 95th percentile of the historical record, and the daily precipitation intensity index
(annual total precipitation divided by number of wet days).119 Voisin et al. (2013) looked at
results in the Upper Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio River regions (the Ohio River region
includes Water Resources Region 5 as well as Water Resources Region 6, the Tennessee
Region). Results include simulated average monthly flows for the Ohio River at Metropolis, IL
(Figure 3.18), indicating an increase in future streamflow.120
While the Mississippi River is highly managed, changes in heavy precipitation events leading to
flooding, along with the potential for increased droughts could exacerbate challenges to existing
operations at the Port of Memphis. These events could also create further disruptions in the
social and economic conditions within the surrounding community.
6. Needs Identified
Stakeholders in Memphis identified several needs that, if met, could help improve community
resilience to extreme water levels on the Mississippi. Surprisingly, few needs requiring
investment for resilience were identified. Other investment needs would probably surface if
examined more explicitly. Several research needs were identified to understand the impacts of
extreme weather on Port operations, and resulting economic and social effects.
Needs Requiring Investment
Increase port access redundancy. Flooding can block access to President's Island and
Pidgeon Industrial Park because each only have one primary access route. Protection of those
118	Calculated from the USGS National Climate Change Viewer (see
http://www.usgs.gov/climate_landuse/clu_rd/apps/nccv_viewer.asp). The results reported here are from the "mean model,"
which provides the ensemble projections of 30 General Circulation Models.
119	U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, "Recent US Climate Change and Hydrology Literature Applicable to US Army Corps of
Engineers Missions: Lower Mississippi Region 08," U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, September 1, 2015,
http://www.corpsclimate.us/docs/rccvarreports/USACE REGION 08 Climate Change Report CWTS-2015-01 Lo.pdf.
120	Ibid.
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existing access routes (through flood barriers or elevation) or the creation of redundant access
routes would increase the port's resilience to flooding events and allow port staff and
emergency responders to access the area. It may be necessary to first conduct additional
research to identify where redundant access is needed.
Use flexible infrastructure, where possible. Individual port facilities in Memphis have begun
to make capital investments to increase their resilience to variable water levels. Infrastructure
that can function regardless of water levels—or at least in a wider range of water levels—such
as floating docks and flexible conveyors are more resilient to river fluctuations and extremes.
Increase rail capacity. Extreme water levels have far-reaching economic consequences when
the freight cannot be cheaply or easily transported by other means. One possible way to
mitigate these impacts is to incentivize excess or redundant rail capacity that can absorb barge
cargo when necessary.
Operational Needs
Increase coordination between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Coast Guard,
and the Port of Memphis. USACE and the Coast Guard manage water levels and traffic on the
Mississippi River. Stakeholders at the Port of Memphis indicated that improved coordination—
such as regular communication, open communication lines, or periodic meetings—could
improve their ability to cope with fluctuating river levels. For example, port stakeholders felt that
river level variability could be driven by river management rather than by weather events, and
wanted their needs heard before river management decisions are made.
Document and track impacts. Data were not available to answer the questions of whether the
2011 flood event or 2012 drought increased truck traffic, road degradation, pollutant emissions,
asthma-related hospitalizations, or other negative outcomes. The city could monitor these
conditions over time and correlate them with river levels to inform decision-making. Monitors
can also help improve situational awareness and improve response during events.
Increase availability of river pilots. Demand for experienced river pilots exceeds supply,
particularly in times of extreme high or low water levels. The training time required to become a
river pilot has increased and many river pilots have left because of medical issues, meaning the
industry is losing numbers. Port stakeholders indicated a need to increase the supply of river
pilots, whether through outreach to encourage more people to enter the profession, or changing
training requirements.
Update processes for disposing of silt after floods. When the river floods, it deposits large
amounts of silt that could be contaminated with hazardous chemicals. Environmental
regulations prevent the silt from being deposited back in the river, and cleanup is expensive.
City, county, and port stakeholders suggested that streamlining the process of post-flood
cleanup would be helpful to reduce costs and speed recovery.
Ensure reliability of city flood pumps. Stakeholders with the City of Memphis and Shelby
County noted that the city's backwater pumps are working well, but 50-70 years old, so
replacement parts are not easily available if it were to malfunction. In addition, the Ensley
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pumping station has no backup power source. The city would be better protected against
flooding if they had replacement parts and backup power ready to respond during an event.
Incorporate potential freight disruptions from high and low water into the region's Long
Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). The Memphis MPO's LRTP includes a chapter on freight
"existing conditions and needs assessment." If extreme water levels are projected to occur more
frequently, the MPO may need to incorporate scenarios where freight is limited through the port
into their long-range planning.
Adopt floodplain management best practices. Practices such as building above the base
flood elevation, stream abatement, elevating and securing backup generators, drainage
maintenance, and others can reduce flooding vulnerabilities across the community, including
and beyond the port. Clearing debris from storm drains was cited as a particular example.
Research Needs
Research relative contributions of river management and weather events to river level
variability. River levels in Memphis are influenced by what happens upstream—including,
weather events (snow, rainfall, drought, etc.), but also river management decisions such as
whether to store or release water in reservoirs. River management decisions can also help
smooth out the impacts of weather changes and seek to maintain river levels at a predictable
stage. Port stakeholders identified a research need to determine how river management and
weather events have each contributed to the recent increase in river level variability in Memphis.
This knowledge could help inform decisions about whether and how river management may
need to adapt to a changing climate.
Conduct a vulnerability analysis of the Port of Memphis to future extreme weather. Direct
analysis of the potential changes in temperature and weather affecting the Lower Mississippi, as
well as the Ohio and Upper Mississippi, River basins—and their impacts on Port operations—
would provide a greater understanding of the Port's resilience to climate change. Points of
access to the Port would be of special concern. It could provide insights into needed
investments, and change to operations and maintenance, to enhance resilience. It would also
raise awareness on the importance of climate change to Port representatives some of whom
considered climate change to be of negligible concern.
Research economic impacts of variable water levels. Port representatives and others felt
that a better understanding of the economic impacts of extreme weather events was necessary.
Some research has been done in this area but more is needed. In particular, the disruption to
supply chains is not understood, and a better understanding would identify the criticality of
improving the resilience of Port operations.
Examine diversions to truck and rail during extreme weather events. None of the
interviewees were able to provide a sense of the extent to which diversions to truck and rail
occur during extreme weather. As such, the social and economic impacts of such diversions are
unknown. If diversions are common or important in magnitude, then research into social and
economic impacts should follow. Specific examinations into congestion and emissions levels at
potentially sensitive locations, such as south Memphis, could be examined.
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Increase community awareness of the Port of Memphis' economic and social impacts
and vulnerabilities. Several stakeholders—within and beyond the port—expressed that many
Memphians have limited awareness of the port, its economic impacts, and the community
implications of port disruptions. Because the port is located on President's Island and away from
downtown, it is "out of sight, out of mind," for most residents. Stakeholders suggested that an
educational program about the value of the port to the community and the vulnerabilities it faces
due to extreme water levels could increase the political will to improve port resilience. This will
likely require research to better understand social, economic, and environmental connections to
the Port.
Reduce truck fleet emissions. The potential air quality and health effects of freight
displacement onto trucks would be mitigated if said trucks were more fuel efficient or used
alternative fuels.
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Environmental Protection
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Inland Port Community Resilience Roadmap
Appendix B: EPA Science Tools
This Appendix provides use case examples to introduce datasets of specific EPA science tools,
and demonstrate their use in supporting community decision making processes.
1. EJSCREEN
EJSCREEN, as a screening tool, is useful as a first step in understanding or highlighting
locations that may be a candidate for analysis, outreach, and in some cases further review.
Buffer Area EJ SCREEN State Percentiles Q 50-«0 percentie ~ 80 - 90 percentile
+ Diglrzed Point I Data not available	q 60 70 percenlle 0 90 95 pertwMe
~ less than 50 percentile g ro .80 percentile ¦ 96-100 percentile
EJSCREEN provides numerical estimates for a specified location, for both environmental and
demographic data, such as the traffic proximity indicator, or the percentage of local residents
who are racial/ethnic minorities. This map summarizes the demographics of residents and
environmental indicators, and EJ index values within a 5-mile buffer of the Memphis tri-port
region.
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Explore the environmental, demographic, and EJ
characteristics of a block group or buffer area
EJSCREEN uses "percentiles" to compare a community to the rest of the state, EPA region and
nation. As a relative term, percentiles are a way to see how local residents compare to everyone
else in the United States. This table provides the 11 environmental indicators and 6
demographic indicators for residents within the 5-mile buffer of the Memphis tri-port region.
Sites reporting to EPA
Superfund NPL
1
Hazardous Waste Treatment. Storage, and Disposal Facilities (TSDF)
1
Selected Variables
Value
State
Average
Percentile
in State
EPA
Region
Average
Percentile
in EPA
Region
USA
Average
Percentile
in USA
Environmental Indicators
Particulate Matter (PM 2.5 in pg/m3)
9.86
9 46
85
8.46
84
9 14
67
Ozone (ppb)
38.5
38.5
49
36.4
85
38 4
58
NATA* Diesel PM (pg/m3)
1 49
0.812
89
0.754
90-95th
0 938
80-90th
NATA* Air Toxics Cancer Risk (risk per mm)
54
43
93
42
90-95th
40
90-95th
NATA* Respiratory Hazard Index
3 8
16
98
1.7
95-100th
18
95-100th
Traffic Proximity and Volume (daly traffic count'distance to road)
840
210
94
290
91
590
85
Lead Paint Indicator (% pre-1960s housing)
0.61
0 2
93
0.16
95
0 29
82
Superfund Proximity (site count/km distance)
0.28
0.068
96
0.083
94
0.13
90
RMP Proximity (facility counMcm distance)
0.98
0.52
84
0 59
81
0.73
76
Hazardous Waste Proximity (faddy count/km distance)
0.14
0.071
90
0.067
90
0.093
84
Wastewater Discharge Indicator (toxicity-weighted concentration/m distance!
0.011
0.096
81
0.26
86
30
81
Demographic Indicators
Demographic Index
66%
32%
90
38%
85
36%
85
Minority Population
74%
25%
89
37%
83
38%
81
Low Income Population
58%
39%
82
39%
81
34%
84
Linguistically Isolated Population
1%
2%
74
3%
59
5%
52
Population with Less Than High School Education
17%
15%
64
14%
66
13%
71
Population under Age 5
6%
6%
55
6%
55
6%
53
Population over Age 64
12%
15%
39
15%
43
14%
47
*The National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) is EPA's ongoing, comprehensive evaluation of air toxics in the United States. EPA developed the NATA to prioritize air toxics,
emission sources, and locations of interest for further study. It is important to remember that NATA provides broad estimates of health risks over geographic areas of the country, not
definitive risks to specific individuals or locations. More information on the NATA analysis can be found at: https://www.epa.gov/national-air-toxics-assessment.
For additional information, see: www epa-gov'environmentaliustice
EJSCREEN allows users to print a Standard Report which includes the following information:
-	The current date
-	The block group that the data represents (Block group selection)
-	The latitude and longitude of the center of the buffered ring (Buffer ring selection)
-	The state and EPA region that the data is encompassed by
-	Input area (in square miles)
-	A table of the number of sites reporting to EPA
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- A table of all the variables available in the widget and for each variable the following:
•	Raw value (except EJ Indexes)
•	State average (except EJ Indexes)
•	State percentile
•	Regional average (except EJ Indexes)
•	Regional percentile
•	National average (except EJ Indexes)
•	National percentile
EJSCREEN also links to a Center for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) report generated through the
Environmental Public Health Tracking Network with
environmental health issues for the selected location's county.
Proximity To Highways'
Traffic-related air pollution is a major cause of
unhealthy air quality, especially in urban areas.
Many health problems have been linked to
exposure to traffic-related air pollution. The closer
your home or school is to a major highway, the
more likely you and your family are to be exposed
to traffic-related air pollution.
In 2010, 4.1% of the population of Shelby County
lived within 150 meters* of a major highway.
In 2010, 1.1% of Shelby County public schools
(preK-4th grade) were sited within 150 meters* of a
major highway.
<2
4.1%
of Shelby County population that live
within I 50m of a highway
is about 2 blocks.
ie National Environmental Public Health Tracking Ne
Discover the data I Learn more about this topic
©
no
Visit the Tracking Network for more information about your health and the environment.
www.cdc.gov/Gphtracking
Chart or Report
Name:
s
ll Explore Reports...
SB Get Printable Standard Report.
Get 2011-2015 ACS report...
7111 0	ronnrf	
Get CDC report..
J Delete this site
Extreme Heat*
Extreme summer heat is increasing in the United States, and climate
projections indicate that extreme heat events will be more frequent
and intense in coming decades. Extremely hot weather can cause
illness or even death. Knowing how hot it gets in your area can help
you prepare for extremely hot temperatures and prevent heat related
illness.
Shelby County had 64 Days with maximum temperatures above 90°F
during May-September 2013.
Heat-related death or illnesses are preventable if you follow a few
simple steps.
• Stay cool.
¦	Stay hydrated.
¦	Stay informed.
Discover the data | Learn more about this topic
m
64 Days
with temperatures above 90°F
ran
©
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2. C-FERST
Guides to help build effective partnerships and scope
community assessments
With such a wide range of stakeholders in the Memphis Tri-Port Region, communication and
information-sharing is critical for effective resilience planning. C-FERST features two step-by-
step guides for use in collaborative community efforts: EPA Community Action for a Renewed
Environment (CARE) Roadmap and the CDC and NACCHO Protocol for Assessing
Community Excellence in Environmental Health (PACE-EH) Guidebook.
The Roadmap:
Ten Steps to a Healthier Community and Environment
Figure A -
Non-sequential Relationships among PACE EH Tasks

Determine Capacity


Characterize the Community
V

Assemble Team
^ Define Goals

^ Generate Issues
Analyze Issues
t Develop Indicators
y

Select Standard
|y(

Create Issue Profiles
©I
Rank Issues
Set Priorities for Action
Develop Action Plan
Evaluate Progress
©
The C-FERST resources describe the steps to be taken to conduct a community assessment,
including how to build partnerships, identify community concerns, learn about environmental
issues, and identify actions to improve community health.
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Identify potential issues in a census tract to further
explore
The City of Memphis serves as a major intersection point of freight operations with the river
meeting rail, road, and runway. With most of the industries of the port based on President's
Island, key sources of point and mobile emissions should be considered when estimating
environmental and human health impacts to the port community. The C-FERST Community
Data Table (CDT) provides a summary of environmental conditions for a community, including
estimated concentrations, exposures and risks for select pollutants, as well as demographic
information.
Community Data Table
The default indicators in the table are based on EPA-related issues, stakeholder feedback, and available data.
There may be other important issues that are not currently included in this table.
Indicators and Indices	Tract 020221 [ Shelby County Tennessee	Data info/Notes
^ Environmental Concentration Estimates
^ Human Exposure Estimates
~ Health Risk Estimates
Cumulative Air Toxics Cancer Risk' (risk per one million persons)
44.3
48.6
42.8
2011 NATA
Outdoor Air - Acetaldehyde Cancer Risk: (risk per one million persons)
6.3
6.7
5.9
2011 NATA
Outdoor Air - Arsenic Cancer Risk1 (risk per one million persons)
0.3
0.2
0.2
2011 NATA
Outdoor Air - Benzene Cancer Risk1 (risk per one million persons)
2.6
3.8
3.4
2011 NATA
Outdoor Air - Butadiene Cancer Risk1 (risk per one million persons)
0.79
1.48
1.03
2011 NATA



0.3
2011 NATA
| Outdoor Air - Chromium Cancer Risk1 (risk per one million persons)
1.4
0.4
Outdoor Air - Formaldehyde Cancer Risk1 (risk per one million persons)
28.0
30.4
26.7
2011 NATA
Outdoor Air - Naphthalene Cancer Risk1 (risk per one million persons)
0.6
1.1
0.9
2011 NATA





The CDT estimates Chromium health risk of the specified census tract at 4X that of Shelby
County.
SEPA
J ¦ E	United States	-| ac
I ¦	Environmental Protection	IU3
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Inland Port Community Resilience Roadmap
• Exposure and Risk
Reduction Options
Explore
• Explore and Learn
• Environmental Issues
The C-FERST Environmental Issue Profiles allow users to
gather information and fill any knowledge gaps about the
sources of environmental exposure identified in the CDT.
Pollutants
Environmental
Media
Health Effects
Other Community
Issues
Alphabetical List
C-FERST Issue Profile: Chromium
Chromium is an odorless, tasteless metallic element found naturally in rocks, plants, soil, volcanic
dust and animals. The two most common forms of chromium found in the environment are Tnvalent
chromium (or chromium-3) and Hexavalent chromium (orchromium-6).
Chromium-3 is an essential human dietary element found in many vegetables, fruits, meats,
grains and yeast, Chromium-6 occurs naturally in the environment from erosion of natural chromium
deposits. It can also be produced by industrial processes. There are demonstrated instances of
chromium being released into the environment by inadequate industrial storage and waste disposal
practices.
EPA classifies chromiurn-6 as a human carcinogen via inhalation exposure. There is not enough data
to classify chromium-3 as a human carcinogen.
Learn more about chromium by exploring the links below.
General Information
•	Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry ToxFAOs for Ch ro rniu ro
•	Basic Information about Chromium in Drinkin jWa:pr
*	NLM ToxTown: Chromium
•	Clu-ln.arp Contaminant Fociis: Chromium VI EXIT]
*	Chjomium Compo jnd j Hazjrd Sjinrnjiy i'PDF) (esc. 70 K. »p=
*	Trib.il Air and ClirnatP Reso.jrri";
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Inland Port Community Resilience Roadmap
3. EnviroAtlas
Improving air quality for African-American children
Low-income, African-American neighborhoods in the city of Memphis disproportionately
suffer from childhood asthma. Diversions of truck traffic during flooding increase NOx
emissions in neighborhoods where NOx levels are already above EPA standards. Targeted
planting of NOx-reducing tree cover can mitigate these issues in a cost-effective way.

Minority
Population
#	>45%
O 30-4554
o 15-30%
•	<15%
. f §7 •
' * * • 4
® o • • . 01
• i—
* - o r
Population
Under 13
Years Old
O >is%
0 10-15%
o 5-10%
. <5%
Daycare Center
Tree Cover
along Roadways
¦	I
0%
: i
¦ 100%
Use demographic data to
target vulnerable populations.
Identify places of interest (e.g.; daycare centers) where air
quality is poorly buffered by tree cover.
1 cart	wrtti < 25 p»rc«nt gre«fi
I seacB in vtewsbed
fc > 4 to 5
>	3104
>2t03
>	1102
[_ > 0 to I
otoo
mtfoijen dlw»d« removed annually
| Uc+ cove
, >0.27 to 0.48
>	0.228 to 0.27
>	0.384 to 0.228
>	0.13910 0-164
r*~1 0.008 to 0.1W
Select bare roadways near
daycare centers to efficiently plant
trees for pollution buffering.
E«1 WofW GeocoJet
				—i—
Selected Community:
Memphis. TN
x=/EPA
J I E	United States	1 H7
I ¦	Environmental Protection	IVJ /
Environmental Protection
Agency
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Inland Port Community Resilience Roadmap
Assessing flood risk and mitigating its impact
FEMA Flood Zone
O Place of Worship
High water events in major rivers
cause flooding at ports and in port
communities by causing back-ups
in tributary streams and rivers. It
is essential for port communities
to assess regions susceptible to
flooding so that preventative
measures may be
enacted both to mitigate potential
damage and to identify the likely
location of populations especially
vulnerable to extreme flood
events for assistance or
evacuation.
EnviroAtlas has recently
developed maps that help identify
populations and infrastructure
likely to experience flood damage
dunng 100 and 500-year floods.
These maps allow users to target,
for example, neighborhoods with
dense populations living in the
100-year flood zone (left panel).
Population (%)
in 100-Year
Flood Zone
<2%
2-6%
| 6-12%
112-20%
20 - 34%
>34%
Impaired Stream
Wetland Potential
Available local data can be used in the
EnviroAtlas interactive map to help identify
potential gathering spaces of flood victims
to help target relief efforts.
Restoring lands back to wetlands helps
mitigate flooding extent and duration, while
also benefiting the water quality of local
impaired streams.
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\l/
&EPA
E	United States	a r\Q
I ¦	Environmental Protection	'
Environmental Protection
Agency
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SEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Research and Development (8101R)
Washington, DC 20460
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use
$300
Printed on 100% recycled/recyclable paper
with a minimum 50% post-consumer
fiber using vegetable-based ink.
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