Agency Resources for Coastal Hazards Planning
This page provides links to agency and organization websites that house information and resources that are useful for learning about and planning for Washington’s coastal hazards.
To browse our database of specific guides and resources, visit the Planning Guides & Resources page.
At right: West Beach, Whidbey Island. Image provided by Hugh Shipman, Washington State Department of Ecology.
Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM)
Community Rating System (CRS) for Community Resilience
The goal of the Community Rating System for Community Resilience is to increase the number of communities making voluntary, effective measures to increase flood resilience through FEMA’s Community Rating System (CRS). This project promotes CRS participation, provides guidance on actions that increase a community’s rating and works directly with communities to increase their resiliency through the CRS process.
Featured success story: Development Limitations and Low-Density Zoning Combat Floodplain Development Pressure
University of Washington Climate Impacts Group
Special Reports on Climate Change
These reports summarize existing knowledge about the likely effects of climate change on Washington State and the Pacific Northwest.
Tribal Vulnerability Assessment Resources
Tribal Nations have been actively engaged in efforts to understand climate risks to their natural and cultural resources and learn what they can do to prepare. The Climate Impacts Group has carefully selected a suite of resources that may be useful to tribes at each stage in the process of evaluating their vulnerability to climate change—from Tribes just getting started to those well on their way.
EcoAdapt
Climate Change Adaptation through Local Comprehensive Planning: Guidance for Puget Sound Communities
This guidance was developed to enable understanding and inclusion of anticipated climate change impacts into the local long-range planning by Puget Sound government officials and citizens.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Risk Mapping, Assessment and Planning (Risk MAP)
Risk MAP provides high-quality flood maps and information, tools to better assess the risk from flooding and planning and outreach support to communities to help them take action to reduce (or mitigate) flood risk. Each Risk MAP project is tailored to the needs of each community and may involve different products and services.
This program supports risk-informed decision making efforts by estimating potential losses from earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and tsunamis and by visualizing the effects of such hazards.
MyCoast Washington
MyCoast is a mobile app and website that collects crowd-sourced photographs and shoreline documentation. Information collected through this site is used to characterize beach change and the impact of nearshore hazards in order to enhance awareness among decision-makers, scientists and stakeholders.
Washington MyCoast is a project of the Washington Department of Natural Resources, in collaboration with other project partners, including US Geological Survey, Washington Sea Grant, the Snohomish County Marine Resource Committee, and the Northwest Straits Initiative.
Go to MyCoast to view existing reports, or to submit a new report via six tools:
- Take a beach photo and track shoreline change.
- Document large marine debris.
- Track the highest tides.
- Document forgotten vessels.
- Document creosote debris.
- Evaluate storm surge.
Washington Shoreline and Coastal Planners Group
The Washington Shoreline and Coastal Planners Group is an education-focused group of coastal planners working for local and tribal governments, conservation districts, state and federal agencies, academia, non-profit entities and private consultants.
Washington State Department of Commerce’s Growth Management Services
Growth Management Services is developing a new decision-support tool and website to help planners in the Puget Sound region designate critical areas and meet their planning goals. The tool will integrate land-use planning and resource maps and analysis into a web interface that can run multiple alternative scenarios. You can find out more about this project via the Puget Sound Partnership’s Action Agenda.
The Washington State Department of Commerce is currently researching the interest, needs, and design for developing such a tool. Commerce seeks to collaborate with stakeholders on what this tool should look like, which data should be included, and what information and analysis functions would be the most useful for planners. If you would like to be involved in any part of this process, please contact Tara Newman (360) 725-3414 or tara.newman@commerce.wa.gov.
Washington State Department of Ecology’s Shorelands and Environmental Assistance Program
This toolbox is designed for local and state shoreline planners responsible for developing and administering Shoreline Master Programs. Users will find links to web pages and publications to help with:
- Permitting.
- Resolving shoreline management issues.
- Developing and updating Shoreline Master Programs.
- Researching laws and rules.
View shoreline photos and map public beaches, biology, slope stability and more.
Ecology provides technical assistance and grants to local communities to help them better plan within a floodplain. This assistance aims to reduce loss of property and lives, and protect the environmental functions that floodplains offer.
Preventing Puget Sound Shoreline Erosion
Ecology provides information and assistance associated with coastal erosion and shoreline armoring.
Ecology provides information, training materials and assistance to local governments and property owners regarding shoreline stabilization. We also contribute to science and technical studies on shorelines.
Stream Channel Migration Zones
For existing communities near rivers and streams, it is important to know where channel migration zones exist and plan accordingly. Communities can manage these higher risk areas by guiding development away from channel migration zones. This strategy helps reduce flood and erosion hazards and costly repairs while preventing the loss of crucial floodplain habitat.
Ecology provides resources and publications that can help you make sound property development choices.
Washington State Emergency Management Division (EMD)
Washington State Enhanced Hazard Mitigation Plan
The Washington State Enhanced Hazard Mitigation Plan (SEHMP) works to reduce risks to people, property, the economy, the environment, infrastructure and first responders by:
- profiling hazards,
- identifying risks and vulnerabilities
- and proposing strategies and actions.
The Washington SEHMP is a statewide document that incorporates best practices, programs and knowledge from multiple state agencies and tracks progress in achieving mitigation goals through state and local programs and strategies.
Washington Geological Survey
The Washington Geological Survey is a team of more than 40 people who combine diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills to produce and publish geologic information about Washington for the benefit of everyone in our state by:
- Systematically map the surface geology of the state
- Make geophysical measurements to understand the composition of the subsurface
- Contribute to statewide efforts to assess the seismic safety of Washington schools
- Map landslides to provide information for planners, emergency managers, and those who live and work in landslide-prone areas
- Model tsunamis in order to develop inundation and evacuation maps for coastal communities
Geologic planning involves cooperation between a variety of stakeholders. Geologists, land-use planners, emergency management staff, and others work together to recognize the importance of climate change, identify natural hazards, and mitigate the impacts of these natural hazards on communities.
