Tools for Climate Change Adaptation
EPA staff have developed tool(s) to help communities anticipate, plan for, and adapt to the changing climate.
- The most relevant tools based on your search are provided below.
- To sort tool "Names" alphabetically, click on the arrow icon next to "Name."
- To sort by "Keyword" click on the arrow icon next to "Area of Interest/Keyword."
- Use the Search Bar to search explore the Tools section more generally.
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Air Quality
| Name | Brief Description | Available Training | Contact EPA | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAINE, Resilience and Adaptation In New England | RAINE is a database that catalogs activities in more than 100 New England jurisdictions addressing climate change impacts. The database provides information at the state, local, or regional level. It includes information such as web links, reports, plans, tools, specific practices, funding sources, and partnerships. | R1_Raine@epa.gov (R1_Raine @epa.gov) |
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| GIWiz, Green Infrastructure Wizard | GIWiz is an interactive, online information portal that provides communities with quick and easy access to EPA's Green Infrastructure tools and resources. | GIWiz Fact Sheet | GIWIZ@epa.gov (GIWIZ @epa.gov) |
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| ICLUS, Integrated Climate and Land Use Scenarios | The ICLUS project is developing scenarios broadly consistent with global-scale, peer-reviewed storylines of population growth and economic development, which are used by climate change modelers to develop projections of future climate. | User Manual and data sets | Britta Bierwagen (Bierwagen.Britta @epa.gov) Phil Morefield (Morefield.Philip @epa.gov) |
Land-Use Scenarios: National-Scale Housing-Density Scenarios Consistent with Climate Change Storylines |
| Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool | Environmental Justice Screening (EJSCREEN) is a mapping tool that allows users to create maps and generate detailed reports based on the geographic areas and data sets they choose. EJSCREEN includes data from multiple factors that may affect public and environmental health within a community or region. Currently available only through EPA's Intranet site. | EJSCREEN (enviromail_group @epa.gov) |
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| Enhancing Sustainable Communities With Green Infrastructure Guide | The Green Infrastructure Guide helps communities plan and design green infrastructure for multiple environmental, health, social, and economic benefits. | Smart Growth Webinars, Videos and Podcasts | Smart Growth (smartgrowth @epa.gov) |
Green Infrastructure Helping to Transform Neighborhoods in Cleveland and Across the Nation |
| Sustainable Communities Indicator Catalog | The Sustainable Community Indicator Catalog helps communities identify indicators that can measure progress toward their sustainability objectives. The indicators focus on the relationships among land use, housing, transportation, human health and the environment. (Interagency Partnership between EPA, HUD and DOT) | Smart Growth (smartgrowth @epa.gov) |
Bridgeport, CT: "Aiming to be New England's Greenest City" (PDF)(2 pp, 879 K) |
Water Management
Tools for Water Related Climate Change Adaptation
Waste Management & Emergency Response
| Name | Brief Description | Available Training | Contact EPA | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAINE, Resilience and Adaptation In New England | RAINE is a database that catalogs activities in more than 100 New England jurisdictions addressing climate change impacts. The database provides information at the state, local, or regional level. It includes information such as web links, reports, plans, tools, specific practices, funding sources, and partnerships. | R1_Raine@epa.gov (R1_Raine @epa.gov) |
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| Scenario-Based Projected Changes Map | This mapping tool provides easy to access scenarios of projected changes from EPA's Climate Resilience Evaluation and Awareness Tool for annual total precipitation, annual average temperature, precipitation intensity for the 100-year storm, number of days per year with temperatures above 100 F, and sea-level rise for coastal locations. | CRWUhelp@epa.gov (CRWUhelp @epa.gov) |
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| ICLUS, Integrated Climate and Land Use Scenarios | The ICLUS project is developing scenarios broadly consistent with global-scale, peer-reviewed storylines of population growth and economic development, which are used by climate change modelers to develop projections of future climate. | User Manual and data sets | Britta Bierwagen (Bierwagen.Britta @epa.gov) Phil Morefield (Morefield.Philip @epa.gov) |
Land-Use Scenarios: National-Scale Housing-Density Scenarios Consistent with Climate Change Storylines |
| Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool | Environmental Justice Screening (EJSCREEN) is a mapping tool that allows users to create maps and generate detailed reports based on the geographic areas and data sets they choose. EJSCREEN includes data from multiple factors that may affect public and environmental health within a community or region. Currently available only through EPA's Intranet site. | EJSCREEN (enviromail_group @epa.gov) |
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| Enhancing Sustainable Communities With Green Infrastructure Guide | The Green Infrastructure Guide helps communities plan and design green infrastructure for multiple environmental, health, social, and economic benefits. | Smart Growth Webinars, Videos and Podcasts | Smart Growth (smartgrowth @epa.gov) |
Green Infrastructure Helping to Transform Neighborhoods in Cleveland and Across the Nation |
| Sustainable Communities Indicator Catalog | The Sustainable Community Indicator Catalog helps communities identify indicators that can measure progress toward their sustainability objectives. The indicators focus on the relationships among land use, housing, transportation, human health and the environment. (Interagency Partnership between EPA, HUD and DOT) | Smart Growth (smartgrowth @epa.gov) |
Bridgeport, CT: "Aiming to be New England's Greenest City" (PDF)(2 pp, 879 K) |
No Currently Identified Tools
Please view the Waste Section of the Resources Page for appropriate documents and guidebooks on climate adaptation for waste and emergency response.
Public Health
| Name | Brief Description | Available Training | Contact EPA | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAINE, Resilience and Adaptation In New England | RAINE is a database that catalogs activities in more than 100 New England jurisdictions addressing climate change impacts. The database provides information at the state, local, or regional level. It includes information such as web links, reports, plans, tools, specific practices, funding sources, and partnerships. | R1_Raine@epa.gov (R1_Raine @epa.gov) |
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| Scenario-Based Projected Changes Map | This mapping tool provides easy to access scenarios of projected changes from EPA's Climate Resilience Evaluation and Awareness Tool for annual total precipitation, annual average temperature, precipitation intensity for the 100-year storm, number of days per year with temperatures above 100 F, and sea-level rise for coastal locations. | CRWUhelp@epa.gov (CRWUhelp @epa.gov) |
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| ICLUS, Integrated Climate and Land Use Scenarios | The ICLUS project is developing scenarios broadly consistent with global-scale, peer-reviewed storylines of population growth and economic development, which are used by climate change modelers to develop projections of future climate. | User Manual and data sets | Britta Bierwagen (Bierwagen.Britta @epa.gov) Phil Morefield (Morefield.Philip @epa.gov) |
Land-Use Scenarios: National-Scale Housing-Density Scenarios Consistent with Climate Change Storylines |
| Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool | Environmental Justice Screening (EJSCREEN) is a mapping tool that allows users to create maps and generate detailed reports based on the geographic areas and data sets they choose. EJSCREEN includes data from multiple factors that may affect public and environmental health within a community or region. Currently available only through EPA's Intranet site. | EJSCREEN (enviromail_group @epa.gov) |
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| Enhancing Sustainable Communities With Green Infrastructure Guide | The Green Infrastructure Guide helps communities plan and design green infrastructure for multiple environmental, health, social, and economic benefits. | Smart Growth Webinars, Videos and Podcasts | Smart Growth (smartgrowth @epa.gov) |
Green Infrastructure Helping to Transform Neighborhoods in Cleveland and Across the Nation |
| Sustainable Communities Indicator Catalog | The Sustainable Community Indicator Catalog helps communities identify indicators that can measure progress toward their sustainability objectives. The indicators focus on the relationships among land use, housing, transportation, human health and the environment. (Interagency Partnership between EPA, HUD and DOT) | Smart Growth (smartgrowth @epa.gov) |
Bridgeport, CT: "Aiming to be New England's Greenest City" (PDF)(2 pp, 879 K) |
No Other Currently Identified Tools
Please view the Public Health Section of the Resources Page for appropriate documents and guidebooks on public health climate adaptation.
Adaptation Planning
| Name | Brief Description | Available Training | Contact EPA | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAINE, Resilience and Adaptation In New England | RAINE is a database that catalogs activities in more than 100 New England jurisdictions addressing climate change impacts. The database provides information at the state, local, or regional level. It includes information such as web links, reports, plans, tools, specific practices, funding sources, and partnerships. | R1_Raine@epa.gov (R1_Raine @epa.gov) |
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| GIWiz, Green Infrastructure Wizard | GIWiz is an interactive, online information portal that provides communities with quick and easy access to EPA's Green Infrastructure tools and resources. | GIWiz Fact Sheet | GIWIZ@epa.gov (GIWIZ @epa.gov) |
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| Scenario-Based Projected Changes Map | This mapping tool provides easy to access scenarios of projected changes from EPA's Climate Resilience Evaluation and Awareness Tool for annual total precipitation, annual average temperature, precipitation intensity for the 100-year storm, number of days per year with temperatures above 100 F, and sea-level rise for coastal locations. | CRWUhelp@epa.gov (CRWUhelp @epa.gov) |
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| Storm Surge Inundation and Hurricane Strike Frequency Map | This mapping tool illustrates current worst-case coastal storm surge or inundation scenarios and hurricane strike frequency derived from Sea, Lake, and Overland Surge from Hurricanes (SLOSH) models by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 100 and 500 year flood plains from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and hurricane strike dataset from the National Hurricane Center (NHC). |
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CRWUhelp@epa.gov (CRWUhelp @epa.gov) |
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| Stormwater Calculator with Climate Assessment Tool | Desktop application that estimates the annual amount of rainwater and frequency of runoff from a specific site anywhere in the United States. The calculator includes future climate vulnerability scenarios. |
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SWC@epa.gov (SWC @epa.gov) |
Mount Rainier Green Infrastructure Master Plan (PDF)(85 pp, 10.8 MB) Exit |
| CREAT, Climate Resilience Evaluation and Awareness Tool | A software tool to assist drinking water and wastewater utility owners and operators in understanding potential climate change threats and in assessing the related risks at their individual utilities. | CRWUhelp@epa.gov (CRWUhelp @epa.gov) |
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| Climate Ready Estuaries (CRE) Workbook for Developing Risk-Based Adaptation Plans. | The workbook provides guidance for conducting risk-based climate change vulnerability assessments and developing adaptation action plans. | CREhelp@epa.gov (CREhelp @epa.gov) |
Climate Change Risk Management: The San Juan Bay Estuary | |
| ICLUS, Integrated Climate and Land Use Scenarios | The ICLUS project is developing scenarios broadly consistent with global-scale, peer-reviewed storylines of population growth and economic development, which are used by climate change modelers to develop projections of future climate. | User Manual and data sets | Britta Bierwagen (Bierwagen.Britta @epa.gov) Phil Morefield (Morefield.Philip @epa.gov) |
Land-Use Scenarios: National-Scale Housing-Density Scenarios Consistent with Climate Change Storylines |
| BASINS, Better Assessment Science Integrating Point and Nonpoint Sources | BASINS is a multipurpose environmental analysis system designed to help regional, state, and local agencies perform watershed- and water quality-based studies. | basins @epa.gov |
BASINS Case Study | |
| Climate Change Handbook for Regional Water Planning | The Handbook provides a framework for considering climate change in water management planning. The handbook guides resource managers and planners with key decision considerations, resources, tools, and decision options to adapt to a changing climate. | Vulnerability Assessment Checklist (PDF)(6 pp, 424 K) |
Suzanne Marr (Marr.Suzanne |
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| Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool | Environmental Justice Screening (EJSCREEN) is a mapping tool that allows users to create maps and generate detailed reports based on the geographic areas and data sets they choose. EJSCREEN includes data from multiple factors that may affect public and environmental health within a community or region. Currently available only through EPA's Intranet site. | EJSCREEN (enviromail_group @epa.gov) |
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| Enhancing Sustainable Communities With Green Infrastructure Guide | The Green Infrastructure Guide helps communities plan and design green infrastructure for multiple environmental, health, social, and economic benefits. | Smart Growth Webinars, Videos and Podcasts | Smart Growth (smartgrowth @epa.gov) |
Green Infrastructure Helping to Transform Neighborhoods in Cleveland and Across the Nation |
| Flood Resilience Checklist | The Flood Resilience Checklist is an assessment tool for communities to use to identify opportunities to improve their resilience to future floods through policy and regulatory tools. | The tool is currently available online with an expanded version of the tool in development. | Stephanie Bertaina (Bertaina.Stephanie @epa.gov) |
Planning for Flood Recovery and Long-Term Resilience in Vermont |
| Storm Water Management Model with Climate Adjustment Tool - SWMM-CAT | A comprehensive computer model for analysis of quantity and quality problems associated with urban runoff. | SWMM-CAT Users Guide (PDF)(17 pp, 807 K) | Michael Tryby (Tryby.Michael @epa.gov) |
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| Sustainable Communities Indicator Catalog | The Sustainable Community Indicator Catalog helps communities identify indicators that can measure progress toward their sustainability objectives. The indicators focus on the relationships among land use, housing, transportation, human health and the environment. (Interagency Partnership between EPA, HUD and DOT) | Smart Growth (smartgrowth @epa.gov) |
Bridgeport, CT: "Aiming to be New England's Greenest City" (PDF)(2 pp, 879 K) | |
| Watershed Index Online: Wetness Index for the lower 48 states | The Wetness Index is a computer model of where in the landscape water is expected to pool after a rain event. The tool indicates potential flooding areas other than FEMA 100 year flood plains. | This data set is complete and available to anyone using an EPA computer. | Neil B. Burns (Burns.Neil @epa.gov) |
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| Collaborative Guide: A Reef Manager's Guide to Coral Bleaching | The Collaborative Guide: A Reef Manager's Guide to Coral Bleaching provides coral reef managers with the latest scientific information on the causes of coral bleaching and new management strategies for responding to this significant threat to coral reef ecosystems. | Jordan M. West (West.Jordan @epa.gov) |
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| Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPPCAT) Model | An online tool for assessing and managing the potential impacts of climate change on sediment loading to streams using the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) Model. | Thomas Johnson (Johnson.Thomas @epa.gov) |