Resource Database

The resource database is a comprehensive catalogue of all the materials on the Resilient Connecticut website. Select your Resource Type, Focus Area and/or Town to access a filtered selection of Resilient Connecticut materials.

GZA Earns National Recognition for Connecticut Living Shoreline Project

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Old Saybrook
Construction Owners October 11, 2026

Highlights

  • GZA and project partners received a 2026 Best Restored Shore Award from ASBPA.
  • The honored project restored the shoreline and marsh at Hepburn Family Preserve in Old Saybrook, Connecticut.
  • Work included a 450-foot beach and dune restoration and relocation of a tidal creek.
  • The project combined coastal engineering, flood modeling and ecological restoration.
  • The shoreline has completed five years of required monitoring and withstood multiple coastal storms.
Coastal restoration projects that combine flood resilience with ecological improvements are gaining greater attention as shoreline communities face repeated storm impacts. GZA and its project partners have received national recognition for a living shoreline project at the Hepburn Family Preserve in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. Funding for the design came in part through a grant from the Connecticut Institute for Resilience & Climate Adaptation, while the Connecticut River Conservancy provided additional funding for construction.
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UConn Research in Action: Preparing for the Next Storm

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Linked In News September 28, 2026 As Connecticut residents endure another powerful nor’easter, researchers across the University of Connecticut are working to better understand, predict, and reduce the impacts of extreme weather. From coastal flooding and sea level rise to power outages and grid resilience, UConn's scientists, engineers, and community partners are helping communities respond to impacts of stronger storms and a changing climate.
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The Nature Conservancy wants you to start thinking about culverts

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The Day Newspaper
By Alison Cross, Day Staff Writer
The Nature Conservancy wants you to start thinking about culverts
In August of 2024, when severe flooding ripped through the western part of the state, the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation said the town of Southbury recorded $91 million in municipal damage to culverts and roads. However, the institute wrote in a report that “the catastrophic storm had no effect on the other upgraded culverts and bridges throughout town that had recently replaced outdated culverts.” The institute estimated that the town dodged more than $18 million in storm damage by upgrading this infrastructure before the storm hit.
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‘Cold weather’ Massachusetts now must problem-solve for rising heat

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Heat

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The Christian Science Monitor by Goodluck Ajeh on Sept 8th 2026. Traditionally, cold-weather places like Massachusetts didn’t have to worry much about having too many 90-degree days. But as temperatures keep warming, those places now must work to mitigate the effects of extreme heat.  
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Groton Climate Plan Calls for Resilience Hub, Trees, Community Conversations

Type:

Focus Area:

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The Day, By Kimberly Drelich
Groton — A virtual resilience hub. Community discussions about sea level rise and flood preparedness. Planting trees in areas vulnerable to heat. Expanding sidewalks and crosswalks between neighborhoods, nature areas and amenities. Other actions recommended in the plan to address flooding include partnering with groups such as the Connecticut Institute for Resilience & Climate Adaptation for an advance flood notification system, creating a virtual “resilience hub” for emergency alerts and the distribution of information to prepare for and recover from extreme weather, developing a plan to implement more green infrastructure, and assessing “high priority pump stations to assess flood impacts on surrounding areas, including key access roads, to inform floodproofing measures.”
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Circular Logic: How a Road Project Talked Its Way Into Stamford’s Flood Plan

Type:

Focus Area:

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
CT Examiner Stamford, Opinion Circular Logic: How a Road Project Talked Its Way Into Stamford’s Flood Plan by David Michel,  This was the third public meeting in two years of work, funded in part by a FEMA grant, built on modeling from the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation, and produced by a team of specialists from Fuss & O’Neill, Woods Hole Group, and SCAPE. The agenda had four parts. Project background. Understanding coastal flood risk in Stamford. A roadmap for a more resilient Stamford, covering what the city can do and what residents can do. Then questions.
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Residents Review Surf Club Concepts

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
By Aaron Rubin Jun 16, 2026 12:00 PM Residents heard about conceptual plans for renovations and beach protection at the Madison Surf Club during a public information session held at Neck River Elementary School on June 10. Attendees heard about preliminary conceptual plans from Chad Frost, one of the leaders of the architectural firm Kent + Frost. Frost presented a conceptual map of some of the changes that may occur at the park, including a reconfigured entrance, an expanded parking lot, and traffic-calming measures for the thousands of people who use the park during the peak summer season. ... Frost cited research from the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation, known as CIRCA, on the impact of sea level rise across Connecticut beaches and the sense of urgency behind protecting the Surf Club. “CIRCA ... is predicting 20 inches of sea level rise across all of Connecticut,” Frost said. “That’s our planning threshold that we need to be ready to accommodate.” Due to an observed sea level rise of 9 inches, “about half” of the beach that was present in the 1930s “is lost,” Frost said. The projected 20 inches of sea level rise is expected to affect the Surf Club beach by 2050, according to the research cited during the presentation.
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Reducing Parking Minimums Factsheet

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Policy

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Parking Minimums are municipal zoning ordinances that mandate a certain number of off-street parking spaces commercial and residential property owners must provide and maintain. Reducing or abolishing parking minimums can reduce the amount of impervious surface coverage associated with a property, leading to better stormwater management and contributing less to urban heat impacts.  Read more on reducing parking minimums on this factsheet.
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Hurricane Season is just days away in CT. Heres what to expect and how to stay safe.

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Hartford Courant May 27, 2026 By  | sunderwood@courant.com As the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season approaches, Connecticut officials said they are prepared in case a storm makes landfall this year. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting a below-normal Atlantic hurricane season this year, as El Niño is expected to increase disruptive winds and reduce storm activity, especially later in the season, weather officials said. AccuWeather experts said there is a 15% possibility of a Super El Niño developing in the second half of the hurricane season.
Even with fewer storms expected overall, Dykes said there is still potential for multiple direct U.S. impacts this season, including early-season or even preseason development. While Connecticut may get spared from a hurricane, it can still be impacted by powerful tropical storms and heavy rainfall events, she said.  
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UConn climate conference focuses on building resilience across New England

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
NBC 30 By Steve Glazier April 28, 2026   A recent Earth Week conference was held at the University of Connecticut School of Law, organized and led entirely by law students. The event, titled “The Path Forward: Regional Strategies for Climate Resilience,” brought together students, scientists, and policymakers to discuss how states can work together to prepare for stronger storms, flooding, and other climate-related challenges facing the Northeast. Students also heard from climate scientists about the latest data and projections, emphasizing the importance of long‑term planning. “If you’re going to expend money to move things or build things, you want them to be useful 50 years from now, at least,” said Jim O’Donnell, executive director of CIRCA.
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CT town’s proposed in-groud pool rare approach to rising seas

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Fairfield
CT Insider
by: Austin Mirmina

With sea levels projected to rise 20 inches in Long Island Sound by 2050 according to a 2019 report, Connecticut coastal towns and cities are rethinking how to adapt to climate change.

Homes are being elevated. Marshes restored. Acoustic sensors installed. Living shorelines built to absorb waves and flooding.

"In towns, over the last 10 years there's been an appreciation that sea level is rising," said James O'Donnell, director of the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation, and author of the February 2019 sea level report.

In Fairfield, officials are debating a different kind of response: banning the construction of new in-ground swimming pools along the shoreline.
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They Want to Rebuild. Can They Afford to Prevent the Next Fire, Too?

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns

NY Times

Palisades fire victims want to raise money for disaster hardening. Their idea could be a model — if it can get past L.A.’s most vexing housing problems.

by Scott Dance

Reporting from Pacific Palisades, Calif.

Allison Holdorff Polhill looks out at the slice of paradise she’s rebuilding near the Pacific coast, and worries.

In her backyard, a utility pole towers over a small pool — the only thing left of her home of 30 years after the Palisades fire flattened 97 percent of her neighborhood in 2025.

But sometimes when Ms. Polhill gazes across the blocks of empty lots, lonely chimneys and front steps to nowhere, she sees possibilities.

Scott Danceis a Times reporter who covers how climate change and extreme weather are transforming society.
A version of this article appears in print onMarch 16, 2026, SectionA, Page12of the New York editionwith the headline:Recovery Tests L.A.’s Will to Pay for Safeguards Against Fire.
See more on:Federal Emergency Management Agency
Connecticut passed a law last year allowing municipalities to create special financing districts to collect revenue for flood defenses and other disaster resilience. There hasn’t been much time for communities to digest the idea and begin exploring it, but “there’s not a rush of enthusiasm” to do so, either, said James O’Donnell, executive director of the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation.
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Opinion: Rising coastal sea levels are driving changes

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
CT Insider March 7, 2026 Regulatory constraints to promote climate resilience. Municipalities are updating zoning and floodplain boundaries to reflect future sea level rise ...
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Reducción mínima del tamaño del lote

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Policy

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Reducción mínima del tamaño del lote • Reducir el tamaño mínimo del lote permite un desarrollo más denso y asequible y reduce los impactos ambientales negativos debido a la expansión. • La estructuración de la zonificación para reducir el tamaño mínimo del lote cerca de los centros de transporte fomenta el desarrollo orientado al transporte.
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Maxima Cobertura de Lote

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Policy

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Cobertura máxima de lote -Regular la cobertura máxima de lotes para reducir la cobertura impermeable puede reducir los impactos climáticos de las inundaciones de aguas pluviales, la erosión y el calor excesivo. La Cobertura Máxima de Lote es una herramienta regulatoria para limitar el área máxima de un lote que puede estar cubierto por superficies impermeables, donde el agua no puede infiltrarse efectivamente en el suelo subyacente. Las superficies impermeables incluyen edificios, entradas de vehículos, áreas de estacionamiento y otras superficies como patios, piscinas, cobertizos, voladizos de techos y terrazas que bloquean el paso del agua al suelo que se encuentra debajo.
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Zonas de Superposicion Para La Resiliencia Climática

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Policy

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Zonas de Superposición • Permitir una regulación específica y específica en zonas vulnerables. • Flexible para adaptarse a las necesidades cambiantes Las zonas de superposición se establecen para proporcionar una regulación adicional en un área en particular más allá de las regulaciones de zonificación de referencia. Las zonas de superposición se pueden utilizar en muchos contextos, como la preservación histórica, la zonificación amigable para los peatones o las zonas de superposición de inundaciones. A medida que el aumento del nivel del mar y los patrones de precipitación cambian, las zonas de superposición pueden ser una herramienta importante para mejorar la resiliencia de las zonas costeras y de las llanuras aluviales. Las zonas superpuestas agregan una capa adicional de regulación protectora en áreas con peligros específicos y elevados para requerir estándares de construcción adicionales o medidas de conservación. La zonificación superpuesta también puede permitir la flexibilidad de los estándares, por ejemplo, para acomodar la elevación de los edificios en una zona de inundación. Los gobiernos locales pueden utilizar las zonas de superposición para regular mejor características como los muros de separación, los retranqueos, los estándares de elevación, los requisitos de superficie impermeable o las densidades de desarrollo para gestionar la expansión costera o limitar el desarrollo en áreas sensibles. Los estándares de zonas superpuestas se pueden implementar por derecho o permiso para proporcionar una capa específica de protección para áreas vulnerables.
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Derechos de Desarrollo Transferibles

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Policy

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
• El propietario de la tierra conserva todos los derechos de propiedad, excepto los derechos de desarrollo. • Los propietarios de viviendas en zonas vulnerables al cambio climático pueden permanecer en sus hogares. • El valor de la propiedad perdido a causa de la vulnerabilidad climática (por ejemplo, zonas cada vez más propensas a las inundaciones) se recupera mediante la venta de derechos de desarrollo.
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In Connecticut 92% of communities of color live in nature-deprived areas: Study

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Environmental Justice

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
CT Insider and Greenwich Time By Austin Mirmina, March 1, 2026 America's nature gap is the result of decades of discriminatory policies and practices, such redlining and segregation, the researchers say.
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Resilient Connecticut Overview Storymap – Spanish

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
A StoryMap of the Resilience Connecticut Program translated into Spanish including an overview of the three phases, the engagement process and tools developed through the program.
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Overlay Zones for Climate Resilience Factsheet

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
In Connecticut, the Connecticut Coastal Management Act (P.A. 79-535) authorized creation of Coastal Overlay Zones to regulate coastal development and limit the impact of flooding and erosion. Learn more with this factsheet.
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Minimum Lot Size Reduction & Resilience Factsheet

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Minimum Lot Size zoning codes require developable land parcels to be a minimum size per home in residential areas. In Connecticut, a study by Desegregate CT found that 81% of residential zoned land required minimum lot sizes of one-acre or larger. Learn more with this factsheet.
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Maximum Lot Coverage

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Maximum Lot Coverage is a regulatory tool to limit the maximum area of a lot allowed to be covered by impervious surfaces, where water cannot effectively infiltrate the underlying soil. Impervious surfaces include buildings, driveways, parking areas, and other surfaces like patios, pools, sheds, roof overhangs and decks that block water from passing through to the soil below. Learn more with this factsheet.
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Transferable Development Rights

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Policy

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Zoning Fact Sheet Series TDRs have the potential to shift development away from vulnerable areas like shorelines and towards preferred inland areas. Currently, TDRs are mainly used nationally by municipalities for agricultural or open space preservation. Learn more with this factsheet.
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UConn-based project gets NSF grant to prepare for severe weather

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
ByKevin Guinan February 6, 2026
A project by the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation won a grant for over $250,000 from the National Science Foundation (NSF) after the Trump administration disrupted the award process, according to the project’s principal investigator. The project, called “Identifying Community Need-Based Adaptation and Resilience Priorities in the U.S. Northeast,” is part of the first phase of NSF’s Regional Resilience Innovation Incubators (R2I2) grant program.
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SECWAC Hosts Talk on ‘Climate Change in Connecticut, and Some Impacts,’ Jan. 21

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Old Lyme

January 15, 2026 by  

OLD LYME, CT – On Wednesday, Jan. 21, the Southeast Connecticut World Affairs Council (SECWAC) will host James O’Donnell, Ph.D., for a talk titled “Climate Change in Connecticut, and Some Impacts.” The 6 p.m. presentation will be held at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme, 5 Ferry Road. The talk will be preceded by a 5:30 p.m. reception. SECWAC in a press release said O’Donnell, a professor of marine sciences at the University of Connecticut and executive director of the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA), will summarize observed changes in climate and the latest projections of what is likely. He will also outline the consequences of these changes on infrastructure and people.
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Adapting to flooding southeastern Connecticut

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
By Theresa Sullivan Barger, Special to The Day
The Day
Published: Dec 27, 2025 3:00 PM Updated: Dec 29, 2025 12:48 PM
Increased development adds to the problem. The reduction in ‘pervious’ or ‘porous’ surfaces — forests, gardens, parks and lawns — that absorb and filter precipitation, and the increase in impervious surfaces—parking lots, roads, driveways and rooftops—means there is less ground to absorb rainfall, said John Truscinski, director of resilience planning for the Connecticut Institute for Resilience & Climate Adaptation (CIRCA), which operates from UConn’s Avery Point campus. “We’ve always had to deal with flooding, occasional extreme rainfall or a tidal storm surge,” Truscinski said. Climate change is impacting those hazards in a couple of ways: the global sea level is rising in the Northeast much faster than across the world, he said. One of CIRCA’s earliest charges was to look at weather data in Long Island Sound, including one collection point in New London dating back to 1938. Based on CIRCA’s analysis of data from global climate models, in 2018 it recommended that municipalities plan for up to 20 inches of sea level rise by 2050, he said. Rising sea levels change the frequency and depth of flooding along the coast of Connecticut, Truscinski said, “making the more frequent storms more damaging.”
 
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CT Coastal cities face threat of rising sea levels a new project looks to build up their resiliency

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Hartford Courant
December 18, 2025
UConn researchers are hoping that new grant money will help coastal ... CIRCA executive director James O'Donnell. “So things we build now ...
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Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI) Spanish Heat Viewer

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Heat

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI) Heat Map Viewer translated to Spanish.
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Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI) Spanish Flood Viewer

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI) Flood Map Viewer translated to Spanish.
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UConn-led Project Promotes Climate-Resilient Coastal Communities

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns

UConn Today, December 15, 2025 | Loretta Waldman

Funded by a $500,000 NSF grant, the two-year initiative spearheaded by researchers at UConn-based Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA) will ensure coastal communities have access to the expertise and tools needed to develop and implement strategies and policies that make them more resilient to the effects of extreme weather and climate change
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WestportREADS: The Real Impact of Climate Change on Connecticut Shores

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Westport

Event Details

In this year's WestportREADS selection, All the Water In the World by Eiren Caffall, much of Manhattan is under water due to melting glaciers. Before real life follows fiction, there are ways we can reduce the chances of warming trends. Expanding on this concept is executive director of CIRCA (the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation) James O'Donnell, who will be at the Library to share facts about the effects of climate change on the water levels of the Connecticut shoreline and Long Island Sound. With projections for future sea levels and the implications of these findings, O'Donnell will add valuable context to the story so we can avoid living in the same urban-aquatic future as main character Nonie and her family. This event is presented in partnership with Westport's Conservation Department and Sustainable Westport.

About the Speaker

James O’Donnell is professor of marine sciences at the University of Connecticut and executive director of CIRCA (the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation). He earned a BSc in Applied Physics at Strathclyde University, Glasgow, Scotland, and an MS and PhD in Oceanography at the University of Delaware. At UConn, he lectures and conducts research on the physical processes that control the circulation, mixing, and waves in the coastal ocean, as well as providing leadership for CIRCA in its mission to assist the towns Connecticut adapt to the effects of climate change.
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Resilient CT: Piper Brook and Webster Brook Flood Analysis Final Report

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Executive Summary SLR International Corporation (SLR), in partnership with the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA), has prepared this study to assess climate change vulnerabilities and identify flood resilience strategies for the Town of Berlin, the City of New Britain, and the Town of Newington, as part of the Resilient Connecticut Phase III. Through the initial phases of Resilient Connecticut, CIRCA developed a Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI), identified 178 Resilience Opportunity Areas (ROARs), targeting flood and heat risks. ROARs highlight the overlap between climate exposure, vulnerable populations, and critical assets, helping communities prioritize investments.
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MyCoast Connecticut pilot launches in Groton, New London, and Stonington

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns

By Joseph Volpe, Westerly Sun staff writer Dec 1, 2025

Connecticut Sea Grant (CTSG), the Connecticut National Estuarine Research Reserve (CTNERR), and the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA) have partnered together to launch MyCoast Connecticut in New London, Groton, and Stonington as a pilot program. MyCoast is a community science tool that encourages residents to take pictures of flooding, storm damage and high tide, in order to support local emergency preparedness and help to strengthen the coastline. It comes in the form of an app alongside their website that users can submit pictures to which are uploaded to a database that is accessible for everyone to view.
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CIRCA Climate Summit focuses on resilient Connecticut

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
A recent climate change summit in Connecticut is aiming to make the state and its residents more aware of climate change and more resilient to its effects. By Steve Glazier • Published December 2, 2025 • Updated on December 2, 2025 at 10:29 pm The Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation, or CIRCA, is trying to better protect our communities by addressing climate impacts in Connecticut. An event was held at Avery Point on Long Island Sound in November, with the goal of working toward a more resilient Connecticut, and preparing future generations for climate change. One focus: Flooding in low lying areas. CIRCA Executive Director Jim O’Donnell said they’re exploring flood sensors when waters rise. “So an automatic alert system, which we could implement, that would alert people through emails, or flashing lights, or something, could be a low-cost, near-term, quickly-implementable solution that is not perfect, but it reduces disruption and the cost associated with it," O'Donnell said. Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, or DEEP, points to its climate resilience fund. Commissioner Katie Dykes said communities can get grant funding to do a climate risk assessment and even fund an actual project. “So this is about helping communities figure out what they need instead of having communities, which I hear a lot in the resilience space, have to navigate a whole alphabet soup of different programs and priorities to come up with solutions that might or might not be a good fit," Dykes said. State Representative John Michael Parker, chair of the Environment Committee, acknowledges that it’s expensive for these projects to increase resiliency.
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Resilient Yantic Poster

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Yantic
Resilient Yantic Poster
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Resilient Portland Poster

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Portland
Resilient Portland Poster
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Resilient Piper and Webster Brook Poster

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

New Britain
Resilient Piper and Webster Brook Poster
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Resilient Mystic Poster

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Mystic
Resilient Mystic Poster
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Resilient Jewett City Poster

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Jewett City
Resilient Jewett City Poster
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Resilient East Hartford Poster

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

East Hartford
Resilient East Hartford Poster
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Resilient East Haddam Poster

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

East Haddam
Resilient East Haddam Poster
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Simplifying the System WestCOGs Approach to Regional Resilience Presentation Slides 2025 Summit

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Breakout 2.2 Speakers: Jaclyn Giannini, WestCOG Summary: This breakout session focused on advancing residential resilience in Connecticut, highlighting recommendations from the Severe Weather Mitigation & Resiliency Advisory Council to strengthen homeowner support, pilot a roof-fortification grant program in high-risk areas, and expand public awareness and insurance education. It also featured WestCOG’s Regional Flood Mitigation Assistance Program, launched in 2022 to help communities pursue FEMA mitigation funding with free technical assistance.
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North Hartford Partnership SWIFT Slides 2025 Summit

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Environmental Justice

Town:

Hartford
Speakers: Mary Buchanan, CIRCA; Rebecca French, CT DEEP; Brenda Watson, North Hartford Partnership; Summary: During the Climate and Equity Grant Community Projects breakout session, attendees heard from Dr. Mary Buchanan (CIRCA) and Dr. Rebecca French (CT DEEP) about the history and goals of the Climate & Equity grant program, and then heard project presentations from two of the grantee organizations in the current grant round. Brenda Watson from the North Hartford Partnership gave an overview of NHP’s remarkable work of the Swift Factory, including a composting project to reduce food waste and greenhouse gas emissions. Then Michelle Eckman, Allison Pilcher, and Sydney Barnwell from the Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs, in partnership with Vanessa Liles from PT Partners, presented on their extensive community outreach work in Bridgeport.
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EmpowerED Slides 2025 Summit

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Environmental Justice

Town:

Bridgeport
Summary: During the Climate and Equity Grant Community Projects breakout session, attendees heard from Dr. Mary Buchanan (CIRCA) and Dr. Rebecca French (CT DEEP) about the history and goals of the Climate & Equity grant program, and then heard project presentations from two of the grantee organizations in the current grant round. Brenda Watson from the North Hartford Partnership gave an overview of NHP’s remarkable work of the Swift Factory, including a composting project to reduce food waste and greenhouse gas emissions. Then Michelle Eckman, Allison Pilcher, and Sydney Barnwell from the Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs, in partnership with Vanessa Liles from PT Partners, presented on their extensive community outreach work in Bridgeport.
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Climate and Equity Grant Community Projects Slides 2025 Summit

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Environmental Justice

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Breakout 2.3 Speakers: Mary Buchanan, CIRCA; Rebecca French, CT DEEP; Brenda Watson, North Hartford Partnership; Michelle Eckman, Allison Pilcher and Sydney Barnwell, Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs; Vanessa Liles, PT Partners Summary: During the Climate and Equity Grant Community Projects breakout session, attendees heard from Dr. Mary Buchanan (CIRCA) and Dr. Rebecca French (CT DEEP) about the history and goals of the Climate & Equity grant program, and then heard project presentations from two of the grantee organizations in the current grant round. Brenda Watson from the North Hartford Partnership gave an overview of NHP’s remarkable work of the Swift Factory, including a composting project to reduce food waste and greenhouse gas emissions. Then Michelle Eckman, Allison Pilcher, and Sydney Barnwell from the Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs, in partnership with Vanessa Liles from PT Partners, presented on their extensive community outreach work in Bridgeport.
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Residential Resilience in Connecticut Slides 2025 Summit

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Breakout 2.2 Speakers: Jaclyn Giannini, WestCOG; George Bradner, Department of Insurance; Robert Hotaling, Connecticut Department of Community and Economic Development; Sonja Larkin-Thorne, Co-Chair of the Severe Weather Mitigation & Resiliency Advisory Council and Consumer Advocate; John Truscinski, CIRCA Summary: This breakout session focused on advancing residential resilience in Connecticut, highlighting recommendations from the Severe Weather Mitigation & Resiliency Advisory Council to strengthen homeowner support, pilot a roof-fortification grant program in high-risk areas, and expand public awareness and insurance education. It also featured WestCOG’s Regional Flood Mitigation Assistance Program, launched in 2022 to help communities pursue FEMA mitigation funding with free technical assistance.
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Flood Alert System Slides 2025 Summit

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Breakout 2.1 Speakers: Yaprak Onat and Marc de Vos, CIRCA Summary: This session examined the different scales of tidal and stormwater flooding across Connecticut and the operational limits of model-only approaches. CIRCA demonstrated how integrating continuous measurements and locally defined thresholds produces reliable, timely alerts that reduce nuisance flooding impacts. Case studies from Branford and Stamford translated these practices into a repeatable implementation pathway for municipalities.
Go to Resource

Neighborhood Heat Variability in Connecticut ArcGIS Story Map

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Heat

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
November 3, 2025

How environmental and socio-demographic factors influence intra-city and inter-city variability in urban heat index

Urban heat doesn’t just vary from one city to the next, it can also differ by neighborhood, shaped by buildings, pavement, trees, and local policies. Most assessments still lean on coarse data (like airport stations or low-resolution satellite data), which can miss critical street-level differences. To see what people actually feel on the ground, we deployed sensors that recorded temperature, relative humidity, and dew point every 10 minutes throughout the summer. This lets us compare heat within and across cities and evaluate how reliable different data sources are for climate planning.
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Heat and Health Slides 2025 Summit

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Heat

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Breakout 1.3 Speakers: Yaprak Onat and Libbie Duskin, CIRCA; Rebecca Stearns, Korey Stringer Institute Summary: CIRCA presented neighborhood-level heat index variability derived from a municipal sensor network, demonstrating how local measurements inform adaptation and resiliency actions and targeted outreach. The Korey Stringer Institute summarized heat-illness burdens among athletes, warfighters, and laborers and outlined evidence-based prevention measures that can reduce incidents and improve outcomes.
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Resiliency Improvement District Slides 2025 Summit

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Breakout 1.2 Speakers: Austin Dziki and Leigh Whelpton, CT Green Bank; Leigh Whelpton, CT Green Bank; Andrew Salkin and Mbacke Faye, Resilient Cities Catalyst; John Truscinski, CIRCA Summary:  This breakout session provided an overview of Connecticut’s new Resiliency Improvement Districts (RID) legislation, explaining why RIDs are needed now and outlining the requirements of Public Act No. 25-33. Participants explored potential applications through CIRCA Phase III case studies and examined examples of successful RIDs from outside Connecticut.
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Resilient Yantic River Project Update Presentation Slides 2025 Summit

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Yantic
Speakers: Helen Zincavage, SECOG; David Burgy, Stantec Summary: An overview of the Resilient Connecticut program, with a focus on Resilient Yantic. The session highlighted the flood-related challenges facing each of these municipalities and outlined a range of resilience strategies to reduce flood risk. These examples illustrated how the Resilient Connecticut program supports communities across the state in planning for, mitigating, and adapting to the increasing impacts of flooding.
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Resilient Mystic Final Presentation Slides 2025 Summit

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Mystic
Speakers: Beth Kirmmse and Ian Concannon, Fuss and O’Neill Summary: An overview of the Resilient Connecticut program, with a focus on  Resilient Mystic. The session highlighted the flood-related challenges facing each of these municipalities and outlined a range of resilience strategies to reduce flood risk. These examples illustrated how the Resilient Connecticut program supports communities across the state in planning for, mitigating, and adapting to the increasing impacts of flooding.
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Resilient Connecticut Phase III Case Studies Slides 2025 Summit

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Speakers: Helen Zincavage, SECOG; David Burgy, Stantec; Beth Kirmmse and Ian Concannon, Fuss and O’Neill; Nicole Govert and Mary Buchanan, CIRCA Summary: An overview of the Resilient Connecticut program, with a focus on two projects: Resilient Yantic and Resilient Mystic. The session highlighted the flood-related challenges facing each of these municipalities and outlined a range of resilience strategies to reduce flood risk. These examples illustrated how the Resilient Connecticut program supports communities across the state in planning for, mitigating, and adapting to the increasing impacts of flooding.
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Resilient Connecticut Update by James O’Donnell Slides 2025 Summit

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Speaker: James O'Donnell CIRCA, Executive Director Summary: A comprehensive overview of CIRCA's mission and programs, highlighting the breadth of current projects and engagement within the institute.
Go to Resource

2025 Resilient Connecticut Summit Video Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns

Resilient Connecticut Summit: Weathering Change: Building Connecticut’s Resilient Future

CIRCA's annual summit, November 13, 2025, at the Branford House at UConn Avery Point from 9 AM - 4 PM.
Recorded On: 11/13/2025
Go to Resource

Resilient Yantic Public Workshop #2 Slides

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Yantic
September 8, 2025 Project Purpose • January 2024 flooding brought municipal leaders together • Comes out of what we all know and have experienced about living and operating near the river: • Properties, roadways, and critical infrastructure are located close to the Yantic and its floodplain + • Scale of watershed + • Norwich downstream position + • River corridor’s topography + • Barriers to water movement = Flood risk that must be addressed to protect life and property
Go to Resource

Resilient Mystic Community Engagement Memo

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Mystic
Community-driven conversations guided adaptation concepts for Resilient Mystic, with the project team identifying key stakeholders, conducting targeted outreach, and integrating community input directly into recommendations. Through a strategic combination of outreach methods and timelines, this iterative design process refined the adaptation concept ideas over the course of weeks and months from Fall 2024 to Spring 2025. Major community outreach efforts consisted of regular check-ins with the Citizen and Technical Advisory Committee (CTAC), tabling at public events, a three-day series of public workshops, and supplemental online materials as detailed below:
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Resilient Mystic Project Kickoff

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Mystic
Resilient Mystic Project Kickoff Meeting Slides September 6, 2022
Go to Resource

Resilient Mystic Final Report

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Mystic
Resilient Mystic Final Report
Go to Resource

Connecticut Sustainability and Resiliency Week underway

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns

By Steve Glazier, Published September 29, 2025 • Updated on September 29, 2025 at 5:07 pm

This week marks Connecticut’s second annual Sustainability and Resiliency Week. Dozens of events will acknowledge the work to protect Connecticut’s natural resources, communities and economy. Dr. Joanna Wozniak-Brown is a climate policy and planning expert with the state of Connecticut. We asked her what she’s looking forward to during the state’s sustainability and resiliency week. “I can’t pick my favorite. It’d be really hard to pick my favorite," Dr. Wozniak-Brown said. In person, virtual and hybrid events are taking place through Friday, October 3. “The main goal is to make sure people know about the work to protect the environment. It is happening every day, and it’s happening by lots of people," she said.
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Resilient East Hartford Final Report

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

East Hartford
September 2025 Resilient East Hartford is one of many selected projects under Phase III of the Resilient Connecticut program developed by the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptations (CIRCA). This initiative focuses on developing proactive strategies to reduce the long-term impacts of climate change on East Hartford, with an emphasis on the Main Street corridor in Downtown. While the existing levee system offers some protection from Connecticut River flooding, stormwater flooding remains a major concern. The community is also vulnerable to extreme heat due to dense development, large areas of impervious surfaces, limited green space, and a lack of nearby cooling centers with sufficient capacity.
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Índice de Vulnerabilidad del Cambio Climático (IVCC)

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Qué es el IVCC? Un modelo espacial basado en un índice que identifica vulnerabilidad de una comunidad a las inundaciones, e impactos del cambio climático relacionados con el calor. El IVCC caracteriza áreas basadas en una ecuación usando sensibilidad multiplicada por exposición, dividido por capacidad de adaptación
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Open house to discuss flood control plans in city

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
by Claudia S. Hilario @NEWBRITHERALD September 9, 2025
NEW BRITAIN — Residents will have the opportunity to hear updates on flood control plans for the Piper Brook and Webster Brook corridor.
State Rep. Gary Turco shared an upcoming open house, scheduled for Thursday from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Alvarium Beer Company, 365 John Downey Drive, New Britain. An overview presentation is scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m.
The event is part of the Resilient CT Piper Brook and Webster Brook Project, which is connected to the Connecticut Institute for Resilience & Climate Adaptation (CIRCA) program. The program is designed to develop flood strategies that respond to challenges faced by residents and businesses along the two brooks. The project includes Newington, Berlin and New Britain.
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New Haven continues flood mitigation efforts despite FEMA cuts

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

New Haven
Yale Daily News  5:07 am, Sep 04, 2025

As sea level rise compounds flooding risk in New Haven, local leaders and scientists continue to push mitigation efforts regardless of federal cuts.

By 2050, New Haven can expect to see up to 20 inches of sea level rise from the late-20th century average, according to estimates from the Connecticut Institute for Resilience & Climate Adaptation, or CIRCA. But it might not take that long for New Haven residents to feel the water rising. “Before New Haven is submerged, the losses due to this more frequent flooding will have driven people to move,” James O’Donnell, executive director of CIRCA, said.
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Addressing Disaster Preparedness-Disparity in Connecticut: Cultivating trust and increasing resilience through effective and equitable risk communication

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Environmental Justice

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Addressing Disaster Preparedness-Disparity in Connecticut: Cultivating trust and increasing resilience through effective and equitable risk communication: Project Description The research juxtaposes the results of ethnographic interviews with Emergency Managers with survey data collected among CT residents to examine issues of trust, preparedness, and information sufficiency in regard to local emergency services. This research provides guidance on the form of hazard-related information most desired and sought after by residents, particularly minoritized and impoverished residents, for policy-makers and disaster management personnel; and underline the needs of emergency management directors across the state.
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Addressing Disaster Preparedness-Disparity in Connecticut: Cultivating trust and increasing resilience through effective and equitable risk communication: Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation UConn Faculty Climate Research Seed Grants: Track 2

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Environmental Justice

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
This study was part of an interdisciplinary effort to assess disaster preparedness and identify the roots and repercussions of preparedness disparity across socioeconomic groups in Connecticut by juxtaposing the results of ethnographic interviews with Emergency Managers in four counties in Connecticut with survey data collected among CT residents examining issues of trust, preparedness, and information sufficiency in regards to local emergency services. The results highlight the ways in which state-level systems of disaster management may be exacerbating preparedness disparity and leaving Connecticut towns ill-equipped to manage the growing threats of climate change induced disasters facing southern New England. This applied research sought to provide guidance on the types and form of hazard-related information most desired and sought after by residents, particularly minoritized and impoverished residents, for policy-makers and state, regional, and municipal disaster management personnel; as well as underline the needs of increasingly overburdened emergency management directors across the state.
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Hurricane and Coastal Resiliency Informational Panel Discussion

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
CT Network
Recorded On: 8/11/2025
Learn more about efforts to prepare and protect Connecticut's coastal neighborhoods, beaches, and natural resources by watching this Hurricane Coastal Resiliency Panel Discussion. 
Panelist: James O'Donnell
Moderated by Senator Tony Hwang
Discussion held in Fairfield, CT
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Where have FEMA grant programs in CT been cancelled?

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
CT Mirror and https://www.newsbreak.com/
by Sasha Allen August 1, 2025 @ 11:18 am
The federal government recently cancelled a disaster relief grant program and discontinued another, leaving some projects stuck in various stages — without full funding.
“The FEMA funds, through BRIC and also through the hazard mitigation grant program, have been pretty critical at helping the towns do the legwork and the planning and design work and move these things forward,” said John Truscinski, the director for resilience planning at the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation. “And they do take a long time for a variety of reasons, and so cutting back on the commitment of funds after several years of work has gone into those projects, it has a big impact in setting things back for the state.”
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Poquonock Avenue and Farmington River ROAR Map

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Windsor
Poquonock Avenue and Farmington River ROAR Map
Go to Resource

North Street and Suffield Street ROAR Map

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Windsor Locks
North Street and Suffield Street ROAR Map
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Mill Brook ROAR Map

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Windsor
Mill Brook ROAR Map
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Deckers Brook ROAR Map

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Windsor
Deckers Brook ROAR Map
Go to Resource

Cross-Boundary CT River Flood Zones ROAR Map

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Windsor Locks/East Windsor
Cross-Boundary CT River Flood Zones Windsor Locks/East Windsor ROAR Map
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CT River Flood Zones – Windsor ROAR Map

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Windsor
CT River Flood Zones - Windsor ROAR Map
Go to Resource

Resilient Jewett City Final Report

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Griswold/Jewett City
This report examines existing and projected riverine flood risks affecting residential housing complexes located north of South Main Street and west of Anthony Street, as well as the Jewett City and Griswold wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). It also outlines mitigation strategies for these vulnerable areas. In addition, the report assesses heat vulnerability within the community and proposes mitigation measures that the town and borough can implement to address rising temperatures.
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Living shorelines: Using nature to fight back coastal erosion

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Stonington
by Theresa Sullivan Barger The Day, July 11, 2025 "Seventy percent of Connecticut’s coastline is “armored,” meaning it has been engineered, protected or turned into a pier or dock, said physicist Jim O’Donnell, executive director of Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA), part of UConn’s Department of Marine Sciences. Examples of ‘engineered’ measures are sea walls, jetties and collections of large sloping rocks called a revetment."
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More Than Simple Sonification: Next Phase of ‘Harmony of Nature’ Seeks to Make Music

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Marine Science

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
UConn Today July 9, 2025 | Kimberly Phillips, and Sydney Herdle 'One of our goals is to be able to reach the nonscientist with scientific concepts and communicate those, and music is … [a] medium where it’s incredibly accessible to people' As comfortable as Molly James is talking about tidal data depicted on a linear graph, she’s equally at ease discussing the differences between mere sonification of those data points and the musification of what those points convey. Scientists need at least three decades of measurements to detect sea level rise, she explains, noting that the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation projects a rise in Connecticut of about 20 inches by 2050. 
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UConn Hosts Sustainability Summit for Northeast Higher Education

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
July 3, 2025 | Betsy Mortensen Nearly all higher education institutions in the Northeast have demonstrated a commitment to sustainability, and most have an Office of Sustainability. While each university has its own unique challenges in pursuing environmental progress, many of these offices face similar issues - How do we get students prepared for green careers? What's the most efficient way to run a move-out donation program? Avery Point is also home to the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA) and Connecticut Sea Grant which act as research hubs for climate resilience, coastal ecosystems, and aquaculture within Long Island Sound. 
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Essex Inches Closer to Thatchbed Island Restoration

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Enfield
by Annabel Hofmann, 7.5.2025
Go to Resource

Stafford Springs ROAR Map

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Stafford
Stafford Springs ROAR Map
Go to Resource

South Wethersfield ROAR Map

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Wethersfield
South Wethersfield ROAR Map
Go to Resource

Rockville ROAR Map

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Vernon
Rockville ROAR Map
Go to Resource

Quinnipiac River ROAR Map

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Southington
Quinnipiac River ROAR Map
Go to Resource

Quarryville ROAR Map

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Tolland
Quarryville ROAR Map
Go to Resource

CT River Flood Zones – South Windsor ROAR Map

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

South Windsor
CT River Flood Zones - South Windsor ROAR Map
Go to Resource

Resilient East Haddam Final Report

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

East Haddam
Final report and Appendix A for the Resilient Eat Haddam Project. This project assesses flooding risks from Succor Brook and the Connecticut River in the East Haddam village center. Flooding from Succor Brook has affected key areas, including Goodspeed-owned buildings, Norwich Road (Route 82), Creamery Road, and Lumberyard Road. The Connecticut River also poses a threat to the Town’s Wastewater Treatment Plant. The final report outlines existing and future flood risks, evaluates potential flood mitigation strategies, and offers recommendations for next steps.
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Resilient East Haddam Appendix C Benefit Cost Analysis & Adaptation Alternative Cost Estimate

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

East Haddam
This section includes the results of the planning-level benefit-cost analysis for the three Succor Brook flood mitigation alternatives carried out by Kleinfelder using the FEMA BCA Toolkit. Note that the analyses presented herein are based on conceptual-level cost estimates for each alternative and should be considered as initial calculations of costs and benefits only, to be used for planning purposes to facilitate potential future grant funding applications. Certain elevations used to estimate building first floor levels were based on lidar data and should be replaced with field survey data to confirm building flood impacts.
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Resilient East Haddam Appendix B Flood Model Reference Documents

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

East Haddam
This memorandum also includes a discussion of current and future flood risks to the East Haddam Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) located at 17 Lumber Yard Road, as well as a wastewater pump station located at the intersection of Lumber Yard Road and Dock Road. Both the WWTP and the pump station are susceptible to inundation if a flood event occurs along the Connecticut River. While the WWTP is outside of the Succor Brook floodplain, the area surrounding the pump station is subject to inundation from Succor Brook.
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Development of a Statewide Climate Change Vulnerability Index for Heat and Flood: A Comprehensive Assessment of Connecticut for Resiliency Planning

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Heat

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The vulnerability framework developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) defines vulnerability as a function of exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. Building off this framework, the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA) developed a Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI) for the state of Connecticut, designed to integrate flood and extreme heat-related climate exposure with impacted socioeconomic, infrastructure, and ecological variables into a single comprehensive index that can guide resilience planning and prioritization at multiple levels. The index serves as a central component of the Resilient Connecticut project, a statewide initiative to advance climate adaptation and resilience planning through data-driven tools, community engagement, and strategies to address flood and heat risks across vulnerable communities. In this article, we detail the development of the CCVI, including earlier iterations, methodology, stakeholder engagement activities, and lessons learned that can impact resiliency planning in Connecticut. Preliminary statistical analyses, notable regional trends, data limitations, and future areas for research advancement are also discussed. The CCVI framework detailed here can be used in the process of identifying priority areas for intervention and supporting the selection and design of targeted resilience projects, and can also be adapted for other states.
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Storrs and Eagleville Brook ROAR Map

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Mansfield
Storrs and Eagleville Brook ROAR Map
Go to Resource

Somers Water Pollution Control Facility ROAR Map

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Somers
Somers Water Pollution Control Facility ROAR Map
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Somers Schools ROAR Map

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Somers
Somers Schools ROAR Map
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Northwest Village School – Special Education ROAR Map

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Plainville
Northwest Village School - Special Education ROAR Map
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Lake Road Access ROAR Map

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Middlefield
Lake Road Access ROAR Map
Go to Resource

Great Beginnings Daycare ROAR MAP

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Plainville
Great Beginnings Daycare ROAR MAP
Go to Resource

Central Connecticut State University ROAR MAP

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

New Britain
Central Connecticut State University ROAR MAP
Go to Resource

Resilient East Hartford Workshop Meeting Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

East Hartford

Resilient East Hartford Workshop Meeting Recording June 9, 2025

 
Go to Resource

Cross-Boundary CT River Flood Zones ROAR Map

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Glastonbury/East Hartford
Cross-Boundary CT River Flood Zones ROAR Map
Go to Resource

Unionville and Farmington Avenue ROAR Map

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Farmington
Unionville and Farmington Avenue ROAR Map
Go to Resource

Northeast Hartford ROAR Map

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Hartford
Northeast Hartford ROAR Map
Go to Resource

Lydall Brook ROAR Map

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Manchester
Lydall Brook ROAR Map
Go to Resource

High Street Pump Station ROAR Map

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Glastonbury
High Street Pump Station ROAR Map
Go to Resource

Downtown Hartford ROAR Map

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Hartford
Downtown Hartford ROAR Map
Go to Resource

Thompsonville ROAR Map

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Enfield
Thompsonville ROAR Map
Go to Resource

North Canton Volunteer Fire Association ROAR Map

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Canton
North Canton Volunteer Fire Association ROAR Map
Go to Resource

Grape Brook ROAR Map

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Enfield
Grape Brook ROAR Map
Go to Resource

Forest Village ROAR Map

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

East Hartford
Forest Village ROAR Map
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Canton Center ROAR Map

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Canton
Canton Center ROAR Map
Go to Resource

Central Bloomfield ROAR Map

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Bloomfield
Central Bloomfield ROAR Map
Go to Resource

Temperatures are at an all-time high in Connecticut. It has health experts worried

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Heat

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
By Cris Villalonga-Vivoni, Staff Writer May 29, 2025 The Middletown Press "Connecticut's annual average temperature has increased incrementally every decade since 1895 and will continue to grow, experts say. According to UConn's Connecticut Institute for Resilience & Climate Adaptation, average temperatures are expected to rise about 5°F by 2050, with the indices of hot weather, summer droughts and extreme rain to increase too."
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for the Farmington River in Avon

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Avon
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for the Farmington River in Avon
Go to Resource

Final Summary Materials from Resilience Hub Workshop

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Final Summary Materials from Resilience Hub Workshop Wednesday, April 30, 2025, 10 am – 3:00 pm Swift Factory, 10 Love Lane, Hartford, CT 06112
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A State-Specific Approach for Visualizing Overburdened Communities: Lessons from the Connecticut Environmental Justice Screening Tool 2.0

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Environmental Justice

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Publication by CIRCA's research team "A State-Specific Approach for Visualizing Overburdened Communities: Lessons from the Connecticut Environmental Justice Screening Tool 2.0"

Abstract

While multiple federal screening tools have previously been developed for mapping communities facing environmental injustice and health disparities, many states across the United States have seen value in developing state-specific screening tools. This article provides an overview of a recent addition to the list of state screening tools, the Connecticut Environmental Justice Screening Tool (CT EJScreen). CT EJScreen identifies communities disproportionately affected by environmental and socioeconomic burdens at the census tract level. The tool integrates geospatial data on potential pollution sources, exposures, health sensitivities, and socioeconomic factors to produce a cumulative Environmental Justice Index. This article describes the development process of the tool, its methodological framework, the multi-pronged public engagement during the development process, preliminary correlation analyses, lessons learned, and recommendations for future iterations. Spearman correlation and Principal Component Analysis were applied to assess variable relationships and guide indicator refinement. Stakeholder engagement with Connecticut’s environmental justice communities ensured that the tool reflects both quantitative data and lived experiences. CT EJScreen provides important information for policy implementation covering areas such as funding, public health issues, and permitting. The CT EJScreen process might serve as a useful template for other states looking to devise state-specific adjunct screening systems.
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Resilient Yantic River Business Community Meeting Slides

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Norwich
Resilient Yantic River Business Community Meeting Slides from May 7th 2025.
Go to Resource

Resilient Yantic River Public Meeting Slides

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Norwich
Resilient Yantic River Public Meeting Slides from the May 5, 2025 meeting
Go to Resource

Resilience Hub Factsheet

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Implementing a Network of Resilience Hubs for a More Resilient Connecticut Factsheet
Go to Resource

Addressing Disaster Preparedness-Disparity in Connecticut: Cultivating trust and increasing resilience through effective and equitable risk communication

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Planning for a Network of Resilience Hubs for Community Preparedness in Connecticut Workshop
Wednesday, April 30, 2025, 10 am – 3:00 pm Swift Factory, 10 Love Lane, Hartford, CT 06112 Slides from Speaker: Eleanor Shoreman-Ouimet, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, UConn DISASTER Team Topic: Addressing Disaster Preparedness-Disparity in Connecticut: Cultivating trust and increasing resilience through effective and equitable risk communication
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Resilience Hub Workshop Keynote Speaker Slides, Establishing a Resilience Hub Network in Maryland

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Planning for a Network of Resilience Hubs for Community Preparedness in Connecticut Workshop
Wednesday, April 30, 2025, 10 am – 3:00 pm Swift Factory, 10 Love Lane, Hartford, CT 06112 Slides from Keynote Speaker, Erica Pinket, Climate & Resilience Planner, City of Baltimore Topic: Establishing a Resilience Hub Network in Maryland
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Mystic Seaport Museum prepares to handle sea levels rising, more flooding with ‘master plan’

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Shelton Herald and Stamford Advocate By Jayden Nguyen, Staff Writer April 30, 2025 For the last 18 months, Mystic Seaport Museum has been evaluating what parts of its campus to keep — and what it needs to lose — as sea levels rise on Connecticut's shoreline. The seaport museum was featured in The New York Times on April 22 for its efforts to maintain and adapt the museum in the face of rising sea levels. The majority of the Mystic Seaport Museum is located in a FEMA-designated flood zone. It also lies in an "inundated area" along the Mystic River that is likely to be impacted by high waters, according to Connecticut Institute for Resilience & Climate Adaptation (CIRCA).
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Exploring the future of Connecticut public transit

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
By Tess Terrible, Catherine Shen on CT NPR's Where We Live
with guest CIRCA's John Truscinski, Director of Resilience Planning
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Culverts and Climate Resilience Fact Sheet

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Culverts and Climate Resilience Fact Sheet. Culverts are tubes, tunnels, large pipes or structures designed to channel water under roadways, railways and other pathways, allowing roads and transportation to be unaffected by waterflow passing beneath.
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Resilient Piper and Webster Brook Public Meeting 1 Slides

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Newington
Slides from the Resilient Piper and Webster Brook public meeting. Places of interest include areas in Berlin, Newington and New Britain.
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The Mystic Seaport Museum Grapples with Threats from Sea Level Rise

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Stonington

NY Times A Seaport Museum Faces an Unlikely Threat: The Sea Itself

Rising sea levels are forcing the Mystic Seaport Museum in Connecticut to address the long-term sustainability of its campus.

By Annabel Keenan

Reporting from Mystic, Conn. April 22, 2025

This article is part of our Museums special section about how artists and institutions are adapting to changing times.

"The Connecticut Institute for Resilience in Climate Adaptation, or CIRCA, estimates that levels will rise 20 inches by 2050. While based on tidal data from nearby New London, which is experiencing sea level rise considerably faster than the average global rate, Frost noted that all models predict a 20-inch increase at some point. “It might not be 2050, but this isn’t a question of ‘if,’ but rather ‘when,’” he said."
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Resilient Connecticut 2.0 Synthesis Report Appendix I

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Resilient Connecticut 2.0 Synthesis Report Appendix I – CIRCA Legal Team Products
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Resilient Connecticut 2.0 Synthesis Report Appendix H

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Resilient Connecticut 2.0 Synthesis Report Appendix H – Flood Sensor Project Fact Sheet
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Resilient Connecticut 2.0 Synthesis Report Appendix G

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Resilient Connecticut 2.0 Synthesis Report Appendix G – Heat Sensor Project Fact Sheet
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Resilient Connecticut 2.0 Synthesis Report Appendix F

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Resilient Connecticut 2.0 Synthesis Report Appendix F – Municipal Resilience Grant Program (MRGP) Round 2
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Resilient Connecticut 2.0 Synthesis Report Appendix E

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Resilient Connecticut 2.0 Synthesis Report Appendix E – ROARs Inventory and COG ROARs Information Sheets
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Resilient Connecticut 2.0 Synthesis Report Appendix D

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Resilient Connecticut 2.0 Synthesis Report Appendix D – Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI) Resources
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Resilient Connecticut 2.0 Synthesis Report Appendix C

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Resilient Connecticut 2.0 Synthesis Report Appendix C – Zones of Shared Risk Inventory
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Resilient Connecticut 2.0 Synthesis Report Appendix B

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Resilient Connecticut 2.0 Synthesis Report Appendix B – GIS Analysis Methodology
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Resilient Connecticut 2.0 Synthesis Report Appendix A

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Resilient Connecticut 2.0 Synthesis Report Appendix A – Inventory of CIRCA Town Engagement
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Resilient Connecticut 2.0 Synthesis Report

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The Resilient Connecticut 2.0 Synthesis Report provides an overview of the Resilient Connecticut 2.0 regions of focus, summarizes the regional vulnerability assessment conducted by CIRCA across the three COGs (Phase II), and highlights the local and site plans that were developed in Phase III.
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Changing Climate: Boys & Girls Club of Milford plants Living Shoreline

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Milford

The Boys & Girls Club of Milford planted more than a thousand native plants in vulnerable areas of the shoreline to help reduce erosion.

If Connecticut does not take action against coastal erosion and sea level rise, beaches could shrink or disappear in some areas. The Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation, or CIRCA, projects up to 20 inches of sea level rise by 2050, but much of that depends on greenhouse gas emissions.
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Case Studies in Flood Mitigation and Adaptation: Resilient Connecticut Projects in East Haddam & Mystic Webinar

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The webinar featured representatives from the Mystic/Stonington and East Haddam project teams to share their experiences collaborating to develop priority actions and implementable projects to improve resiliency. Learn about innovative flood mitigation strategies and explore lessons that can be applied to other Connecticut communities. 
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Zones of Shared Risk Inventory for Resilient CT 2.0

Type:

Inventories

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Zones of Shared Risk (ZSR) Inventory for the Resilient Connecticut 2.0 region which includes the Lower Connecticut River Council of Governments, Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments and Capitol Regional Council of Governments.  The spreadsheet might take a few minutes to populate.
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Resilient Opportunity Areas Inventory for Resilient CT 2.0

Type:

Inventories

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Resilient Opportunity Areas (ROARs) Inventory for the Resilient Connecticut 2.0 region which includes the Lower Connecticut River Council of Governments, Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments and Capitol Regional Council of Governments. The Spreadsheet might take a few minutes to populate.
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Resilient CT 2.0 Inventory of CIRCA Town Engagement

Type:

Inventories

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Inventory of CIRCA town engagement in the Lower Connecticut River Council of Governments, Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments and Capitol Region Council of Governments through the Resilient Connecticut 2.0 program.
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Resilient Jewett City Public Meeting Slides

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Griswold/Jewett City
Presentation from the Resilient Jewett City Public Meeting.
Go to Resource

Featured Forum to mitigate flooding in high-risk areas of New Britain, Newington and Berlin

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Newington
by Claudia S. Hilario @NEWBRITHERALD, Mar 27, 2025
NEW BRITAIN — Residents of New Britain, Berlin and Newington are encouraged to attend a forum on Wednesday to discuss ways to reduce flooding in high-risk areas.
The meeting will focus on properties along Piper Brook and Webster Brook. Attendees can brainstorm ideas from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Alvarium Beer Co., Room B-side, 365 John Downey Drive in New Britain.
The Connecticut Institute for Resilience & Climate Adaptation at the University of Connecticut (UCON) is studying the Piper Brook and Webster Brook corridors.
Through the study, the university has identified several areas of concern. These areas include the Piper Brook area in Newington and the Kensington and Mattabassett River areas in Berlin.
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Reflecting on Progress: CIRCA’s Decade of Increasing Connecticut’s Climate Resilience

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
March 28, 2025 | Elaina Hancock In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA) was created to help build climate resiliency in the state of Connecticut. This past October saw CIRCA’s 10th anniversary, which was marked by an event that drew researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders from across the state. CIRCA works closely with communities and decision-makers to develop resilience in many ways, from crafting policy, assessing climate vulnerability, supporting clean energy projects, mapping community and environmental justice communities across the state, and many more. Though much has been accomplished, more work is ahead as the climate crisis grows more pressing.
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UConn Making Progress on Vision to Expand Avery Point Academics, Add Housing

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
March 4, 2025 | Stephanie Reitz UConn’s vision of charting a renewed course for Avery Point is moving ahead well, including progress toward providing on-campus student housing and a plan in place to offer the University’s most popular major as a four-year program starting this fall. UConn plans to relocate the baseball practice field near the center of campus and build its student housing development there, and is compiling more details to be presented to the community and brought to the Board of Trustees for a vote in April. The Connecticut Institute for Resilience & Climate Adaptation (CIRCA), also located at Avery Point, also has become a critical regional asset to help communities that are vulnerable to the growing impacts of climate change.
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Resilient Portland Final Report

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Portland
Final Report for the Resilient Portland Project.  This project focuses on stormwater flooding to the town's library, senior center, police station and shared parking lot.  This report includes a future and existing conditions report, concept designs, benefit/cost analysis and an overview of public engagement efforts throughout the duration of the project.
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Resilient East Haddam Public Workshop 1 Recording

Type:

Focus Area:

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Recording of the Resilient East Haddam Public Workshop 1 which covers the project scope and existing and future conditions of the Succor Brook corridor.
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Resilient Connecticut Public Workshop 2 Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

East Haddam
Recording of the Resilient East Haddam Public Workshop 2 which looked at concept designs to alleviate flooding along the lower Succor Brook Corridor.
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Resilient East Haddam Public Workshop 2 Meeting Slides

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

East Haddam
Powerpoint slides from Public Workshop #2 for the Resilient East Haddam project.  These slides contain concept designs to address the flooding along the Succor Brook corridor. 
Go to Resource

Resilient Connecticut Portland Community Workshop 2 Presentation

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Portland
Presentation from the second Resilient Connecticut Portland Community Workshop on 12/12/2024.
Go to Resource

Resilient Connecticut Portland Community Workshop 1 Presentation

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Portland
Presentation from the first Resilient Connecticut Portland Community Workshop on 7/18/2024.
Go to Resource

Beavers and Climate Resilience in Connecticut Factsheet

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
In Connecticut, property owners and municipalities faced with nuisance beavers have choices for how to address problems.  In Connecticut, beaver populations are managed by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CTDEEP) while human maintenance of beaver dams and streams is under the jurisdiction of local Inland Wetlands Agencies.
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Resilient Portland Community Workshop #2 Presentation

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Portland
PowerPoint presentation by AECOM for the second Resilient Portland Public Workshop held on Dec 12 2024.
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Climate change effects in Connecticut prompt closer look at resilience policy

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Policy

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
By Ken Dixon, Staff writer Dec 21, 2024 At a time when billion-dollar weather events around the state and country are steadily increasing, a new panel of experts in climate policy, finance, consumer advocacy, construction and insurance has started its work in creating statewide policies for resiliency.
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VLGS resource offers solutions to address climate resilience for floodplain communities

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Energy

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns

Move from Fossil Fuel Reliant Peaker Plants to Batteries Could Change Lives, Report Says

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Law and Graduate School's Institute for Energy and the Environment, along with the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation at the University of Connecticut, have created a new resource to help communities in the northeast better respond to climate change.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Upper Hockanum

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Vernon
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Upper Hockanum River in Ellington/Vernon.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Willow Brook

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

New Britain
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Willow Brook in New Britain.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Yantic Fire Engine

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Norwich
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Yantic Fire Engine Company No. 1 in Norwich.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Willimantic

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Windham
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Willimantic in Windham.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Waterford Public Works

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Waterford
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Waterford Public Works in Waterford.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Waterford Critical Facilities

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Waterford
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Waterford Critical Facilities in Waterford.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Valley Brook & Goff Brook

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Rocky Hill
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Valley Brook & Goff Brook in Rocky Hill.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Willow Brook

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

East Hartford
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Willow Brook in East Hartford.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Windham WWTF

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Windham
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Windham WWTF & Windham Heights.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Talcottville and Hockanum

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Talcottville and Hockanum River in Vernon.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for South Meadows and South End

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Hartford
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for South Meadows and South End in Hartford.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Portland WPCF

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Portland
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Portland WPCF in Portland.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for South Farms

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Middletown
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for South Farms in Middletown.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Stonington Critical

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Stonington
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Stonington Critical and Elderly Housing in Stonington.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Stonington Borough

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Stonington
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Stonington Borough in Stonington.
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Climate change affects in Connecticut prompt closer look at resilience policy

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Policy

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Ken Dixon, The Hour, Norwalk, Conn. Dec. 21, 2024 —At a time when billion-dollar weather events around the state and country are steadily increasing, a new panel of experts in climate policy, finance, consumer advocacy, construction and insurance has started its work in creating statewide policies for resiliency.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Cross-Boundary Trout Brook

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Hartford
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Cross-Boundary Trout Brook Area in Hartford - West Hartford.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Terminal Way

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Norwich
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Terminal Way in Norwich.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Staffordville

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Stafford
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Staffordville Critical Facilities in Stafford.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for South Fork Hockanum River

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Manchester
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for South Fork Hockanum River in Manchester.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Simsbury Center

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Simsbury
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Simsbury Center and Farmington River.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Cross-Boundary Park River

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Hartford
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Cross-Boundary Park River in West Hartford.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Poquonock Bridge

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Groton
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Poquonock Bridge Critical Facilities in Groton.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Plainville

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Plainville
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Plainville Water Pollution Control Facility in Plainville.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Pocotopaug Creek

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

East Hampton
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Pocotopaug Creek in East Hampton.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Pawcatuck

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Stonington
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Pawcatuck - Mechanic and River Roads in Stonington.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Niantic

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

East Lyme
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Niantic in East Lyme.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for North Stonington

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

North Stonington
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for North Stonington Critical Facilities in North Stonington.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Old Mystic

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Groton
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Old Mystic in Groton.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Nod Brook

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Avon
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Nod Brook in Avon.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for North End Critical

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Hartford
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for North End Critical in Hartford.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Oxoboxo Brook

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Montville
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Oxoboxo Brook in Montville.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Old Saybrook Loop

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Old Saybrook
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Old Saybrook "Loop".
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Old Saybrook Center

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Old Saybrook
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Old Saybrook Center.
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Severe Weather Arriving in Connecticut Sooner Rather Than Later

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Heat

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
December 04, 2024

Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) recently noted that the pattern of increasingly severe precipitation, especially in the Northeast, is forecasted to continue as global average temperatures rise. For every degree of warming in Fahrenheit, the atmosphere can hold about 3%-4% more moisture, the agency explained. Global temperatures in 2023 were more than 2 degrees Fahrenheit above the pre-industrial average, and with particular heat records being set in Connecticut, it’s no surprise that precipitation records were also set as the atmosphere’s moisture capacity increased.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Norwichtown and Backus Hospital

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Norwich
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Norwichtown and Backus Hospital, Norwich.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Lebanon Critical Facilities, Lebanon

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Lebanon
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Lebanon Critical Facilities, Lebanon
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Kettle Brook, Windsor Locks

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Windsor Locks
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Kettle Brook, Windsor Locks
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Lantern Hill Road / Whitford Brook

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Lantern Hill Road / Whitford Brook, North Stonington, Stonington, Ledyard, Groton, Mashantucket Pequot, Eastern Pequot
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for the Kensington and Mattabessett River, Berlin

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Berlin
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for the Kensington and Mattabessett River, Berlin
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for the Lower Hockanum River, East Hartford

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

East Hartford
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for the Lower Hockanum River, East Hartford
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Greeneville and Shetucket, Norwich

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Norwich
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Greeneville and Shetucket, Norwich
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Seeking Climate JUSTICE for All

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Environmental Justice

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns

November 14, 2024 | Mac Murray A team of UConn researchers is changing climate conversations for good

The JUSTICE Collaboratory sits at the intersection of many of UConn’s research strengths – health equity, clean technologies, climate science, community resilience, and extension education – and leverages existing centers & institutes including the CLEAN EARTH Laboratory, the Atmospheric Sciences Group (which Seth leads); the Connecticut Institute for Resilience & Climate Adaptation (CIRCA); the Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy (InCHIP); and the Center for Land Use Education and Research (CLEAR).  “We aren’t starting from scratch and working together – we’ve worked together in a lot of different capacities,” Atkinson-Palombo points out. 
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Farmington River

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Farmington
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Farmington River in Farmington.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Groton Airport

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Groton
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Groton - New London Airport in Groton.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Fort Trumball

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

New London
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Fort Trumball in New London.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Fitchville

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Bozrah
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Fitchville in Bozrah.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Main Street

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Essex
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Main Street/Ferry Street Access in Essex
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Enfield Water Pollution

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Enfield
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Enfield Water Pollution Control Facility in Enfield
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Hop Brook

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Manchester
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Hop Brook & Connecting Brooks in Manchester.
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Resilience Opportunity Map for Higganum Center

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Haddam
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Higganum Center in Haddam.
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Resilient Opportunity Area Map for Freshwater Brook

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Enfield
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Freshwater Brook in Enfield.
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Resilient Opportunity Area Hockanum River Toll

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Manchester
Resilient Opportunity Area for Hockanum River Toll in Manchester and Vernon.
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Resilient East Haddam Public Workshop 1 Meeting Slides

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

East Haddam
Powerpoint slides from Public Workshop #1 for the Resilient East Haddam project which is part of Resilient Connecticut program. These slides contain existing and future flood modeling of the Succor Brook corridor which has the potential to impact the residential properties on Creamery Road and facilities associated with the Goodspeed Opera House.
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CT looks to ramp up resilience measures in the face of climate change

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
by Michayla Savitt | Connecticut Public October 8, 2024 Connecticut is working to help towns and cities become more resilient to the impacts of climate change, in the wake of more intense and frequent extreme weather.
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CT saw catastrophic flooding this summer. Here’s why you may not have enough insurance.

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
By: Kenneth R. Gosselin for Hartford Courant Shocking images of flooding in southwestern Connecticut this summer stirred up fresh worries about climate change but also how homeowners and small businesses may need to protect themselves with extra insurance, even if they don’t live in an area designated at risk for flooding. The federal government has reported that 25% of all property losses caused by flooding occur outside of areas officially mapped as vulnerable to flooding, a statistic that coincides with expectations for more — and violent — rainstorms in the years to come. “So that’s a pretty substantial number,” George Bradner, director of the property and casualty division at the Connecticut Insurance Department, said. “And the other issue is 25% of small businesses by a catastrophe like this never reopen their doors again. So those are two staggering numbers.” Decisions about whether to purchase flood insurance — either through the federal government or a growing number of private insurers — comes as the problem of flooding in Connecticut is now drawing increasing attention. Earlier this month, the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, which represents cities and towns, issued a report recommending, among other things, that “towns should promote flood insurance coverage and other flood risk reduction strategies for properties outside the designated flooding areas.” No longer exclusively a shoreline a problem, the storms have become more unpredictable and moved inland with businesses and residents experiencing flooding at levels not seen in 50 years or more. The storm that pummeled the Connecticut town of Oxford and surrounding municipalities in August dumped as much as 16 inches of rain in a short span of time, spawning devastating flooding. The weather was described as a “one-in-1,000-year” storm. Scientists at the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation at the University of Connecticut in Groton also are examining how more sudden, intense rainstorms are overwhelming decades-old drainage systems, leading to more frequent flooding.
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State calls for more climate change adaptation projects

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns

By Kevin Gaiss • Published September 25, 2024 • Updated on September 25, 2024 at 5:47 pm

DEEP announced the next phase of their Climate Resiliency Fund and is in the process to gain information from towns.
Connecticut is no stranger to extreme weather. Just last month, an unprecedented deluge of rain devastated towns in parts of western Connecticut. Now, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has announced its next phase of helping towns and cities adapt to inclement weather.
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New London flood prevention plan envisions ‘linear park’ along waterfront

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

New London
September 22, 2024 2:00 pm • Last Updated: September 22, 2024 5:09 pm
By John Penney

New London – An ambitious $16.5 million flood mitigation proposal for South Water Street calls for a combination of new flood walls and road-raising, along with design elements to make the downtown waterfront area more attractive and functional.
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Yantic River flood prompts government agencies to develop mitigation plans: What’s happening

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Matt Grahn
Norwich Bulletin

The Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments (SECCOG), UConn-based Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA), GZA Geoenvironmental, and leaders from Norwich and Bozrah met Monday to discuss possible flood prevention strategies along the river, and then visited those sites.

Learning about the history of impacted sites is important at the beginning of a flood mitigation study. There was a site walk for parts of the Yantic River Watershed in Bozrah and Franklin earlier this year, Director or Resilience Planning John Truscinski said.
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Groton seeks closer look at housing, climate resilience as defense industry expands

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Groton
July 14, 2024 2:30 pm • Last Updated: July 14, 2024 7:34 pm
By Kimberly Drelich, Day Staff Writer

As the defense industry expands, towns and cities in the region want to take a fresh look at housing, climate resilience, and child care, among other topics, to ensure compatibility between the naval submarine base and Electric Boat and local communities.

And the military is expected to pay for the study.

The Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments, along with the Town of Groton, is seeking a Department of Defense grant to update a 2017 study, which tackled issues from transportation to land use and housing, and to take a deeper dive into housing issues in Groton.
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CIRCA: Serving Connecticut’s Coastal Communities and Beyond

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns

July 23, 2024 | Mac Murray, and Thomas Rettig

As seas and temperatures rise, the Connecticut Institute for Resilience & Climate Adaptation uses research and community engagement to protect communities across the state

Between scorching summers and unprecedented storms, the consequences of climate change have crashed down on Connecticut in recent years. Policymakers, urban planners, and resource managers are needing to make decisions with new threats in mind: more extreme weather events, heat, and sea level rise. This last threat is something James O’Donnell, professor of marine sciences and director of the Connecticut Institute for Resilience & Climate Adaptation (CIRCA) at UConn Avery Point, knows a lot about. A physical oceanographer, his research focuses on circulation and mixing in the ocean. These factors influence how sea levels will respond to climate change.
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Is your neighborhood at risk in extreme weather?

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
insideinvestigator.org by Tricia Ennis, July 25, 2024 When Connecticut experiences an extreme weather event, how much are you and your family at risk? A new dashboard from the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA) at the University of Connecticut aims to help answer that question, down to your street. In the Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI), researchers at CIRCA developed an equation to estimate how areas of the state could be impacted by extreme weather, like severe storms or high heat. The equation combines the physical characteristics of an area with the type of population or services that could be affected and factors in any community resilience or other adaptive assets it has.
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Fallout from climate change in CT: Focus moves to inland towns that will be hit hard

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Story by Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant

The consequences of climate change are easy to understand along Connecticut’s coastline where the sea is now forecast to rise 20 inches by 2050.

But researchers at the University of Connecticut also are now turning their attention to inland Connecticut and places that are not anywhere near the coast or even a large waterway such as the Connecticut River.

Scientists at the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation are examining how more sudden, intense rainstorms are overwhelming decades-old drainage systems, leading to more frequent flooding.

“We’re seeing more of these high-intensity rain events, and then, the water is just coming down faster than it can drain away,” Mary Buchanan, a community resilience planner at CIRCA, said. “You don’t have to be anywhere near the coast to be experiencing climate change.”
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Devastating flood highlights need for climate resiliency

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns

By Mike Savino • Published August 20, 2024 • Updated on August 20, 2024 at 5:04 pm
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In a summer of severe flooding in New England, a 1,000-year storm hit Connecticut. Here’s how.

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The weather models didn’t see it coming. But “training” storms and an already primed atmosphere converged to deliver a surge of devastating rainfall.
By Chris Gloninger and Erin Douglas Globe Staff, Updated August 21, 2024,11:08 a.m.

On Aug. 19, 1955, the unimaginable happened.

A downgraded hurricane named Diane blasted the small rural town of Burlington, Conn., with a record 12-plus inches of rain and left 77 people dead statewide. Residents thought they had seen the worst of Mother Nature.

Then came this past Sunday, 69 years later to the day. And this time southwestern Connecticut felt the blow not from a hurricane and its the driving rain and slashing winds but from a storm so strong and so unusual in its ferocity that scientists categorized it as a historic, “1-in-1,000-year storm.” It broke Diane’s rainfall record by several inches.
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How can Connecticut prepare for a 1,000-year flood? It can’t, but strategy is changing

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns

By Jordan Nathaniel Fenster, Staff writer Aug 21, 2024

https://www.ctinsider.com/
Sunday's storms have been described in many ways: a rain bomb, training storms, flash floods.
And then there is 1,000-year flood.
The devastating storm that flooded parts of Connecticut and swept away roads was far more than infrastructure could handle. Twelve-plus inches of rain fell in a short period, or three months worth of rain for the state.
But what exactly is a 1,000-year flood? No, it's not a flood that happens once only every 1,000 years, but instead a flood that has a one in 1,000 chance of happening in any given year, as the U.S. Geological Survey explained. That calculation — how often flooding events are likely to happen, is part of how flood risk maps are derived.
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Summer heat smashed records a CT city study seeks out neighborhoods suffering the most

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Heat

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Hartford Courant Summer heat smashed records a CT city study seeks out neighborhoods suffering the most
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Opinion: Protecting Connecticut workers from heat is a hot topic

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Heat

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
CT Mirror CT Viewpoints Opinion: Protecting Connecticut workers from heat is a hot topic by Galen Blanton August 30, 2024 @ 12:01 am In most of the nation, all you need to do is to step outside to feel one of Connecticut’s deadliest hazards: extreme heat. So far in 2024, the dangers of heat illness have killed 34 workers nationally both indoors and out. In July, the U.S. Department of Labor announced publication of a proposed rule to reduce the significant health risks for workers exposed to hazardous heat in outdoor and indoor settings.
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Resilience Opportunity Areas (ROARs) in CRCOG Storymap

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The map shows the CRCOG project area with the top ROARs highlighted
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Resilience Opportunity Areas (ROARs) in SCCOG Storymap

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The map shows the SCCOG project area with the top ROARs highlighted.
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Resilience Opportunity Areas (ROARs) in RiverCOG Storymap

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The map shows the RiverCOG project area with the top ROARs highlighted.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Westbrook

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Westbrook
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Downtown Westbrook
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Old Lyme

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Old Lyme
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Old Lyme
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for New London

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

New London
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for New London
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Clinton

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Clinton
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Downtown Clinton
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Durham Center

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Durham
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Durham Center
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Barriers to Equity Within Environmental Justice and Climate Justice Grant Programs

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Environmental Justice

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Article by Joanna Wozniak Brown and Mary Buchanan.  In 2020, Connecticut undertook a statewide engagement process via the Governor’s Council on Climate Change (GC3) to develop priorities for climate change mitigation and adaptation, especially from an equity approach. A priority action from the GC3 process called for grants to fund participation by community-based organizations and nongovernmental organizations to increase representation from communities that have been marginalized. This is similar to efforts from other states and the federal government to direct funds to historically excluded groups to redress inequities or to financially support their participation and sharing of their expertise in these processes. While the programs have the intent to address inequity, often the grantmaking mechanisms can make it harder for marginalized groups to participate in the grant process, nullifying the grant’s intent. This review of environmental justice and climate justice grant programs offers insight to grantmakers on embedding equity into the grant process and, ideally, achieving their intent.
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Resilience Roadmap

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Over the course of developing the Resilient Connecticut project, including the pilot project in the 1.0 area and the expansion through the 2.0 area, CIRCA and its partners documented lessons learned and recommendations for the future. These recommendations can provide a pathway forward for the state as we continue to experience the impacts of climate change. For a full discussion of lessons learned and detailed recommendations for the following overarching themes, please see the following report. 
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10 Steps to Municipal Resilience Webpage

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
This webpage is a guide for towns to increase municipal resilience to the foreseeable impacts of climate change, through the following 10 steps. Links below each step describe CIRCA’s and other organizations' resources and tools to help communities take action.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for City of Groton

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Groton
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for City of Groton Five Corners Intersection
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Groton Waste Water Treatment Plant

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Groton
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Groton Waste Water Treatment Plant
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Southington

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Southington
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Southington
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Chester

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Chester
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Chester
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Wethersfield

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Wethersfield
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Central Wethersfield
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Burnham Brook in East Hartford

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

East Hartford
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Burnham Brook in East Hartford
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Jewett City

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Griswold/Jewett City
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Jewett City in Griswold.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Mystic Stonington

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Stonington
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Mystic Stonington
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Baltic Critical Facilities

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Sprague
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Baltic Critical Facilities in Sprague.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Portland

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Portland
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Portland Critical Facilities.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Downtown Norwich

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Norwich
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Downtown Norwich
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Piper Brook

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Newington
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Piper Brook in Newington.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for The City of Groton

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Groton
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Avery Point and Beaches in The City of Groton.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Downtown East Hartford

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

East Hartford
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for East Hartford.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for East Haddam

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

East Haddam
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Goodspeed/Succor Brook in East Haddam.
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Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Andover

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Andover
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Andover Town Garage on Hop Brook.
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Use this Tool to Track your Neighborhood’s Vulnerability to Extreme Weather

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Article on Fox61 about the Climate Change Vulnerability Index for floods and heat developed by Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation at UConn.
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Resilient Portland Community Workshop #1 Presentation

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Portland
Presentation slides by AECOM and CIRCA for the Resilient Portland 1st community workshop.
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Extreme Heat Response and Planning in CT Poster

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Heat

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Informational on Extreme Heat Response and Planning in CT by Joanna Wozniak-Brown and Laura Bozzi.
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Synthesis Report Appendix A Support Activities

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
• Flood Risk Assessment • Adaptation Option Evaluation • Capacity-Building Activities
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Synthesis Report Appendix B Map Viewers

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
  • Climate Change Vulnerability Index
  • CCVI Flood Viewer
  • CCVI Extreme Heat Viewer
  • Zones of Shared Risk Viewer
  • Connecticut Sea Level Rise and Storm Surge Viewer
  • Connecticut Coastal Towns Storm Annual Exceedance Probability/Return Interval Viewer
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Synthesis Report Appendix C Zoning Library

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Zoning is one tool communities can use to enhance local resilience to climate change impacts like flooding, sea level rise, and increased heat. Regulations can be targeted to protect natural buffering features and green infrastructure, incentivize development density in specific areas, and specify resilient design to reduce impacts of storms, sea level rise, and increasing heat.
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Synthesis Report Appendix D Extreme Heat Toolkit

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Heat

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Purpose [At conclusion of municipal heat planning study, add discussion of study’s findings ● Will establish purpose of toolkit ● Explanation of at what level(s) heat response happens in CT ○ Identify gaps found through interview data] Goals of Toolkit 1. To provide resources that help Connecticut’s municipal leaders fill gaps in local extreme heat planning a. To provide tools that municipal leaders can easily adapt to their local contexts i. These tools include the following: 1. Communication templates 2. Cooling center best practices 3. A diverse collection of policy and planning actions 4. Advice on creating a heat response plan 2. To provide Connecticut-specific information on how extreme heat impacts the health of residents, especially vulnerable people. 3. To provide extreme heat safety tips for Connecticut’s residents
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Synthesis Report Appendix E Fact Sheets and Case Studies

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
  • City of Norwalk Climate Resiliency Case Study
  • Bridgeport Climate Action Case Study
  • Energy Resilience for Connecticut Municipalities Infographic
  • Energy Opportunities for Connecticut Municipalities in the Inflation Reduction Act
  • Implementing New Flood Prevention, Climate Resilience, and Erosion Control Boards
  • Stormwater and Climate Resilience (English)
  • Aguas Pluviales y Resiliencia Climática (Español)
  • Stormwater and Climate Resilience: Next Steps to Create a Municipal Stormwater Authority (English)
  • Aguas pluviales y resiliencia climática: Próximos pasos para crear una autoridad municipal de aguas pluviales (Español)
  • Ten Steps to Municipal Resilience
  • Branford’s Coastal Resiliency Reserve Fund
  • CIRCA’s Resilient Connecticut Project (English)
  • Proyecto Connecticut Resiliente de CIRCA (Español)
  • Conservation Commissions and Natural Resource Resilience (English)
  • Comisiones de Conservación y Resiliencia de Recursos Naturales (Español)
  • Sea Level Rise and Coastal Flooding in Connecticut Fact Sheet
  • Rising Temperatures and Precipitation in Connecticut Fact Sheet
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Synthesis Report Appendix F White Papers

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
  • Historic Resource Surveys in Risk Zones: Climate Action
  • Integrating Climate Change Adaptation Into and Across Local Plans
  • Gaps and Opportunities for Local Resilience Planning in Connecticut
  • Emergency Sheltering & Cooling Center Practices in Connecticut
  • Floodplain Building Elevation Standards for Critical Facilities and Activities
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Synthesis Report-Appendix G

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Danbury
Resilient Danbury Adaptation Options Final Report
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Synthesis Report-Appendix H

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Norwalk
Resilient South Norwalk Adaptation Options Final Report
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Synthesis Report – Appendix I

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Fairfield
Resilient Fairfield Adaptation Options Final Report
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Synthesis Report Appendix J

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Ansonia
Resilient Ansonia Adaptation Options Final Report
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Synthesis Report Appendix K

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Stratford
Resilient Stratford South-End Adaptation Options Final Report
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Synthesis Report Appendix L

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

New Haven
Resilient Fair Haven Adaptation Options Final Report
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Synthesis Report Appendix M

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Branford
Resilient Meadow Street Adaptation Options Final Report
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Resilient Connecticut Synthesis Report

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The Resilient Connecticut Synthesis Report is a comprehensive document which summarizes and “synthesizes” the planning process in Fairfield and New Haven Counties.
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Energy Resilience for Connecticut Municipalities

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Energy

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
UConn School of Law/CEEL/CIRCA Poster #2 for the Super Storm Sandy Poster Session. Describes strategies for improving energy resilience. These strategies include distributed generation, electrification, efficiency, storage, and demand-response.
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Municipal Tools for Promoting Climate Resilience

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
UConn School of Law/CEEL/CIRCA Poster #1 for the Super Storm Sandy Poster Session. Describes using zoning to protect natural buffering areas, specify resilient design, and specify the level of development density in specific areas.
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Using GIS and Real-time Data in Local Emergency Operations Centers and for Emergency Preparedness Planning

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Town of Greenwich Poster for the Super Storm Sandy Poster Session. Highlights the power of GIS in planning and staging emergency responses to weather related disasters.
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Building Climate Resilience at the Local Level

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Sustainable CT Poster for the Super Storm Sandy Poster Session. Sustainable CT aims to foster inclusive, resilient, and vibrant Connecticut municipalities that provide opportunities for all to thrive by. They provide community match funding for projects that allign with their "menu" of actions. These actions aim to enhance climate resilience, health improvment, cost reduction, and community building.
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Energy Storage Solutions

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Energy

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Connecticut Greenbank Poster for the Super Storm Sandy Poster Session. This program incentivises propeprty owners to install a battery system that is powered by solar or low-emission grid sources. This solution could protect homes and businesses from outages while using less fossil fuels than generators and being affordable to install.
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Resilient Bridgeport

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Bridgeport
Connecticut DOH Poster for the Super Storm Sandy Poster Session. Describes the resilient Bridgeport program. This is a prototype project led by the State of Connecticut aimed at protecting homes, businesses, and infrastructure in the South End from acute and severe flood damage.
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Incorporating Flood and Heat Vulnerability Into Municipal Planning & Projects

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
CIRCA poster for the Super Storm Sandy Poster Session. Describes Phase III Projects that focus on location spcific planning considering flooding, sea level rise, and heat index variability.
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You Might Want to Consider a Stormwater Utility

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
CLEAR Poster for the Super Storm Sandy Poster Session. Describes the benefits of establishing a stormwater utility entities funded by user fees. These benefits include providing direct funding to resiliency projects, incentivising property owners to implement green infrastructure, and flexable fee systems for verying levels of equity.
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A Climate Resilient Approach to Marsh Restoration

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Connecticut Audubon Poster for the Super Storm Sandy Poster Session. Describes a climate resilient approach to marsh restoration funded by user fees. This is done by modeling future conditions, improving design, and having meaningful engagement with stakeholders.
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Super Storm Sandy in Connecticut: Progress & Challenges After Ten Years. New Haven: 10 years laterSuperstorm Sandy Presentation.

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

New Haven
Flood disaster repair and resiliency planning presentation done by Giovanni Zinn from the City of New Haven. Discusses the projects the City of New Haven has undergone to recover from and prepare for extreme storm surges.
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Super Storm Sandy in Connecticut: Progress & Challenges After Ten Years. Resilient Connecticut Presentation.

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Resilient Connecticut Presentation given by John Truscinski from CIRCA. Describes the Resilient Connecticut planning framework.
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Super Storm Sandy in Connecticut: Progress & Challenges After Ten Years Event Video, Transcripts, and Presentations

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Video, Transcript, and Presentation navigator for Superstorm Sandy event.
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Super Storm Sandy in Connecticut: Progress & Challenges After Ten Years. National Disaster Resilience Presentation.

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
National Disaster Resilience presentation done by Alanna Cavanagh Kabel from the CPD. Discusses opportunities an challenges for Connecticut municipalities to obtain federal disaster funding.
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Super Storm Sandy in Connecticut: Progress & Challenges After Ten Years. Community Development Block grant Disaster Recovery Presentation.

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) presentation done by Hermina Delaire from the DOH. Discusses strategies, challenges, and decisions regarding fund allocation.
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Breakout 2: Municipal Roadmap with a focus on Municipal Energy Resilience

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
This session presented common themes and challenges that emerged from the Resilient CT planning process in Fairfield and New Haven Counties (Resilient CT 1.0). The second presentation focused on how municipalities can take advantage of recent Federal programs under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), to support projects and actions that improve the resilience of local energy infrastructure. Presenters: John Truscinski (CIRCA) / Kirt Mayland (CIRCA). 2023 CIRCA Summit.
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Breakout 1: CIRCA Phase III 2.0 Project

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The Resilient CT program has expanded statewide, with the planning process for the RiverCOG and SCCOG regions completed in 2023. This session provided an overview of the goals of the new projects and included interactive polling to help participants understand the types of choices needed to adapt. Presenter: David Murphy (CIRCA). 2023 CIRCA Summit.
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Breakout 3: CT Environmental Justice Screening Tool: Environmental Justice for Resilient Pathways through Geospatial Information

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Environmental Justice

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Environmental justice is a cornerstone of sustainable and resilient communities. The Connecticut Environmental Justice Screening Tool (CT EJ Screen) is dynamic GIS-based mapping tool that intricately combines environmental and demographic indicators to spotlight areas that may grapple with disproportionate pollution and health challenges. Presenters: Yaprak Onat (CIRCA), Mary Buchanan (CIRCA), Libbie Duskin (CIRCA) and Edith Pestana (CT DEEP). 2023 CIRCA Summit.
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Breakout 2: Zoning For Resilience

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Policy

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The CIRCA legal team is developing a Climate Resilient Zoning library with resources on how to use zoning authority to address climate change vulnerabilities in municipalities. Presenters: Louanne Cooley (CIRCA), Kayla Vargas (CIRCA). CIRCA Summit 2023.
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Breakout 1: CIRCA Phase III Projects (Phae III 1.0)

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
CIRCA is completing the Resilient Connecticut 1.0, Phase III projects in seven towns in Fairfield and New Haven Counties.† The session gave an overview of the projects in Ansonia, Branford, Danbury, Fair Haven, Fairfield, South Norwalk and Stratford with lessons learned. Presenter: David Murphy (CIRCA). Panelists: Emmeline Harrigan (Planner Fairfield), Michelle Andrzejewski (Norwalk). 2023 CIRCA Summit.
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Resilience Hubs for a More Resilient Connecticut

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Resilience hubs can increase bottom-up community-led resilience efforts by leveraging existing trusted and utilized spaces or facilities. In this session weíll hear more about the resilience hub concept, and what challenges and opportunities exist for communities that want to implement them in CT. 2023 CIRCA Summit.
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A Long-Term Strategy For Climate Adaptation and Resilience: Program Update

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Jim O'Donnell, the Executive Director of CIRCA, along with John Trusciniski, the Director of Resilience Planning, provided a comprehensive overview of CIRCA's mission and programs, highlighting the breadth of projects and engagement within the institute since its inception. 2023 CIRCA Summit.
Go to Resource

2023 CIRCA Summit A Climate Resilience Roadmap for Connecticut Recording

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Video of CIRCA 2023 Summit
Go to Resource

June 14: Case Study, Michael Recher Bloom Energy Slide Deck

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Energy

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
June 14: Bloom Energy Overview and Hartford Microgrid Case Study: gives Bloom Energy overview and looks at Bloom Solutions as well as a Fuel Cell Community Microgrid with City of Hartford
Go to Resource

June 14: Case Study Mark Sassi Bridge Energy Slide Deck

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Energy

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
June 14: Microgrids, Fuel Cells and Battery Energy Storage Systems
Go to Resource

Introduction to Municipal Energy Resilience Panel Amy Thompson Slide Deck

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Energy

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
June 7, 2023: Municipal Energy Resilience: SmartBuildings
Go to Resource

Introduction to Municipal Energy Resilience Panel Mark Sassi Bridge Energy Slide Deck

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Energy

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
6/7/2023: Municipal Energy Resilience Webinar Series: Microgrids, Fuel Cells, &Battery Energy Storage Systems
Go to Resource

June 14: Case Study, Round Table Discussion and Q and A Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Energy

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
June 14: Learn about municipal energy vulnerabilities, funding and incentive programs through the Inflation Reduction Act, CT state programs for microgrids and energy efficiency, solar and battery systems, fuel cells and more.
Go to Resource

Kirt Mayland CIRCA Presentation for June 7 Municipal Resilience Slide Deck

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Energy

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
June 7, 2023: Discusses Energy and Tax Credit and its ties to Connecticut communities
Go to Resource

Municipal Energy Resilience June 7 Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Energy

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
June 7, 2023: Municipal Energy Resilience: Assessment of municipal energy resilience, programs available at the federal and state level for energy infrastructure, and steps towns can take.
Go to Resource

Regional Workshop Indroduction and Climate Change Vulnerability Index Metro COG Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
February 8, 2021: Metropolitan COGheld their first regional workshops with the four Council of Governments (COGs) in New Haven and Fairfield Counties. Workshops included information sessions and breakout review groups on the Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI) and Zones of Shared Risk
Go to Resource

Climate Change Vulnerability Index and Zones of Shared Risk Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
January 22, 2021 Naugatuck Valley COG Planning Approaches for Assessing Vulnerabilities and Climate Adaption Choices Recording NOG
Go to Resource

Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI) Factsheet

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Factsheet discussing the calculation of the pilot CCVI for Fairfield and New Haven Counties and how it will be helpful to use for municipalities
Go to Resource

Climate Change Vulnerability Index: Pilot (Fairfield and New Haven Counties)

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Map Viewer of preliminary CCVI  for Fairfield and New Haven Counties with combined built, social and ecological factors to identify areas vulnerable to flooding and heat.
Go to Resource

Breakout Session 3: Climate Adaptation Policy and Implementation Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Policy

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
November 20, 2020: This breakout session will feature two speakers currently working on state-level initiatives related to climate policy
Go to Resource

Track 3: Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection GC3 Public Forum Kickoff Meeting

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Energy

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
November 20, 2020: Governor's Councol On Climatr Change Presentation on Climate Change in CT
Go to Resource

Track 3: Land Use a Resiliency Issue Slide Deck

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
November 20, 2020 Sara C. Bronin Presenation on Land Uae from Desegregate CT
Go to Resource

Breakout Session 2: Building Technical Capacity and Tools for Resilience Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
November 20, 2020: Resilient Connecticut is parlaying CIRCAís climate research into tailored tools and crafting a Municipal Toolkit to support municipalities in their efforts. This session introduces initial components of the Municipal Toolkits
Go to Resource

Track 2: Climate Change Vulnerability Index Methodology Slide Deck

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
November 20, 2020 Climate Change Vulnerability Index Methodology Slide
Go to Resource

Track 2: Municipal Resilience Report Card: Milford Case Study Slide Deck

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
November 20, 2020 Yaprak Onat Building Technical Capacity and Tools for Resilience
Go to Resource

Breakout Session 1: Resilience Planning: Challenges, Opportunities and Interconnections Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
November 20, 2020: Breakout Sessin 1 with the focus on the impacts of climate change in Connecticut affecting human health, ecological systems, the built environment and critical infrastructure.
Go to Resource

Track 1: From Data to Resilient Adaptation Projects Slide Deck

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
November 20, 2020 Track.1 and Breakout Session 1 Slide Deck
Go to Resource

Track 1: Resilience Planning: Challenges, Opportunities and Interconnections: Transportation Orientated Development Slide Deck

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
November 20, 2020 Norwan W. Garrick and Carol Atkinson-Palombo, Rosalie Ray Slide Deck on Transit Oriented Development
Go to Resource

Senator Chris Murphy Remarks Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Policy

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
November 20, 2020 Senator Chris Murphy Remarks at Second Annual Resilient Connecticut Summit
Go to Resource

Resilient Connecticut 2nd Annual Summit Projgress Report Slide Deck

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Novemmber 20, 2020 Resilient Connecticut Progress Report Slide Deck from John Truscinski CIRCA Director of Resilience Planning
Go to Resource

Resilient Connecitcut Phase II From Data to Resilient Adaptation Projects

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
November 20, 2020 Resilient Connecticut David Murphy Manager of Water Resource Planning, Milone and MacBroom
Go to Resource

Rhode Island AG Addressing Instance of Climate/Environmental Injustice Through Climate Liability Litigation Slide Deck

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
November 20, 2020 Key Note Speaker Barry E. Hill Visiting Scholar Slide Deck
Go to Resource

Environmental Rights, Public Trust and Public Nuisance: Addressing Climate Injustices Through State Climate Liability Litigation

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Environmental Justice

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Journal Article from Keynote Speaker Barry E. Hill
Go to Resource

Keynote Speaker Address Resilient Connectiut Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Environmental Justice

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
November 20,2020 Keynote Speaker discussing the close relationship between environmetal justice and climate justice in the U.S. and how the victims of environmental/climate injustice are potential climate refugees
Go to Resource

NVCOG Regional Vulnerabilities and Resilience Opportunities Informational packet

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Naugatuck Valley COG Regional Vulnerabilities and Resilience Opportunities Informational packet from the May 2021 Workshop.
Go to Resource

Resilient Connecticut Summit Agenda

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
November 20,2020 Resilient Connecticut (Virtual Summit)
Go to Resource

Opening Session Second Annual Resilient Connecticut Summit Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
November 20, 2020 Opening Speakers of the 2nd Annual Resilient Connecituct Summit with Introduction and Project Overview
Go to Resource

WestCOG Regional Vulnerabilities and Resilience Opportunities Informational packet

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
WestCOG Regional Vulnerabilities and Resilience Opportunities Informational packet from the May 2021 Workshop.
Go to Resource

MetroCOG Regional Vulnerabilities and Resilience Opportunities Workshop Presentation Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
MetroCOG Presentation Recording from the Regional Vulnerabilities and Resilience Opportunities Workshop held in May 2021.
Go to Resource

WestCOG Regional Vulnerabilities and Resilience Opportunities Workshop Presentation Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
WestCOG Presentation Recording from the Regional Vulnerabilities and Resilience Opportunities Workshop held in May 2021.
Go to Resource

NVCOG Regional Vulnerabilities and Resilience Opportunities Workshop Presentation Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Naugatuck Valley COG Presentation Recording from the Regional Vulnerabilities and Resilience Opportunities Workshop held in May 2021.
Go to Resource

South Central Regional COG (SCRCOG) Regional Vulnerabilities and Resilience Opportunities Informational packet

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
South Central Regional COG (SCRCOG) Regional Vulnerabilities and Resilience Opportunities Informational packet from the May 2021 Workshop.
Go to Resource

MetroCOG Regional Vulnerabilities and Resilience Opportunities Informational packet

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
MetroCOG Regional Vulnerabilities and Resilience Opportunities Informational packet from the May 2021 Workshop.
Go to Resource

NVCOG Regional Vulnerabilities and Resilience Opportunities Workshop Slide Deck

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Naugatuck Valley COG Presentation slide deck from the Regional Vulnerabilities and Resilience Opportunities Workshop held in May 2021.
Go to Resource

WestCOG Regional Vulnerabilities and Resilience Opportunities Workshop Slide Deck

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
WestCOG Presentation slide deck from the Regional Vulnerabilities and Resilience Opportunities Workshop held in May 2021.
Go to Resource

MetroCOG Regional Vulnerabilities and Resilience Opportunities Workshop Slide Deck

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
MetroCOG Presentation slide deck from the Regional Vulnerabilities and Resilience Opportunities Workshop held in May 2021.
Go to Resource

South Central Regional COG (SCRCOG) Regional Vulnerabilities and Resilience Opportunities Workshop Slide Deck

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
South Central Regional COG (SCRCOG) Presentation slide deck from the Regional Vulnerabilities and Resilience Opportunities Workshop held in May 2021.
Go to Resource

Decision-Making Challenges Facing Municipalities in a Time of Climate Change: KeyNote Presentation Slide Deck

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Keynote Presentation on Decision-Making Challenges Facing Municipalities in a Time of Climate Change from Dr. Linda Shi, Cornell University, Department of City and Regional Planning at the Uconn Earth Day Conference in 2022.
Go to Resource

Uconn Earth Day Conference Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
CIRCA, the UConn School of Law's†Center for Energy & Environmental Law (CEEL), and the UConn Diversity Alliance partnered to host a 2022 Earth Day Conference focused on building resilient communities. This event brought together specialists in environmental law, municipal finance, climate and marine science, and community planning and included remarks from Senator Christine Cohen and CT DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes.
Go to Resource

Resilient Fair Haven, Danbury and Branford Presentation Slide Deck

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Slide deck from the Resilient Fair Haven, Danbury and Branford Projects presented by Fuss & O'Neill at the Resilient Connecticut Innovative Design Workshop held May 2023.
Go to Resource

Resilient South End Stratford Presentation Slide Deck

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Stratford
Slide deck from the Resilient South End Project presented by GZA at the Resilient Connecticut Innovative Design Workshop held May 2023.
Go to Resource

Resilient Ansonia Presentation Slide Deck

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Ansonia
Slide deck from the Resilient Ansonia Project presented by AECOM at the Resilient Connecticut Innovative Design Workshop held May 2023.
Go to Resource

Resilient Fairfield Presentation Slide Deck

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Fairfield
Slide deck from the Resilient Fairfield Project presented by AECOM at the Resilient Connecticut Innovative Design Workshop held May 2023.
Go to Resource

Resilient South Norwalk Presentation Slide Deck

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Norwalk
Slide deck from the Resilient South Norwalk Project presented by AECOM at the Resilient Connecticut Innovative Design Workshop held May 2023.
Go to Resource

Zones of Shared Risk Map Viewer

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Viewer of Zones of Shred Risk for the Resilient Connecticut Program.
Go to Resource

Regional Workshop – CCVI & ZSR – NVCOG Presentation Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The Resilient Connecticut team (CIRCA and consultants: Milone & MacBroom and Dewberry) held their first regional workshops with the four Council of Governments (COGs) in New Haven and Fairfield Counties. This video is about the CCVI and ZSR in NVCOG.
Go to Resource

Regional Workshop – CCVI & ZSR ñ WestCOG Presentation Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The Resilient Connecticut team (CIRCA and consultants: Milone & MacBroom and Dewberry) held their first regional workshops with the four Council of Governments (COGs) in New Haven and Fairfield Counties. This video is about the CCVI and ZSR in WestCOG.
Go to Resource

Regional Workshop – CCVI & ZSR ñ MetroCOG Presentation Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The Resilient Connecticut team (CIRCA and consultants: Milone & MacBroom and Dewberry) held their first regional workshops with the four Council of Governments (COGs) in New Haven and Fairfield Counties. This video is about the CCVI and ZSR in MetroCOG.
Go to Resource

Zones of Shared Risk Workshop Presentation Slide Deck

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Zones of Sahred Risk Presentation from the Workshops in Four COG Regions ñ Winter 2021
Go to Resource

CIRCA’s Decarbonization and Energy and Biodiversity, Ecosystem, and Conservation Webinar Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Energy

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Join†Chad Rittenhouse, Professor in Residence of NRE†to learn and discuss his research on Decarbonization and Energy and Biodiversity, Ecosystem & Conservation.
Go to Resource

CIRCA’s Resilience Adaptation and Engineering and Inland and Coastal Flooding Webinar Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Join†James OíDonnell, Professor of Marine Sciences, to learn and discuss his research on Resilience Adaptation and Engineering and Inland and Coastal Flooding.
Go to Resource

Zones of Shared Risk (ZSR) Factsheet

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
ìZones of Shared Riskî are regions that face common flood, wind, or heat-related challenges already, or caused by climate change. A Zone of Shared Risk (ZSR) includes land, buildings, and infrastructure as well as the hydrological, ecological, social, and institutional elements that contribute to the functioning of a place.
Go to Resource

Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI) Slide Deck

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
What is the CCVI is and how do you use it? from the Workshops in Four COG Regions ñ Winter 2021
Go to Resource

CIRCA’s Economy, Workforce and Planning Perspectives and Climate Communication and Policy Webinar Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Join a conversation with†Shareen Hartel, Professor of Political Science and Human Rights,†Desen Ozkan, Assistant Professor, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Department and†Eleanor Ouimet, Assistant Professor of Anthropology to learn and discuss research on†Economy, Workforce and Planning Perspectives and Climate Communication and Policy.
Go to Resource

CIRCA’s Climate Justice and Equity and Public Health and Emergency Management Webinar Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Environmental Justice

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Join†Eleanor Ouimet, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, to learn and discuss her research on†Climate Justice and Equity and Public Health and Emergency Management.
Go to Resource

Resilient Connecticut Phase III ñ Designing Seven Projects for Municipal Resilience Webinar Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
These seven new projects will include local engagement, detailed analysis, and the development of concept plans. During this CIRCA ìbrown-bagî webinar, participants joined to learn about and ask questions about these seven projects chosen in New Haven and Fairfield Counties.
Go to Resource

Connecticut’s Climate for 2050 | UConn Promotional Video

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Watch the video to see what changes are in store for CT, and why it is so vital we reduce our emissions.
Go to Resource

Addressing Climate Change Through Resilient Development Webinar Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
CIRCA partnered with the Connecticut Economic Development Association (CEDAS) to host a webinar on May 28, 2019 focused on topics related to the Resilient Connecticut Project.
Go to Resource

New Planning and Visualization Tools for Sea Level Rise Webinar Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
On this webinar, new planning tools released by CIRCA and UConnís Center for Energy and Environmental Law (CEEL) were highlighted, including three ìresilience scenariosî that can be used by municipal and state agency staff as communication and planning tools.
Go to Resource

Connecticutís Climate Report Webinar: Precipitation Projections and a New Haven Case Study Webinar Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
During this webinar, two presenters described their work related to precipitation projections and assessment at the local level.
Go to Resource

Regional Resilience Planning for Protection of Public Drinking Water Webinar Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
UConn researchers worked with the†South Central Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG) and the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority (RWA) to integrate climate change information into water planning processes for the region.† With changing precipitation patterns, sea level rise, and drought anticipated due to climate change, water utility managers will benefit from the integration of climate data into regional planning.
Go to Resource

Forming Local Resilience Committees in Connecticut – Webinar Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
On October 31st†CIRCA hosted staff from two coastal Connecticut towns that are in the process of forming resilience committees. Joe MacDougald, UConn faculty and a Madison resident, co-presented with Dave Anderson, Town of Madisonís Director of Planning & Economic Development, and Tom Banisch, Madisonís First Selectman. They were joined by Jessie Stratton who is a member of a task force helping to lead Grotonís resilience planning effort.
Go to Resource

Community Rating Systems in Connecticut Webinar Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Learn about the CIRCA-funded project, ìMunicipal Assistance for FEMAís Community Rating System,î completed by Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and Milone & MacBroom Inc.
Go to Resource

CIRCA Receives Awards in 2022

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
January 2023: Recap of CIRCA projects and then receiving two awards
Go to Resource

Downtown Mystic Resiliency & Sustainability Plan

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
January 2024: Downtown Mystic Resiliency and Sustainabilty Plan with Media Coverage details
Go to Resource

CT Mirror Article: How heat effects health

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Heat

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
†How heat affects health: An overlooked outcome of climate change featuring Dr. Yaprak Onat of CIRCA.
Go to Resource

CIRCA Highlighted on Untold: A CT Mirror Podcast

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
October 2022: CT podcast discussing Resilient Connecticut initiatives
Go to Resource

Connecticut Public Radio Where We Live: Looking back at Superstorm Sandy, ten years later

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
October 2022: Jim O'Donnell interview on Connecticut Public's program Where We Live
Go to Resource

CIRCA Perpectives from COP26

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Policy

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Jim O'Donnell gives persective from COP26
Go to Resource

CIRCA Announces Municipal Resilience Grant Avaliability Webinar Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
December 2021: CIRCA is requesting Municipal Resilience Grant Program applications from municipal governments, non-governmental organizations in partnership with municipalties and councils of governments
Go to Resource

Introducing the Connecticut Environmental Justice Screening Tool Webinar Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Environmental Justice

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
This session will guide you through the mapping tool's interface, features, and datasets, revealing how it can be utilized to analyze and address environmental burdens in vulnerable communities. You'll also have the opportunity to engage with experts behind the development of CT EJScreen, who will share insights into the challenges and achievements of creating this comprehensive tool.
Go to Resource

CT Summer Heat Wave Webinar – September 27

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Heat

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
September 2022: Summer Heat Wave Webinar
Go to Resource

CIRCA Awarded 5 million in New Funding to Strengthen CT’s Climate Change Resilience

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Policy

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
November 2021: CIRCA expanded their efforts with acquiring an additional 5 million from the CGA state budget.
Go to Resource

Crafting Competitive Resilience Proposals for NCRF and Beyond Webinar Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
September 2021: Webinar brief on Throwe Environment which will describe how CT communities can take advantage of the NCRF and other funding sources
Go to Resource

Uconn Today: For Future Flood Control, Cities Need Strategy

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
What we consider a 100-year event is a conservative version of a 10-year event plus 20 inchesówhat will be a normal flood in 2050
Go to Resource

CIRCA Interview on NPR: How The Climate Crisis is Affecting Connecticut’s Future

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
CIRCA interview that discusses how global climate crisis is impacting Connecticut.
By James Szkobel-Wolff, 
Zshekinah Collier, Catie Talarski, Khalilah Brown-Dean
Published June 16, 2021
After years of warning from scientists, the global climate crisis is impacting Americans across the country. This year, we’ve already seen unprecedented ice storms across Texas and one of the worst droughts in modern history in the west. But what kind of changes can we expect in Connecticut? This hour on Disrupted, we dig into the ways our changing climate is affecting our state. GUESTS:
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Resilient Connecticut Tools: Exploring CIRCA’s Latest Products Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
May 26,2020 on Through the Resilient Connecticut project, CIRCA presents datasets to bring the latest information on climate impacts.
Go to Resource

Climate Vulnerabiliy Mapping for Municipalities Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
March 23,2020 on understanding climate vulnerabilities and help participants learn about understanding how mapping a community helps understand the vulnerabilities
Go to Resource

Legal & Policy Tools for Climate Resilience at the State and Local Level

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Policy

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Factsheet on State and local governments seek to help their constituents mitigate and become resilient to the impacts of climate change.
Go to Resource

Expanding Climate Resilience with Forward-Thinking Policy Initiatives

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Policy

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Uconn Today Article on Expanding Climate Resilience with Forward-Thinking Policy Initiatives
Go to Resource

Extreme Precipitation and Riverine Flood Risk Analysis

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Factsheet on understanding and quantifying the flood impacts and damages is of great importance in flood risk evaluation and management, especially for coastal areas that might be affected by both high streamflow and surge. Meanwhile, the changing climate and land use are expected to increase thelikelihood and intensity of flood damages, due to the exacerbated effect of rainfall,storm surge and sea level rise.
Go to Resource

Donít Get Soaked: Flood Damage Could Lessen if Cities Build Smarter

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Uconn Today Feature Article Donít Get Soaked: Flood Damage Could Lessen if Cities Build Smarter
Go to Resource

Statutory Adoption of Updated Sea Level Rise Scenarios, 2018

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
This paper suggests three legislative actions to assure that the latest UConn updates to the 2012 NOAA sea level data are used to implement the planning and emergency preparedness requirements of P.A. 12-179.
Go to Resource

Floodplain Building Elevation Standards for Critical Facilities and Activities, 2022

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Flood protection elevations are critical safety factors for construction in the flood plain as well as a regulatory compliance step in relevant construction. Determining the appropriate flood protection height requirement for an infrastructure project can be complicated. Factors determining the applicable standards can vary depending upon location, funding source, construction type and critical/non-critical designation. Learn more with this white paper.
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Floodplain Building Elevation Standards, 2018

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
This paper describes the following actions within existing municipal authority that will help Connecticut shoreline communities accommodate the Long Island Sound sea level rise projected for 2050, assure compliance with the elevation requirements of the Connecticut State Building Code, and enhance community resilience to flood event. Learn more with this white paper
Go to Resource

Height Restrictions on Elevated Buildings, 2018

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
This paper describes two approaches; 1) allow additional height above the surrounding grade or 2) allow additional height above a specified floodwater elevation provides the text of the floodplain height ordinances in eight communities that make such accommodations. Shoreline communities interested in enhancing coastal resilience should consider whether similar ordinances are appropriate for their situation. Learn more with this white paper.
Go to Resource

Oceanfront State Coastal Management Programs, 2018

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
This white paper surveys the coastal management programs in the twenty- three oceanfront states. Individual state summaries describe the key features of the coastal management programs in each of the oceanfront states, while more details analyses address the genesis of the state programs, the exercise of coastal management jurisdictions and how state statues and regulations address sea level rise.
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Marsh Resilience Diagram

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The risk of flooding on roadways and properties along the coast is much higher than other areas because of wave driven splash-over. However, there is still significant risk associated with properties that are non-coastal but adjacent to tidal wetlands. The proximity to tidal wetlands and the minimal elevation difference above tidal wetlands often makes roadways and buildings vulnerable to tidal flooding.
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Integrating Climate Change Adaptation into and across Local Plans

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
In Connecticut, municipalities must complete comprehensive local plans at least every 10 years to remain eligible for discretionary state funding, and natural hazard mitigation plans must be updated every 5 years to remain eligible for hazard mitigation project funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Municipalities may also complete other plans, but those plans are not uniformly distributed or required across the state. Many Connecticut municipalities are integrating climate change adaptation into these planning efforts, making any actions the community has prioritized eligible for state or federal funding. Learn more here.
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Gaps and Opportunities for Local Resilience Planning in Connecticut

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
There are numerous efforts underway at the local, regional, and state level across the state of Connecticut to address the impacts of climate change. Scientific assessments, community engagement, and adaptation project designs are just a few of the key activities. Additionally, climate-related goals are being integrated into some local planning processes and some municipalities have undertaken resilience plans. Despite these projects, there are glaring gaps in the existing authority or obligations of local governments that potentially hinder climate planning at the local level. This type of systems analysis highlights specific planning obligations that are often related to climate planning but have not yet incorporated the impacts and adaptations to climate change fully. However, optimizing or expanding existing local authority or planning obligations could significantly advance adaptation across the state. First, it would make climate planning an ongoing effort as opposed to episodic. Second, it could address gaps that have the potential to hinder projects currently underway. Third, it could advance efforts to address historically excluded and harmed communities across the state by ensuring they are included in climate change planning and that adaptation projects or resilience programs and policies redress those inequities. This white paper outlines the gaps in resilience planning authority and planning mechanisms then provide potential opportunities to address the gaps.
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Resilience Corridor Diagram

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
A resilience corridor is a planning strategy that utilizes roads located on higher ground as an infrastructural link to tie the surrounding, flood vulnerable communities along the coast to upland territories. In addition to providing coastal communities with emergency egress, they can help shape development planning and define neighborhood prioritization strategies.
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Barrier Beach Resilience Diagram

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
A barrier beach is a small community of housing along a thin strip of coastal land, usually serviced by a single, primary road. This land typology, found in many coastal cities, is challenging because it is both incredibly sought after by homeowners for its great views and easy access to the ocean, but it is also one of the most vulnerable typologies against sea level rise and storm surge.
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Historic Resource Surveys in Risk Zones: Climate Action

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Historic sites are often perceived as beacons of resilience for communities, acting as the inspiration to rebuild following disaster, and often act as a point where many members of a community can come together, which builds community resilience.6 Community resilience is defined as ìthe capability to anticipate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from significant multi-hazard threats with minimum damage to social well-being, the economy, and the environment.î7 Historic preservation and resilience go hand in hand, sharing the holistic wellbeing of the community from the environmental to the social and economic aspects. Learn more here.
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Rising Temperatures & Precipitation in Connecticut Factsheet

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Heat

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
According to high CO2 emission scenarios (RCP 8.5) for the future, average temperatures in Connecticut are predicted to rise 5∞F (± 1∞F) by 2050 and continue rising thereafter. The largest temperature increase is expected in summer and fall. Learn more here.
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Sea Level Rise & Coastal Flooding in Connecticut Factsheet

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Connecticut is expected to experience up to 20î of sea level rise by 2050, leading to greater frequency of flooding from tides and storms. Small changes in mean sea level have a big impact on the frequency and severity of flooding. Learn more here.
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Sea Level Rise in Connecticut Final Report

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
In the this report we summarize the NOAA CPO-1 sea level rise projections of the potential trends in global mean sea level and their underlying rationale. We then describe the expected differences between global mean sea level and values in Long Island Sound at the shores of Connecticut. In Section 4 we present recent observation of sea level in Long Island Sound and evaluate whether changes have taken place. Since the NOAA CPO-1 projections were developed there have been considerable advances in the science of climate change and sea level rise so in Section 5 we summarize recent projections and their relationship to the earlier work. We conclude in Section 6 with recommendations for sea level trends and their uncertainty bounds for use in planning and provide recommendations for their use and review.
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Conservation Commissions and Natural Resource Resilience – Spanish Version

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Conservation Commissions should consider the effect of climate change on natural resources and the solutions these resources provide when undertaking their duties of protecting and preserving biological diversity and natural resources.  
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Conservation Commissions and Natural Resource Resilience Factsheet

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Conservation Commissions should consider the effect of climate change on natural resources and the solutions these resources provide when undertaking their duties of protecting and preserving biological diversity and natural resources
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CIRCA’s Resilient Connecticut Program Factsheet – Spanish Version

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
CIRCA, along with state agencies, regional Councils of Governments (COGs), and municipalities, initiated the Resilient Connecticut project in 2018. This project initially focused on areas impacted by Superstorm Sandy in New Haven and Fairfield Counties, but has since expand[1]ed to the rest of Connecticut. Activities include science-based risk assessments, community outreach, and pilot project designs. Products include maps, policy recommendations, and research. The goal of this work is to help decision makers prepare for changes in heat, flooding, and precipitation and advance planning for more resilient housing, transportation, and healthy communities.  
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CIRCA Resilient Connecticut Project Factsheet

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
CIRCA, along with state agencies, regional Councils of Governments (COGs), and municipalities, initiated the Resilient Connecticut project in 2018. This project initially focused on areas impacted by Superstorm Sandy in New Haven and Fairfield Counties, but has since expand[1]ed to the rest of Connecticut. Activities include science-based risk assessments, community outreach, and pilot project designs. Products include maps, policy recommendations, and research. The goal of this work is to help decision makers prepare for changes in heat, flooding, and precipitation and advance planning for more resilient housing, transportation, and healthy communities.
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Branford Coastal Resiliency Reserve Fund – Planting Seeds for the Future

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Branford
Branford has taken proactive steps to put plans in place with an eye to the future. In 2016 a Coastal Resilience Plan was developed to identify location specific and town-wide options for adaptation. An update to Branfordís Plan of Conservation and Development in 2019 considered the impact of sea-level rise to the townís vision for the future.
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Stormwater and Climate Resilience: Next Steps to Create a Municipal Stormwater Authority – Spanish Version

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
In 2021, the Connecticut legislature passed P.A. 21-115 allowing municipalities to create a stormwater authority by enabling an existing commission or board or by establishing a new stormwater authority. Stormwater authorities are recognized throughout the United States and abroad as a tool for communities to finance and manage stormwater infrastructure and increase resilience to climate change impacts.  
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Implementing New Flood Prevention, Climate Resilience, and Erosion Control Boards Factsheet

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Flood Prevention, Climate Resilience and Erosion Control Boards have expanded authority and new reporting requirements. Municipalities should be aware of the greater responsibilities when determining how best to integrate the expanded Board into their climate resilience strategy
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Stormwater and Climate Resilience Factsheet

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
As the climate changes and precipitation becomes more intense, the impacts of stormwater runoff will become more frequent, severe, and widespread. Regulations to protect the environment require municipalities, developers, industry, and large commercial sites to take action to reduce stormwater entering waterways, but when storms are severe, the existing infrastructure may be inadequate. One way communities can address pollutants in runoff and improve resilience to extreme precipitation events is to upgrade stormwater management practices and infrastructure. But this takes dedicated funding
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Stormwater and Climate Resilience – Spanish Version

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
As the climate changes and precipitation becomes more intense, the impacts of stormwater runoff will become more frequent, severe, and widespread. Regulations to protect the environment require municipalities, developers, industry, and large commercial sites to take action to reduce stormwater entering waterways, but when storms are severe, the existing infrastructure may be inadequate. One way communities can address pollutants in runoff and improve resilience to extreme precipitation events is to upgrade stormwater management practices and infrastructure. But this takes dedicated funding.
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Stormwater and Climate Resilience: Next Steps to Create a Municipal Stormwater Authority

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
In 2021, the Connecticut legislature passed P.A. 21-115 allowing municipalities to create a stormwater authority by enabling an existing commission or board or by establishing a new stormwater authority. Stormwater authorities are recognized throughout the United States and abroad as a tool for communities to finance and manage stormwater infrastructure and increase resilience to climate change impacts.
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Energy Opportunities for Connecticut Municipalities in the Inflation Reduction Act Factsheet

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Energy

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The Inflation Reduction Act (ìIRAî), signed into law on August 16, 2022, was the largest climate change/clean energy investment bill ever passed in the United States. While private industry celebrated IRAís passage, it also includes significant benefits, both direct and indirect, for municipalities. Especially when applied in concert with the various Connecticut energy incentive programs, IRA provides an opportune moment for municipalities to consider local energy resilience and clean energy projects
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2024 Policy Guide to Local Energy Resilience for Connecticut

Type:

Policy Guides

Focus Area:

Energy

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The goal of the local energy resilience initiative at CIRCA is to (a) help guide Connecticut communities through the morass of existing federal and state incentives; (b) help municipalities construct microgrids or renewable energy systems that are capable of islanding and operating independently from the grid during outages; and (c) to help municipalities make well-informed choices with respect to selecting and siting renewable energy or ESS generally.
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An Extreme Heat Toolkit for Connecticut Municipalities

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Heat

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
As extreme heat events become more frequent7, they increasingly pose a serious threat to the health of Connecticut residents. By 2050, Connecticut can expect: The number of tropical nights (annual number of days when the daily minimum is above 68∞F) to rise from 10 to 40 per year. The number of Heat Wave Days (6 or more consecutive days with daily maximum temperature above the 90th percentile) to rise from 4 to 48 per year. The number of Summer Days (annual number of days when the daily maximum temperature is above 77∞F) to rise from 81 to 118. The number of days above 90∞F (annual number of days with maximum temperatures above the threshold value) to rise from 5 to 25 per year.8 These heat trends affect rural and urban residents in different ways. Learn more with this toolkit.
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Incentivization Zoning and Green Development on Rooftops in the City of Norwalk: A Climate Resiliency Case Study

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Norwalk
Cooling down or making buildings more energy-efficient starts from the top: the roof. Roofs can be designed to absorb solar energy, or to cool down buildings without expending more energy or dollars. These solutions are generally known as white roof, green roof, blue roof, and installing solar panels
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Bridgeport Climate Action Case Study

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Bridgeport
The goal of this case study was to provide examples of climate strategies that may work for other engaged communities by showcasing policies and enactment strategies that could be adopted and fitted for other towns and cities, as well as the process and resources involved in implementing these kinds of actions. Bridgeport exemplifies resiliency values soundly throughout their plans and was selected for this CIRCA case study due to the quality of their responses from city staff responsible for such projects, and further for the applicatory nature of their climate work to other municipalities
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Energy Resilience for Connecticut Municipalities

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Energy

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Inforgraphic on CT Public Act 20-5 which defines resilience as "the ability to prepare for and adapt to changing conditions and withstand and recover rapidly from deliberate attacks, accidents or naturally occurring threats or incidents, including, but not limited to, threats or incidents associated with the impacts of climate change."
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Ten Steps to Municipal Resilience Video Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
We must all take steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions since these changes will have costly and dangerous impacts in our state. In the meantime, municipalities can increase their resilience to the foreseeable impacts of climate change by considering the following ten steps outlined in CIRCA's 10 Steps to municiapal resilience and in this video recording.
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Ten Steps to Municipal Resilience Factsheet

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
CIRCA created a fact sheet that describes ìTen Steps for Municipal Resilienceî to help CT towns and cities adapt to the effects of climate change. The fact sheet identifies these specific actions that communities can take to address both immediate climate impacts and ones that will take a longer time to plan and prepare for at a community-wide level. These 10 steps will help decision makers determine if they are moving their community toward resiliency.
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Transit Oriented Development for a more Resilient CT Slides

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
In June 2021, CIRCA hosted a Resilient Connecticut climate change research webinar series. Focused on specific topics and condensed on time, each event included ~ 20 minutes of presentation and 10 minutes of Q&A, moderated by CIRCA's Assistant Director of Research, Dr. Yaprak Onat. Rosalie Ray presented on CTís current obstacles to TOD implementation and Flood vulnerability of the Metro-North rail line.
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Module 1: Resilient Training, Zoning for Climate Resilience, Municipal Land Use Commission Training Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Module 1 in a 3 part series. Training for Connecticut Land Use Commissioners to use Zoning authority to enhance climate change resilience in partial fulfillment of training requirements in Public Act 21-29 .
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Module 2: Resilient Zoning to Address Climate Vulnerabilities Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Module 2 in a 3 part series. Training for Connecticut Land Use Commissioners to use Zoning authority to enhance climate change resilience in partial fulfillment of training requirements in Public Act 21-29 .
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Module 3: Zoning Tools to Address Climate Vulnerabilities Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Module 3 in a 3 part series. Training for Connecticut Land Use Commissioners to use Zoning authority to enhance climate change resilience in partial fulfillment of training requirements in Public Act 21-29 .
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Transit Oriented Development for a more Resilient CT Presentation Recoding

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
In June 2021, CIRCA hosted a Resilient Connecticut climate change research webinar series. Focused on specific topics and condensed on time, each event included ~ 20 minutes of presentation and 10 minutes of Q&A, moderated by CIRCA's Assistant Director of Research, Dr. Yaprak Onat. Rosalie Ray presented on CTís current obstacles to TOD implementation and Flood vulnerability of the Metro-North rail line.
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Transit Oriented Development for a more Resilient CT Factsheet

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Connecticutís transit-oriented development (TOD) efforts have been ongoing for a decade, but face implementation challenges. This research analyzed the current obstacles to TOD implementation in Connecticut while also evaluating the vulnerability of the Metro-North mainline and its associated TOD to sea level rise. We took a mixed-methods approach, reviewing the townsí existing TOD plans, interviewing 13 stakeholders, analyzing the street network in station areas and analyzing parcel and rail line vulnerability with CIRCAís mapping of the 1% annual exceedance probability flood with the addition of 20î of sea-level rise by 2050.
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Transit-Oriented Data: The Importance of Data and Coordination to Transit-Oriented Urban Transformation

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Working from interviews with Connecticut stakeholders and participant observation in TOD policy development, the study explores the coordination and governance challenges surrounding state intervention as well as the role that Connecticut's weak state geospatial data play in the efforts to develop TOD projects. Connecticut was until recently one of only five states without a state geographic information officer, making it a ìblack swanî case that can illuminate the perhaps unseen role that strong spatial data infrastructures play in other states' policymaking. Moreover, the comparison between New Jersey's Transit Villages Program and Connecticut's efforts signal that more work is needed to manage the difficult paradigm shift toward state support of TOD.
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Transit Oriented Development for a more Resilient CT Final Report

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Transit Oriented Development (TOD) is an important tool for climate mitigation, as well as climate resilience. TODs are mixed-use, compact, walkable developments built in locations that are served by high quality transit systems. With dense concentrations of people and services, TODs provide towns with the potential to steer development away from areas that might be at risk for flooding or that are in similarly hazardous or environmentally sensitive areas. Furthermore, because of their compact size, TODs can lead to less runoff per capita and thus less flooding. TODs can also be used as an effective approach to accommodate more diversity in the types and price points of housing provided and to increase the stock of affordable housing. The purpose of this project is to evaluate the potential for TODs as a key component for long term climate resilience along the New Haven ñ Greenwich corridor by doing an evaluation of the challenges and opportunities for the creation of TODs. The ability of towns and developers to fully leverage this valuable infrastructure that is provided by the state is vital to the long term economic, social and environmental resilience of the state of Connecticut; and will be key to the development of climate adaptation strategies in the Resilient Connecticut project area.
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Emergency Sheltering & Cooling Center Practices in Connecticut

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Heat

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Researchers with the Connecticut Department of Public Health and University of Connecticut Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation conducted a survey in fall of 2020 on temporary emergency shelters and cooling centers practices in Connecticut. The primary survey objective was to organize and analyze information to inform public health officials and climate resilience planners in the development of best management practices of cooling centers and temporary emergency shelters, as first recommended by the Governorís Council on Climate Change. A lack of statistical significance limited the researchersí ability to make broad state-wide practice observations; however, there were limitations in the amenities offered at shelters and cooling centers, public advertisements were focus on online methods, and health departments were slightly more involved in emergency sheltering over cooling centers, among respondents. Key considerations for future policy and resilience planning are offered.
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Road Flooding in Coastal Connecticut Final Report

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
A demonstration project was conducted to provide estimates of the frequency of flooding at two sites on RT 146 in Guilford and two sites in Branford. The project includes Sachem Head Road and Leetes Island Road in Guilford, and Indian Neck Avenue, Linden and Sybil Avenue, Limewood Avenue and Waverly Road in Brandord. The model required the analysis of observations, LIDAR surface elevations, GPS surveys and water level observations. The project provided current flooding frequency statistics, future flooding frequency statistics and the effectiveness of road elevation options on reducing the flooding frequency.
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Jarvis Creek (Branford) Sea Level and Flooding Variability Final Report

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Branford
The project demonstrates the effects of engineered tidal flow constrictions on the variability of the sea level in salt marshes and the frequency of flooding in upstream areas, focused on Jarvis Creek (Branford). The high water levels at Jarvis Creek Marsh, CT, have led to flooding on Leetes Island Road (RT 146) and at a field adjacent to the marsh. Exchange of water between Long Island Sound and the marsh complex is currently influenced by a tide gate and a berm at the southern end of marsh and a railway bridge that crosses the middle of the marsh.
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Why 13 heat sensors have been installed around Norwalk – New Haven Register Article. Huckleberry Drive, and Calf Pasture Beach.

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Heat

Town:

Norwalk
Due to climate change, heat waves are expected to become more frequent and severe, which can be dangerous to human health and wellbeing. Individuals who are not as acclimated to heat, like Connecticut residents are potentially at high risk for heat related illnesses during periods of extreme heat. Those who live in urban areas experience warmer air temperatures than those who live in rural areas, due to the Urban Heat Island Effect. Products of urbanization like asphalt, high concentration of buildings, and lack of vegetation cause urban areas to retain more heat. This project aims to identify the variability of air and surface temperature overtime and its linkages to urbanization, focused in Norwalk, Connecticut. Heat Index data will be collected through the deployment of 13 wireless heat sensors mounted on electric poles or trees, throughout the city of Norwalk. The sensors were placed at the following locations: Cranbury Park, SONO Police Property Division/Station, Rowayton Shoreline, Norwalk Fire Station 5, Bounton St, Norwalk Main Public Library/Norwalk Center, Norwalk High School/Naramake Elementary School, Norwalk Fire Station 2, East Norwalk Train Station, Norwalk Community College, West Rocks Middle School, Huckleberry Drive, and Calf Pasture Beach
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Change in Heat Vulnerability and Land-use Influence Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Heat

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
In June 2021, CIRCA hosted a Resilient Connecticut climate change research webinar series. Focused on specific topics and condensed on time, each event included ~ 20 minutes of presentation and 10 minutes of Q&A, moderated by CIRCA's Assistant Director of Research, Dr. Yaprak Onat. Mariana Fragomeni, assistant professor of landscape architecture in the†College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources, presented her research on how surface temperatures in Fairfield and New Haven counties have changed over the past 20 years and how different kinds of land cover affect heat in a Connecticut Institute for Resilience & Climate Adaptation (CIRCA)
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Change in Heat Vulnerability and Land-use Influence Slides

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Heat

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
In June 2021, CIRCA hosted a Resilient Connecticut climate change research webinar series. Focused on specific topics and condensed on time, each event included ~ 20 minutes of presentation and 10 minutes of Q&A, moderated by CIRCA's Assistant Director of Research, Dr. Yaprak Onat. Mariana Fragomeni, assistant professor of landscape architecture in the†College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources, presented her research on how surface temperatures in Fairfield and New Haven counties have changed over the past 20 years and how different kinds of land cover affect heat in a Connecticut Institute for Resilience & Climate Adaptation (CIRCA)
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Identifying the Change in Heat Vulnerability and Land-use Influence Final Report

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Heat

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Extreme heat and cold are among the leading causes of climate vulnerability in the United States due to potential impacts on human health and well-being. In particular, residents in Connecticut are less acclimatized to the heat, which could signify a higher risk for heat-related diseases during extreme weather events. The occurrence of heat islands due to urbanization produces relatively warmer air temperatures near the ground, which makes urban and sub-urban areas warmer in comparison to rural areas. This project aims to identify variations in air and surface temperature over time and their linkages to land cover and land-use changes. The outcomes of this project are critical to support local decision-makers in determining the thermal vulnerability of local communities in the Resilient Connecticut project. The project will encompass the state of Connecticut with an emphasis in New Haven and Fairfield County areas.†
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CIRCA Webinar Presents Changes to Land Surface Temperature, Land Use in New Haven, Fairfield Counties – UConn Today Article

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Heat

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Uconn today article featuring the CIRCA Webinar on Changes to Land Surface Temperature, Land Use in New Haven, Fairfield Counties
Go to Resource

Identifying the Change in Heat Vulnerability and Land-use Influence Factsheet

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Heat

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Extreme heat and cold are among the leading causes of climate vulnerability in the United States due to potential impacts on human health and well-being. In particular, residents in Connecticut are less acclimatized to the heat, which could signify a higher risk for heat-related diseases during extreme weather events. The occurrence of heat islands due to urbanization produces relatively warmer air temperatures near the ground, which makes urban and sub-urban areas warmer in comparison to rural areas. This project aims to identify variations in air and surface temperature over time and their linkages to land cover and land-use changes. The outcomes of this project are critical to support local decision-makers in determining the thermal vulnerability of local communities in the Resilient Connecticut project. The project will encompass the state of Connecticut with an emphasis in New Haven and Fairfield County areas.†
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Some CT communities are getting hotter – faster, study shows

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Heat

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Fragomeni and her team compiled and analyzed 20 years of satellite imagery for New Haven and Fairfield counties, discovering that while surface temperatures have increased overall, some communities have gotten significantly hotter during that time.
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Mystic works on solutions to deal with flooding

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Groton
In response to the current and potential future flooding risks, the Town of Groton is developing a Resiliency and Sustainability Plan for the Downtown Mystic area within Town limits.†
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South Norwalk is among 7 CT neighborhoods picked for climate study. Here’s what it means.

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Norwalk
The South Norwalk neighborhood is one of seven communities in New Haven and Fairfield counties chosen by the state for climate mitigation planning.
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CIRCA Mentioned in UConn Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurshipís 2023 Year End Review

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
CIRCA highlighted in UConn OVPR's year in review publication
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Plan hopes to limit flooding in downtown Mystic

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Groton
A recent climate study suggests that raising low lying roads and making improvements to the stormwater management system could help.
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A decade after Superstorm Sandy, one resident recalls costs to Connecticut’s coast

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Go to Resource

Untold: In the climate crisis, who is really feeling the heat?

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Heat

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
This episode we go inside Resilient Connecticut, one of the state's biggest climate adaptation efforts, to find out how our towns are preparing for a hotter future.
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Norwalk To Install Heat Sensors Across City

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Heat

Town:

Norwalk
The city has partnered with CIRCA to install 13 non-invasive temporary wireless heat sensors across Norwalk.
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Danbury is heating up: Here is what the city is doing to prepare and help residents cope.

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Heat

Town:

Danbury
The city's Department of Emergency Management installed six heat sensors in strategic locations around Danbury. Six more are scheduled to be installed in the coming weeks.
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CT Summer Heat Wave Webinar learning from heat sensor research and implications for future climate Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Heat

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Heat waves that Connecticut residents experienced this summer are expected to become more frequent and severe, which can be dangerous to human health and require additional understanding and planning. As the summer season came to a close, CIRCA hosted this webinar for participants to learn about: 1) CIRCAís heat sensor summer research project; 2) How the City of Norwalk is taking steps to proactively address the threat of extreme heat waves; and 3) Why zoning ordinances offer an opportunity to shape land use policy and create communities more resilient to heat.
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How heat affects health: An overlooked outcome of climate change

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Heat

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
CIRCA uses that data for what it calls its†Climate Change Vulnerability Index, which has†mapped Fairfield and New Haven counties for their heat and flood risks. Mapping for the rest of the state is underway and should be complete by the end of the year
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Giant Wiffle ball-shaped reefs aim to combat erosion of Long Island Sound shoreline

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Officials hope artificial concrete reefs that look like giant Wiffle balls cut in half can mitigate the effects of climate change. These unusual structures, they say, can also help restore fish and wildlife habitats.
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CIRCA Awarded $5 million in New Funding to Strengthen CTís Climate Change Resilience

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
CIRCA will be able to expand their efforts thanks to an additional $5 million awarded as part of the Connecticut General Assemblyís 2021-23 state budget.
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Podcast: Climate Change Effects on State Transportation

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
In this episode of Along the Lines, join host Rich Andreski and his guests from the Connecticut Department of Transportation and the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA) as they discuss the importance of green commuting options, and how they are dedicated to making our vital public transportation systems more resilient to climate change.
Go to Resource

Introducing Resilient Connecticut 2.0 Fact Sheet

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
CIRCA has received State funds to expand its Resilient Connecticut program from southwest Connecticut to the entire State. ìResilient Connecticut 2.0î will include a statewide expansion of the Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI) followed by climate adaptation project development in the communities of the Hartford area and southeastern Connecticut. This planning effort will help generate projects for the ìresilience project pipelineî as referenced in the Governorís Executive Order 21-3.
Go to Resource

Climate resilience initiative expanding into southeastern Connecticut

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
"Resilient Connecticut 2.0" will involve expanding mapping of flood and extreme heat vulnerabilities, and then developing climate adaptation projects in southeastern Connecticut and the Hartford area.
Go to Resource

Funding Basics: Crafting Competitive Proposals for the National Coastal Resilience Fund and Beyond

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
From identifying funding opportunities to clicking ìsubmit,î navigating the grant process can be challenging. In this webinar, participants will learn key tips and practices to help them put together stronger, more competitive, and more successful proposals for various funding sources, including the National Fish and Wildlife Foundationís (NFWF) National Coastal Resilience Fund (NCRF).
Go to Resource

FEMA BRIC Selected Project Summaries

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Project summaries†that demonstrate projects selected include the use of†nature-based solutions†and a†community-wide impact.
Go to Resource

Hazard Mitigation Assistance Program Outreach Webinar Recording

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The objective of the webinar was to provide information about FEMAís Hazard Mitigation Assistance Program, FEMA GO, and the importance of Benefit Cost Analysis.
Go to Resource

For Future Flood Control, Cities Need Strategy

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Carefully placed flood control structures could protect Connecticutís vulnerable infrastructure from severe flooding even if sea level rises significantly, UConn researchers reported during a webinar last Friday as part of the Resilient Connecticut research webinar series.
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Should We Stay or Should We Go? Shoreline Homes and Rising Sea Levels in Connecticut

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
How strategies to address rising sea levels could affect local taxes, home values, and other factors
Go to Resource

A Simple Simulation to Help Coastal Towns Plan for Rising Sea Levels

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Knowing how water moves through coastal structures can yield important insights for residents and planners
Go to Resource

Sea Level Rise: How Well Is Connecticut Preparing?

Type:

In the Media

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Len Besthoff†and†Meteorologist Kaitlyn McGrath†interviewed Executive Director, James OíDonnell. This story aired May 17, 2021. Scientists including Professor Jim OíDonnell at the UConn Avery Point campus in Groton have said sea level rise has been accelerating at a rate, where within 30 years, it could be nearly 20 inches higher right off the Connecticut coast. As an example, OíDonnell said that flooding events that occur once every 10 years at Avery Point could occur as often as every two years by 2050.
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Climate Change Vulnerability Index Webinar: Progress and New Results for Heat and Wind Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The Resilient Connecticut team hosted a webinar on Tuesday, March 23 to highlight new results for the Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI) mapping tool. The webinar includes a brief overview of the latest flood CCVI tool, with a specific focus on revisions made in response to February 2021 CCVI regional workshops (to view workshop videos and materials.)
Go to Resource

New Dataset Models Long Island Sound Extreme Storms Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Dr. Yaprak Onat summarizes the CIRCA research team's detailed work on the annual exceedance probability of storm surge and wave height model in Long Island Sound.
Go to Resource

Climate Vulnerability Mapping for Municipalities Recording, March 12, 2020

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Understanding climate vulnerabilities can be a complex undertaking. GIS mapping can help visualize the relationship between particular climate vulnerabilities like sea level rise, climate amplifiers such as socio-economic and existing infrastructure, and existing adaptive capacity indicators like flood controls. These maps will assist municipalities, Councils of Governments, and the state incorporate climate vulnerabilities into their regular planning activities and conduct resiliency-specific planning.
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Overview of FEMAís Community Rating System as a Resilience Tool

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Learn about the CIRCA-funded project, ìMunicipal Assistance for FEMAís Community Rating System,î completed by†Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection†(DEEP) and†Milone & MacBroom Inc.
Go to Resource

Regional Resilience Planning for Protection of Public Drinking Water Webinar Video

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
UConn researchers worked with the†South Central Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG) and the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority (RWA) to integrate climate change information into water planning processes for the region.†
Go to Resource

Connecticutís climate report: precipitation projections and a New Haven case study Webinar Video

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Heat

Town:

New Haven
Professor Guiling Wang, UConn Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering highlighted Connecticutís precipitation projections as described in a new report, Connecticut Physical Climate Science Assessment Report.
Go to Resource

Connecticut Climate Report Webinar: Precipitation Projections and a New Haven Case Study Webinar Slides

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Heat

Town:

New Haven
Guiling Wang Webinar September 27 2019 Connecticut Climate Report Webinar: Precipitation Projections and a New Haven Case Study
Go to Resource

Forming local resilience committees: A discussion with two Connecticut coastal towns Webinar Video

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Presenters described their committeesí charge and structure, technical assistance needs, and ways they are bringing together diverse stakeholders to address resilience.
Go to Resource

New Planning and Visualization Tools for Sea Level Rise Webinar Video

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
On this webinar, new planning tools released by CIRCA and UConnís Center for Energy and Environmental Law (CEEL) were highlighted, including three ìresilience scenariosî that can be used by municipal and state agency staff as communication and planning tools.
Go to Resource

Innovative Municipal Scale Coastal Resilience in Southern CT Poster

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Poster describing coastal adaptation and resilience planningin southern CT
Go to Resource

Regional Community Rating System Program Poster

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Poster describing the Regional Community Rating System
Go to Resource

Addressing Climate Change Through Resilient Development Video

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
CIRCA partnered with the Connecticut Economic Development Association (CEDAS) to host a webinar on May 28, 2019 focused on topics related to the Resilient Connecticut Project.
Go to Resource

Resilient Connecticut Kickoff Webinar Slides 4.30.19

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
During this webinar, CIRCA staff gave an overview of a new project entitled, ìResilient Connecticutî and its focus on New Haven and Fairfield Counties
Go to Resource

Resilient Connecticut Kickoff Webinar Video 4.30.19

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
During this webinar, CIRCA staff gave an overview of a new project entitled, ìResilient Connecticutî and its focus on New Haven and Fairfield Counties
Go to Resource

Assessing Impacts on New Haven’s Downtown Storm System Poster

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

New Haven
Poster describing assessing Impacts of Tides and Precipitation on Downtown Storm Sewer System Through Use of Real-Time Depth and Flow Monitoring
Go to Resource

Resilience Project Prioritization – Slides – May 22, 2019

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
John Truscinski's slides describing - How can towns and regions balance competing goals and interests among stakeholders when prioritizing resilience investments?
Go to Resource

Resilient Connecticut Project Overview Poster

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The goal of the Resilient Connecticut project is to create a regional coastal resilience plan for Fairfield and New Haven Counties
Go to Resource

Coastal Vulnerability Methodology Poster

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Poster describing CIRCA's coastal vulnerability assessment methodology for Connecticut's sea level rise and its importance in understanding and addressing coastal risks.
Go to Resource

Resiliency Planning for Protection of Public Drinking Water

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Poster describing CIRCA's development of a drinking water vulnerability assessment and resiliency plan for Connecticut, specifically focusing on the assessment and recommendations for private wells.
Go to Resource

From Technical Tools to Planning – Slides – May 22, 2019

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Alex Felson's slides describing Resilience Corridor, Regional Scale Analysis, Watershed to site scale analysis, Zones of Shared Risk,
Go to Resource

CIRCA’s Vulnerability Assessment Slides – May 22, 2019

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Vulnerability Assessment including CT Temperature Projections, CT Precipitation Projections, CT Sea Level Rise Projections,
Go to Resource

SCRCOG Regional Resilience Framework and Drinking Water Assessment Slides – May 22, 2019

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Eugene Livshits & Rebecca Andreucci's slides describing Southern Connecticut Regional Framework for Coastal Resilience
Go to Resource

Branford Route 146 A Coastal Road Slides – May 22, 2019

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Branford
Janice Plaziak's slides from the May 22, 2019 Resilient Connecticut Workshop describing road flooding in Branford, CT
Go to Resource

Planning for a More Resilient Stratford Slides – May 22, 2019

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Stratford
Susmitha Attota & Jay Habansky's slides from the May 22, 2019 Resilient Connecticut Workshop
Go to Resource

Living Long Wharf May 22, 2019 Resilient Connecticut Workshop: Developing A Planning Framework for New Haven and Fairfield Counties Slides

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

New Haven
Giovanni Zinn & Aicha Woods' slides from the May 22, 2019 Resilient Connecticut Workshop
Go to Resource

Resiliency in Regional Planning Slides – May 22, 2019

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Matt Fulda's slides from the May 22, 2019 Resilient Connecticut Workshop
Go to Resource

Resilient Connecticut Project Overview Slides – May 22, 2019

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
John Truscinski's slides describing the Resilient Conneticut project
Go to Resource

Resilient Connecticut & Resilient Bridgeport Slides

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Bridgeport
Rebecca French presents on Resilient Bridgeport.
Go to Resource

Resilient Connecticut Workshop Summary – May 22, 2019

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA) hosted an event on May 22nd , 2019 with invited participants to: (1) engage with state, regional and local government agencies around a new federally funded project called ìResilient Connecticut;î (2) explore case studies on resilience planning across scales that will inform Resilient Connecticut; (3) and gather feedback on the priorities for a draft Resilience Planning Framework (Resilient Connecticut - Phase One) including planning considerations, technical analysis, capacity development, funding and policy considerations.
Go to Resource

Climate Change Vulnerability Index Webinar Slides – Overview

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Overview slides of the CCVI webinar hosted by Sustainable CT.
Go to Resource

Climate Change Vulnerability Index Webinar Slides – Application

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Application of the Heat CCVI for planning efforts.
Go to Resource

Climate Change Vulnerability Index Webinar Slides – Policy

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Policy

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Legal and Policy implications of the CCVI.
Go to Resource

Resilient Connecticut Webinar Video Recording

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
On April 30, 2019 CIRCA staff gave an overview of the new Resilient Connecticut project and its focus on New Haven and Fairfield Counties.† The importance of this work was introduced with a description of the latest climate projections for Connecticutís sea level rise, temperature, and precipitation followed by a description of how Resilient Connecticut will address this projected climate change.††The CIRCA team then described resilient design strategies being considered and opportunities for engagement in this project over the next three years.
Go to Resource

Climate Change Vulnerability Index Webinar Recording- 2023

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
How to Use CIRCA's Climate Change Vulnerability Index Webinar hosted by †Sustainable CT.
Go to Resource

Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI) Factsheet

Type:

Infographics and Fact Sheets

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI) Factsheet. This factsheet provide detail into how the CCVI was calculated.
Go to Resource

Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI) Flood Viewer

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI) Flood Map Viewer.
Go to Resource

Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI) Heat Viewer

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Heat

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI) Heat Map Viewer.
Go to Resource

Coastal Vulnerability Index StoryMap

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Storyamp Assessing the vulnerability of the coasts to climate stressors
Go to Resource

CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index (CDC/ATSDR SVI): Overview

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Environmental Justice

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Reference material for the mathematical methodology for calculating social vulnerability.
Go to Resource

Connecticut Coastal Towns Storm Surge and Significant Wave Height Dataset

Type:

Datasets

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The annual exceedance probability of storm surge water level and significant wave heights for all the coastal towns, and modeled hourly water level and significant wave height during the strongest 44 storms between 1950-2018.
Go to Resource

Connecticut Coastal Towns Vulnerability Index Dataset

Type:

Datasets

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The dataset includes the GIS maps for the Coastal Vulnerability Index Viewer.
Go to Resource

Zones of Shared Risk of Coastal Towns Dataset

Type:

Datasets

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Six maps are available for the 14 coastal towns in the study area including topography, flooding projections, ecological systems, structures & roadways, and land uses & social characteristics and combined zones of shared risk maps.†
Go to Resource

Hazards Vulnerability & Resilience Institute

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Referenced material for the methodologies used when creating the social vulnerability index.
Go to Resource

Connecticut Flood Maps for Different Storm Return Intervals

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The projected maps of the annual exceedance probability of storm surge water levels from FVCOM-SWAVE model.
Go to Resource

Nor’easter 2015

Type:

Datasets

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Model response (output) to the Nor'easter of 2015.
Go to Resource

Event Simulation: A Strong Nor’easter

Type:

Datasets

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Model response (output) to a 1/25 year event simulation of a strong Nor'Easter.
Go to Resource

Current Policies on Sea Level Rise in Connecticut

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Blog post discussing sea level rise planning tools.
Go to Resource

Connecticut Coastal Towns Nearshore Model Storm Surge and Wave Height Dataset

Type:

Datasets

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The FUNWAVE TVD model outputs of Super Storm Sandy and 1% annual exceedance probability (AEP) storm scenario for Branford, Norwalk, and New Haven, CT.
Go to Resource

Connecticut Sea Level Rise and Storm Surge Viewer Dataset

Type:

Datasets

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
This dataset shows different flood maps of storm surge return periods of 10, 30, 100, and 500 year flood events with sea-level rise projections (1 foot and 20 inches), above the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD88) along the Connecticut coastline and the adjacent inland.
Go to Resource

Hurricane Irene

Type:

Datasets

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Model response (output) to Hurricane Irene 2011.
Go to Resource

Superstorm Sandy

Type:

Datasets

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Model response (output) to Super Storm Sandy.
Go to Resource

Hurricane Gloria

Type:

Datasets

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Model response (output) to Hurricane Gloria
Go to Resource

Substitute Senate Bill No. 9, Public Act No. 18-50, An Act Concering Connecticut’s Energy Future

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Policy

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
PDF document of Substitute Senate Bill No. 9, Public Act No. 18-50
Go to Resource

Gis Modelling of Urban Flood Prone Areas

Type:

Presentations

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Presentation of research using a high-resolution wave model (FUNWAVE-TVD) to determine total water elevation on the shores, and validating the results with in-situ measurments.
Go to Resource

Waves in Western Long Island Sound: A Fetch-Limited Coastal Basin

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Analyzing the relationship between significant wave height and wind speed and direction based on statistics of observations of wind and surface ravity waves in Long Island Sound.
Go to Resource

Impact of compound flood event on coastal critical infrastructures considering current and future climate

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
This paper examines case studies of compound flood hazards affecting critical infrastructure in coastal Connecticut.
Go to Resource

Estimating the Annual Exceedance Probability of Water Levels and Wave Heights from High Resolution Coupled Wave-Circulation Models in Long Island Sound

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Estimating the probability of storm surge occurrences for flood risk assessments using a coupled coastal circulation and wave model.
Go to Resource

An Assessment of Two Models of Wave Propagation in an Estuary Protected by Breakwaters

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Using available obsservations from New Haven Harbor, CT to evaluate the accuracy of two third-generation spectral wave models in an estuary with breakwaters.
Go to Resource

Modeling nearshore dynamics of extreme storms in complex environments of Connecticut

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Using a fully nonlinear Boussinesq wave model on the near shore area of Branford, Norwalk, and New Haven to determine the total water elevation on the shores.
Go to Resource

Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI) Viewer

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
An index-based spatial model that identifies community vulnerability to flood, wind, and heat-related impacts of climate change.
Go to Resource

Connecticut Sea Level Rise and Storm Surge Viewer

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
This dataset shows different flood maps with sea-level rise projections, above the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD88) along the Connecticut coastline and the adjacent inland.
Go to Resource

CREST Viewer

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
This map shows the†locations for reporting results from the wave modeling work, and potential locations of four living shoreline methods.
Go to Resource

Connecticut Coastal Towns Storm Annual Exceedance Probability/Return Interval Viewer

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
This viewer†presents the projected storm surge water levels and significant wave heights.
Go to Resource

Heat flux estimates from a synthesis of satellite observations and a hydrodynamic model (with application to Long Island Sound)

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Heat

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Estimating net surface heat fluxes as the difference between the depth-integrated heat tendencies and the depth-integrated horizontal heat exchanges in a hydrodynamic model.
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Areas (ROARs) in SCRCOG Storymap

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The map shows the SCRCOG project area with the top 20 ROARs highlighted.
Go to Resource

Resilient Connecticut Overview Storymap

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
A StoryMap of the Resilience Connecticut Program including an overview of the three phases, the engagement process and tools developed through the program.
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Areas (ROARs) in WestCOG Storymap

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The map shows the WestCOG project area with the top 20 ROARs highlighted.
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Areas (ROARs) in MetroCOG Storymap

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The map shows the MetroCOG project area with the top 20 ROARs highlighted.
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Areas (ROARs) in NVCOG Storymap

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The map shows the NVCOG project area with the top 20 ROARs highlighted.
Go to Resource

Waves in Long Island Sound: NOAA CREST Project

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The goal of the research was to numerically resolve sea dynamics (such as currents, waves, sea surface displacement) at the Connecticut coastline. The estuarine circulation of the LIS mediates key biogeochemical cycles (cycles in which chemical elements and simple substances are transferred between living systems and the environment) in the region upon which local environments depend. Understanding local changes in the wave field and circulation dynamics in the LIS goes beyond purely scientific endeavors, with future implications that effect coastal communities and the†natural environments. Currently, there is particular attention being placed into evaluating the risk of flooding at coastal areas as the upcoming and present challenges of climate change at a regional scale become apparent with changes in sea level and storm frequency and intensity. This work will help coastal communities better understand the effect of waves at the coastline ñ where people live, work, and play.
Go to Resource

Public Act No. 18-82: An Act Concerning Climate Change Planning and Resiliency.

Type:

Policy Guides

Focus Area:

Policy

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
CIRCA's final report provides the basis for sea level rise projections in Governor's Bill S.B. 7, which was introduced into the 2018 legislative session and was enacted into law as Public Act 18-82. This law integrates the CIRCA sea level change projections into various municipal and state planning documents as well as the stateís coastal management and flood management laws.
Go to Resource

Estimating the Annual Exceedance Probability of Water Levels and Wave Heights from High Resolution Coupled Wave-Circulation Models in Long Island Sound

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Understanding the risk posed by extreme storm events and accurate assessment of the flood risk is crucial for the successful management of the coastal communities using increasing resiliency. There are only a few available tide gauge, buoy, and storm sensor data in the Long Island Sound to project the extreme sea level statistics using the observed records available to determine the level of risk along the Connecticut coastline accurately. In this work, we reproduced the highest 44 storms between 1950-2018 using a coupled circulation and wave model. The modeled events are fit to a probability distribution to statistically estimate the annual exceedance probabilities and return periods for expected storms. In addition to evaluating historical risks, we also added a sea-level height offset of 0.5 m for 2050 estimates in order to examine the effect of rising sea-levels on the analysis. We find that sea-level rise reduces the return period of a 10-year storm to two years. We advise periodically updating this work as improved sea-level rise projections become available.
Go to Resource

Modeling nearshore dynamics of extreme storms in complex environments of Connecticut

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Flood hazard planning requires the accurate estimation of total water elevation due to predicted tide, surge, and wave runup to design flood protection structures and improve coastal risk planning for severe storms. The beach topography and nearshore hydrodynamic conditions impact the conclusive flood inundation mapping in complex environments. The conventional approaches of flood modeling are limited due to either i) simple static estimates, ii) the application of a coupled circulation and phase-averaged wave models in coarse resolution, iii) failing to calibrate and validate with in-situ data, or iv) not considering sea-level rise projections in mapping the flood extent. We used a high-resolution wave model (FUNWAVE-TVD) capable of resolving processes like wave refraction and diffraction on the nearshore area to determine total water elevation on the shores.
Go to Resource

An Assessment of Two Models of Wave Propagation in an Estuary Protected by Breakwaters

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Marine Science

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Breakwaters influence coastal wave climate and circulation by blocking and dissipating wave energy. In a large harbor, these effects are combined with wave generation, refraction and reflection. In this study, researchers used available observations to evaluate the accuracy of model simulations of waves in New Haven Harbor, Connecticut, an estuary with three detached breakwaters near the mouth.
Go to Resource

Impact of compound flood event on coastal critical infrastructures considering current and future climate

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
This paper examines case studies of compound flood hazards affecting critical infrastructure in coastal Connecticut.† Seven coastal river reaches were studied where eight power grid substations lie in proximity to riverbanks and are prone to flooding caused by coastal storms (such as hurricanes) that combine heavy precipitation and high surge.
Go to Resource

Waves in Western Long Island Sound: A Fetch-Limited Coastal Basin

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
This paper summarizes the statistics of observations of wind and surface gravity waves in Long Island Sound. Researchers examine the relationship between significant wave height and wind speed and direction and show that the significant wave height and dominant period in western Long Island Sound have an asymmetric response to the wind direction.
Go to Resource

Ensemble Hindcasting of Coastal Wave Heights

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Flood and Sea Level Rise

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Long records of wave parameters are central to the estimation of coastal flooding risk and the causes of coastal erosion. This paper leverages the predictive power of wave height history and correlations with wind speed and direction to build statistical models for time series of wave heights to develop a method to fill data-gaps and extend the record length of coastal wave observations.
Go to Resource

Heat Flux Estimates From a Synthesis of Satellite Observations and a Hydrodynamic Model (With Application to Long Island Sound)

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Marine Science

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
We use satellite observations of sea surface temperatures in combination with a three-dimensional simulation of the ocean to infer the air-sea surface heat fluxes needed to create the observed surface temperatures. We use this methodology to quantify the annual cycle of warming and cooling fluxes in Long Island Sound (LIS). Our surface heat flux estimates compare well with estimates obtained from meteorological measurements in the western LIS.
Go to Resource

Observations of Autumnal Cooling in a Large Estuary

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Marine Science

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Seasonal variations in solar insolation and wind create an annual water temperature cycle that impacts circulation and biological processes. The waters of Long Island Sound (LIS) warm from March-February until August-October and then begin to cool. Ship surveys show that the vertical temperature structure becomes almost uniform during this season when the area experiences low air temperatures and high winds. However, no observations have resolved the temporal evolution of the vertical structure of temperature during these cooling periods because conditions inhibit ship operations. We report glider measurements of the vertical structure of water temperatures and salinities from 22 October to 4 November 2014, in eastern LIS.
Go to Resource

Wave Growth and Dissipation in a Fetch-Limited Urban Estuary: Long Island Sound.

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Marine Science

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The geometry of the Long Island Sound (LIS) renders the wave field fetch-limited and leads to marked differences between western and eastern areas. The mechanisms that contribute to the formation and dissipation of waves in the LIS are not well understood. We evaluated the ability of the wave module of a wave-coupled hydrodynamic model to simulate different windñwave scenarios.†
Go to Resource

South Norwalk Current and Future Conditions Analysis Technical Memorandum

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Norwalk
Technical memorandum that details the resilient connecticut phases within Fairfield as well as the project pilot
Go to Resource

Resilient South Norwalk Final Report

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Norwalk
Final Report for the pilot project that details the climate vulnerability and the future conditions with these pilot conditions.
Go to Resource

Stratford South End Resilience Opportunity Area Map Portfolio

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Stratford
ROAR Maps for the climate vulnerability and Flood Maps for the Stratford South End project
Go to Resource

Stratford South End Meetings and Documents

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Stratford
Includes all of the workshops at each specific stations as well as the final report for the pilot meetings.
Go to Resource

South Norwalk Public Meeting January 12th

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Norwalk
Slides for the presentation for the public meeting with the project overview as well as the heat and flood risk explanations
Go to Resource

Fairfield Project Documents Resilient Corridor Analysis: Final Report with Current and Future Conditiion

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Fairfield
Final Report on the project in Fairfiled that will provide adaptive strategies to reduce the likelihood and impacts of flooding within the study area
Go to Resource

Resilient Fairfield Final Report March 2024

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Fairfield
Final Report including detail planned and the pilot project within Fairfield that are made to connect higher flood risk shoreline communities to those with lower flood against flooding and ensure access.
Go to Resource

South Norwalk Project Public Meetings and Documents

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Norwalk
Homepage for meeting documents and final report for South Norwalk
Go to Resource

South Norwalk Phase 3 Resilience Opportunity Area Map Portfolio

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Norwalk
ROAR Maps for the climate vulnerability and Flood Maps for the South Norwalk project
Go to Resource

Phase 3 Fairfield Project Description Homepage Spanish

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Fairfield
Spanish translation for homepage for Downtown Fairfield project
Go to Resource

Fairfield Public Meeting March 2nd 2023 Public Meeting 1

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Fairfield
Resilient Fairfield Public Workshop agenda and project overview
Go to Resource

Phase 3 Fairfield Meetings and Documents

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Fairfield
Fairfield Project Public Meetings Homepage
Go to Resource

Phase 3 Fairfield Resilience Opportunity Area Map Portfolio

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Fairfield
ROAR Maps for the climate vulnerability and Flood Maps for the Fairfield project
Go to Resource

Phase 3 Fairfield Homepage

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Fairfield
Homepage for Downtown Fairfield project with project consultant, location and portfolio map
Go to Resource

Resilient Fair Haven Final Report

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Fairfield
Fair Haven final report that details the project specifics and summarizes the analysis done on the climate vulnerabilities.
Go to Resource

Fair Haven Meetings Citizen and Technical Advisory Committee Meeting 4

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

New Haven
Presentation for Meeting on the project report and the final steps in the project
Go to Resource

Resilient Fair Haven Current/Future Conditions Analysis Memo

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

New Haven
This memo summarizes the results of Task 3 Current and Future Conditions Analysis and examines the climate vulnerabilities related to flooding and heating in the Fair Haven community.
Go to Resource

Resilient Fair Haven Flyer 1

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

New Haven
Flyer 1 that address the project goals to reduce risks to flooding and intensive heat
Go to Resource

Resilient Fair Haven Flyer 2

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

New Haven
Flyer 2 on the impact and call to take the survey for Fair Haven
Go to Resource

Fair Haven Resilience Meetings and Documents

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

New Haven
Fair Haven Documents homepage with links to meetings and project documents
Go to Resource

Fair Haven Resilience Opportunity Map Portfolio

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

New Haven
ROAR Maps for the climate vulnerability and Flood Maps for the Fair Haven project
Go to Resource

Resilient East Ditch Final Report

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Danbury
Final Report of the Pilot project centered in East Ditch in Danbury with the project specifics as well as the analysis on the proposed adaption options to the address the climate vulnerability in downtown Danbury.
Go to Resource

Resilient Danbury: Current + Future Conditions Analysis

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Danbury
The analysis document of the East Ditch watershed in Danbury CT in which the pilot project will be used to decrease flooding and heat risk.
Go to Resource

Danbury Public Meeting July 26 2023 Public Meeting 2 Spanish Version

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Danbury
Spanish Translation of Public Workshop 2 Resilient Danbury that details the strategy that the Mayor is taking as well as the pilot project details.
Go to Resource

Danbury Public Meeting April 3rd 2023 Public Workshop Final Boards Spanish Translation

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Danbury
Spanish Version of Flood Maps with the impacts highlighted throughout the Danbury community
Go to Resource

Danbury Public Meeting April 3rd 2023 Public Workshop Final Presentation

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Danbury
Final Presentation detailing the pilot project to reduce flooding and heat risk.
Go to Resource

Danbury Public Meeting April 3rd 2023 Public Workshop Final Presentation Spanish Translation

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Danbury
Spanish Translation of Final Presentation detailing the pilot project to reduce flooding and heat risk.
Go to Resource

Danbury Public Meeting July 26 2023 Public Meeting 2

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Danbury
Public Workshop 2 Resilient Danbury that details the strategy that the Mayor is taking as well as the pilot project details.
Go to Resource

Danbury Public Meeting April 3rd 2023 Public Workshop Final Boards

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Danbury
Flood Maps with the impacts highlighted throughout the Danbury community
Go to Resource

Danbury Public Meeting April 3rd 2023 Public Meeting Flyer

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Danbury
Public Workshop 1 Public Meeting Flyer
Go to Resource

Danbury CTAC Meeting February 21st 2023 Meeting Citizen and Technical Advisory Committee Slides

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Danbury
Slides utilized during public meeting with the Citizen and Technical Advisory that details the project description within Danbury
Go to Resource

Danbury CTAC Meeting February 21st 2023 Meeting Summary

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Danbury
Includes the Project Name as well as the attendees of the CTAC Meeting and the mainpoints of the presentation and the discussion
Go to Resource

Danbury CTAC Meeting February 21st 2023 Meeting Recording

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Danbury
Public Meeting with overviewing project history and outlook
Go to Resource

Danbury Meetings and Documents Homepage

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Danbury
Includes all of the public meetings and documents
Go to Resource

Branford Alternative Analysis Summary

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Branford
The draft report includes the Amtrak railroad underpass and the alternatives that were evaluated to address the flooding at the Cattle Crossing.
Go to Resource

Branford Resilient Final Report

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Branford
The final report details the project and the project desription as well as evaluate the feasbility of four floold mitigation alternatives to protect the Meadow Street neighborhood in Branford.
Go to Resource

Danbury Resilience Opportunity Map Portfolio

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Danbury
In this map, it includes Danbury's maps of FEMA Flood Zones, Zones of Shared Risk, Climate
Go to Resource

Branford Public Meeting Poster: Station 2

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Branford
In this poster, it includes the pile wall and the gate and embankment plans.
Go to Resource

Branford Public Meeting Poster: Station 1

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Branford
Has the four page poster that details the extent of flooding the meadow street neighborhood and the extent of flooding in 10, 50 and 100 year storms.
Go to Resource

Resilient Meadow Street Public Meeting Info

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Branford
Includes the project update on resilient meadow street with the project goal being to reduce the flood risk in Meadow Street above the Amtrak embarkment.
Go to Resource

Branford ROAR Map

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Branford
In this map, it includes Branford's maps of FEMA Flood Zones, Zones of Shared Risk, Cliamte Change Vulnerability Index and Overall Social Vulnerability Index.
Go to Resource

Resilient Ansonia Final Report

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Ansonia
Final Report on Ansonia with City Background and Resilience Planning
Go to Resource

Resilient Ansonia Public Meeting Recording

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Ansonia
Community Workshop Video Public Meeting - October 19, 2023
Go to Resource

Phase 3 Ansonia Project Public Workshop

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Ansonia
Community Workshop June 14, 2023
Go to Resource

Appendix D Hazard Mitigation Plans

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Outlines and details municipalities along with the action of the municipalities between 2019-2024 and the process for implementation.
Go to Resource

Phase 3 Ansonia Opportunity Area Portfolio

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Ansonia
Ansonia Maps for Opportunity Areas
Go to Resource

Appendix C ROAR Map

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Contains maps for all 65 ROARS which have been developed and presented as part of the regional vulnerability assesssmnet report. The maps present the ROAR, the average flood, heat and social vulnerability throughout the area and some of the critical infrastucture present.
Go to Resource

Appendix B Regional Resilience, TOD, and Planing Status Review

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
This document presents a narrative description of resilience related plans, planned developmed aareas in each of the 33 municipalities with TOD potential, along with summaries of existing TOD plans that are avaliable for most of the 33 munuicipalities with TOD potential.
Go to Resource

Appendix A Phase 2 Engagement Report

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Outlines and details the engagement opportunities and goals and objectives for Phase 2 including working aith as many COG board and committee meetings and engage with communities in Fairfield and New Haven counties.
Go to Resource

Public Water Supply Area Map for Redding

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Redding
Public Water Supply Area Map for John Reade Middle School
Go to Resource

Spanish Translated Map Legend

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Resilience Opportunity Map Legend in Spanish
Go to Resource

Final Phase 2 Report Novemeber 2022

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
November 2022 report that focuses on regional climate resilience and adaptation planning through evaluations and engagement to inform municipal to regional scale initiatives and pilot projects
Go to Resource

Public Water Supply Area Map for New Fairfield

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

New Fairfield
Public Water Supply Area Map for New Fairfield Center
Go to Resource

Public Water Supply Area Map for Monroe

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Monroe
Public Water Supply Area Map for Stepney
Go to Resource

Public Water Supply Area Map for Monroe

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Monroe
Public Water Supply Area Map for Easton Reservoir Watershed
Go to Resource

Public Water Supply Area Map for East Haven/North Branford

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

East Haven
Public Water Supply Area Map for Lake Saltonstall Watershed
Go to Resource

Public Water Supply Area Map for Bethel/Danbury

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Bethel
Public Water Supply Area Map for Eureka Lake Watershed
Go to Resource

Public Water Supply Area Map for Brookfield

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Brookfield
Public Water Supply Area Map for Federal Road
Go to Resource

Public Water Supply Area Map for Cheshire/Hamden/North Haven

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Cheshire
Public Water Supply Area Map for Lake Whitney Watershed
Go to Resource

Wastewater Treatment Area Map for West Haven

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

West Haven
Wastewater Treatment Area Map For Old Field Creek and Sandy Point
Go to Resource

Wastewater Treatment Area Map for Ridgefield

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Ridgefield
Wastewater Treatment Area Map For Downtown Ridgefield
Go to Resource

Affordable Housing Area Map for West Haven

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

West Haven
Affordable Housing Area Map for Savin Rock
Go to Resource

Wastewater Treatment Area Map for Milford

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Milford
Wastewater Treatment Area Map For Beaver Brook Area
Go to Resource

Wastewater Treatment Area Map for New Canaan

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

New Canaan
Wastewater Treatment Area Map For Fivemile River
Go to Resource

Affordable Housing Area Map for Wallingford

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Wallingford
Affordable Housing Area Map for Wallingford Center
Go to Resource

Affordable Housing Area Map for Stratford

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Stratford
Affordable Housing Area Map for Putney Area
Go to Resource

Affordable Housing Area Map for North Haven

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

North Haven
Affordable Housing Area Map for North Haven Center
Go to Resource

Affordable Housing Area Map for Milford

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Milford
Affordable Housing Area Map for Walnut Beach
Go to Resource

Affordable Housing Area Map for New Haven

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

New Haven
Affordable Housing Area Map for Westville
Go to Resource

Affordable Housing Area Map for Milford

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Milford
Affordable Housing Area Map for Point Beach
Go to Resource

Affordable Housing Area Map for Fairfield

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Fairfield
Affordable Housing Area Map for Fairfield University Area
Go to Resource

Affordable Housing Area Map for Fairfield

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Fairfield
Affordable Housing Area Map for Fairfield Reef Road Corridor
Go to Resource

Affordable Housing Area Map for East Haven Center

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

East Haven
Affordable Housing Area Map for East Haven Center
Go to Resource

Affordable Housing Area Map for East Haven Beach Area

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

East Haven
Affordable Housing Area Map for East Haven
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for West Haven

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

West Haven
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for West Haven
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Westport

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Westport
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Downtown Westport
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Westport – Saugatuck

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Westport
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Saugatuck
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Waterbury – Watervulle

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Waterbury
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Watervulle
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Waterbury

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Waterbury
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Waterbury
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Stratford

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Stratford
Resilience Opportunity Map for Stratford South End
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Wallingford Center

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Wallingford
Resilience Opportunity Map for Wallingford Center
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Wallingford – Yalesvile

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Wallingford
Resilience Opportunity Map for Yalesvile
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Downtown Stratford

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Stratford
Resilience Opportunity Map for Downtown Stratford
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Stratford – Airport/Lordship Gateway

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Stratford
Resilience Opportunity Map for Airport/Lordship Gateway
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Stamford/Darien – Holly Pond

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Stamford
Resilience Opportunity Map for Holly Pond
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Downtown Stamford

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Stamford
Resilience Opportunity Map for Downtown Stamford
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Downtown Seymour

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Seymour
Resilience Opportunity Map for Downtown Seymour
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Norwalk/Darien – Rowayton

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Norwalk
Resilience Opportunity Map for Rowayton
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for South Norwalk

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Norwalk
Resilience Opportunity Map for South Norwalk
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for New Haven – Port Area

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

New Haven
Resilience Opportunity Map for Port Area
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for North Haven

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

North Haven
Resilience Opportunity Map for North Haven
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Norwalk – Merrit 7

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Norwalk
Resilience Opportunity Map for Merrit 7
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for New Haven – Long Wharf

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

New Haven
Resilience Opportunity Map for Long Wharf
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for New Haven – Fair Haven/Mill River

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

New Haven
Resilience Opportunity Map for Fair Haven/Mill River
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Downtown Meriden

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Meriden
Resilience Opportunity Map for Downtown Meriden
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Milford – Devon

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Milford
Resilience Opportunity Map for Devon
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Downtown Milford

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Milford
Resilience Opportunity Map for Downtown Milford
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Downtown Naugatuck

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Naugatuck
Resilience Opportunity Map for Downtown Naugatuck
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Guilford – Town Center

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Guilford
Resilience Opportunity Map for Guilford Town Center
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Downtown Fairfield

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Fairfield
Resilience Opportunity Map for Downtown Fairfield
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Fairfield Metro

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Fairfield
Resilience Opportunity Map for Fairfield Metro
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Georgetown

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Resilience Opportunity Map for Branchville/Georgetown
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Greenwich – Cos Cob

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Greenwich
Resilience Opportunity Map for Cos Cob
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Greenwich

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Greenwich
Resilience Opportunity Map for Greenwich
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Derby

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Derby
Resilience Opportunity Map for Derby
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Darien

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Darien
Resilience Opportunity Map for Darien
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Danbury – Lake Kenosia/Airport

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Danbury
Resilience Opportunity Map for Lake Kenosia/Airport
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Downtown Danbury

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Danbury
Resilience Opportunity Map for Downtown Danbury
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Danbury/Brookfield

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Danbury
Resilience Opportunity Map for Danbury/Brookfield
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Bridgeport (East Bridgeport)

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Bridgeport
Resilience Opportunity Map for East Bridgeport
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Bridgeport (Downtown Bridgeport)

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Bridgeport
Resilience Opportunity Map for Downtown Bridgeport
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for South End Bridgeport

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Bridgeport
Resilience Opportunity Map for South End Bridgeport
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Branford

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Branford
Resilience Opportunity Map for Branford
Go to Resource

Resilient Connecticut Phase II From Regional Vulnerabilities to Resilience Opporunities Faifield County and New Haven County Executive Summary SPANISH

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
This is the Spanish Version which ncludes a high-level review of the full report's vulerability and is organized by the four Council of Governments for a better understanding of regional vulerability. A description of vulerability is through the lense of assets and infrastructure in the two counties is also described as are the 63 identified specific areas for resilience opportunities.
Go to Resource

Resilient Connecticut Phase II From Regional Vulnerabilities to Resilience Opporunities Faifield County and New Haven County Executive Summary ENGLISH

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Includes a high-level review of the full report's vulerability and is organized by the four Council of Governments for a better understanding of regional vulerability. A description of vulerability is through the lense of assets and infrastructure in the two counties is also described as are the 63 identified specific areas for resilience opportunities.
Go to Resource

Appendix H Affordable Housing with Proximity to TOD

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
This is Appendix H of the Vulnerability Assessment which includes property names and locations of affordable houses within municipalities within 0.75 mi of a TOD area.
Go to Resource

Appendix F Zones of Shared Risk Narratives

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
This is Appendix F of the Vulnerability Assesment which contains the planning approach that connects zones of shared risk with resilience corridors to link critical facilities that would serve lower lying communities.
Go to Resource

Appendix E TOD Heat and Flood CCV Summary Statistics

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
This is Appendix E of the Vulnerability Assessment Report and it includes statistics of COGs and municipalities with overall vulnerability.
Go to Resource

Appendix G TOD and ZSR analysis

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
This is Appendix G of the Vulnerability Assessment which includes maps of COGs and municipalities of ZSR classification.
Go to Resource

Appendix A Stakeholder Workshop Report

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
This is Appendix A of the Vulnerability and Assessment Report published in Dec 2022.
Go to Resource

Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Ansonia

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Ansonia
Resilience Opportunity Area Map for Ansonia
Go to Resource

Appendix C Flood and Heat CCVI Contributor List

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
This is Appendix C of the Vulnerability Assessment which has a table of flood and heat and indicators associated as well as the components of the stressors.
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Appendix D TOD and Future Planned Development Review

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
This is Appendix D of the Vulnerability of Assessment Report and has the breakdown of planned development areas and TOD Planning of all municipalities within Connecticut.
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Appendix B Social Vulnerability Mapping Resource Review

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
This is Appendix B of the Vulnerability Assessmet Report and identifies the various factors included and the process by which social vulnerability was represented.
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Vulnerability Assessment Report, Dec 2021

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
The report describe the two-county vulnerability assessment and its findings, concluding with a presentation of 63 specific geographic areas where adaptation and resilience opportunities can be identified to address flood-related risks, extreme heat, or both. Assessment tools described in this report can be used by communities in their own resiliency planning.
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Sandy CDBG-DR Funded Projects

Type:

Maps and Viewers

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Following Superstorm Sandy, the Connecticut Department of Housing (CT-DOH) initiated the Planning for Mitigation and Resiliency Program allocating Community Development Block Grants Disaster Recovery funding (CDBG-DR) from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to assist communities in the state with recovery. These projects have helped many communities in Connecticut move forward in addressing the impacts of storms, sea-level rise, and flooding. View a map of CDBG-DR funded projects in Connecticut, as well as access final reports and products.
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Inventory of Local & Regional Planning Documents for Connecticut Towns & COGs

Type:

Inventories

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Many communities in Fairfield and New Haven counties have begun to address the impacts of flooding, sea-level rise and climate change through planning initiatives such as Plans of Conservation and Development (POCD), Natural Hazard Mitigation Plans (NHHMP), and Coastal Resilience Plans (CRP). This list inventories municipal and regional plans in CT that impact or address climate resilience.
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Inventory of Local & Regional Planning Documents for Fairfield and New Haven Counties

Type:

Inventories

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
Many communities in Fairfield and New Haven counties have begun to address the impacts of flooding, sea-level rise and climate change through planning initiatives such as Plans of Conservation and Development (POCD), Natural Hazard Mitigation Plans (NHHMP), and Coastal Resilience Plans (CRP). This list inventories municipal and regional plans in New Haven and Fairfield Counties that impact or address climate resilience.
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Resilient Connecticut Planning Framework

Type:

Publications and Reports

Focus Area:

Planning

Town:

Applies to Multiple Towns
During Phase I of the project, the CIRCA team engaged a broad range of stakeholders on the development of a Resilient Connecticut Planning Framework. This Framework will guide the plans, projects, and research activities initiated during Phases II and III and will build on the range of ongoing climate adaptation activities occurring in the state. The Framework will connect science-based risk assessment with innovative design strategies and apply them to practical planning practices. The RCPF will introduce a variety of applied tools and methodologies intended to influence Connecticut's resilience planning moving forward, focusing on five themes.
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