Annapolis Reveals Weather It Together Story Map On Sea Levels

From the City of Annapolis: Annapolis Mayor Michael Pantelides announced that as the City of Annapolis prepares to co-host an international conference on sea level rise, the city’s Weather It Together team, in collaboration with Michael Baker International’s Planning Innovation Lab, will release Landmark at Risk: Protecting the Historic Seaport of Annapolis, Maryland, an online story map.

This interactive web-based resource highlights the history of flooding, the city’s efforts to plan for long-term sea level rise, and opportunities for public participation in implementing the plan. The ‘Weather It Together’ story map will go live October 29, with the launch of Keeping History Above Water, an international conference co-hosted with the Newport Restoration Foundation, focusing on flooding and sea level rise adaptation alternatives for coastal communities.

Using several ArcGIS online applications, the story map illustrates in a dynamic, user-friendly format, the flooding threat to historic downtown Annapolis. Flood maps, participatory surveys, photo crowdsourcing, and other public engagement tools provide a platform to share information while learning more about the ‘Weather It Together’ initiative. The story map is intended as a go-to resource for residents, businesses and property owners in Annapolis and other communities facing challenges from rising tides and storm surge.

Annapolis, like so many other historic seaports, is particularly vulnerable to coastal flooding. “The City’s development of a Cultural Resource Hazard Mitigation plan, the first comprehensive planning document to address the topic of flooding in a historic district, has elevated the city to national prominence in resilience planning and historic preservation,” said Bradley Dean, CFM, C.E., Coastal Scientist at Michael Baker International. “Partnering with the City of Annapolis and their community-based planning program, ‘Weather It Together,’ was the perfect opportunity for Michael Baker International to provide in-kind services to support this award-winning initiative. Michael Baker is honored to have collaborated with the City of Annapolis ‘Weather It Together’ team through our Planning Innovation Lab to develop an interactive resource that highlights the city’s efforts to address local climate impacts and lead the community to a more resilient future.”

Mayor Michael Pantelides views collaboration as key to addressing the problems associated with climate impacts and the need to create a more resilient city. “We are pleased to support public-private collaborations which benefit the city and the community we serve,” Mayor Pantelides said. “We welcome our national and international visitors and commend Michael Baker International for its collaboration with our staff and the ‘Weather It Together’ team, creating this exciting story map.”

Under Mayor Pantelides’ leadership, the city received $1 million from Governor Hogan to address flood mitigation, created a renewable energy solar park, undergone renovations to reduce the city energy use, and fostered the collaborative work of the ‘Weather It Together‘ planning office initiative.

The release of the story map, as well as case studies in adaptation and resilience planning, data and technology, natural and cultural resource protection and the economics of climate change will be showcased by national and international speakers as part of the four-day Keeping History Above Water Conference. The opening plenary, free to the public, will kick-off the conference on Sunday, October 29, 4 pm at Key Auditorium, St. John’s College. The Sunday plenary speaker is Phil Dyke, Coast and Marine Advisor for the National Trust UK who will speak on “When Cultural Landscapes and Natural Resources Collide.” Following Mr. Dyke, Jeff Goodell, Author and Contributing Editor to Rolling Stone will discuss his new book, “The Water Will Come: Rising Seas, Sinking Cities, and the Reshaping of the Civilized World. “

The public can register to attend this special Sunday lecture by visiting here. Mr. Goodell will sign books during the reception immediately following Sunday afternoon’s lecture.

Click here to see this event on the Calendar.

Image via the City of Annapolis