Preparing Your Community for Water Extremes: A Local Government Guide to the Chesapeake Bay

[Opening shot of a truck driving through flood waters.]

As the climate changes, local decision makers need public support and resources to prepare for, manage, and reduce local flooding and drought impacts.

[Shot of a playground slide surrounded by flood waters; aerial shot of a farm field whose crops are dry from drought.]

Long-term weather patterns are changing in ways that impact your community.

[Shot of churning flood waters.]

Higher temperatures cause more water to evaporate from the ground, drying out the soil.

[Shot of sunflowers, dried and wilting in the setting sun.]

Evaporation also fuels more rainstorms and dry soil cannot quickly absorb rain.

[Shot of storm clouds forming and a lightning strike over a marina.]

This combination can lead to flash flooding.

[Shot of brown rushing water; shot of wind turbines spinning in a green field.]

Drought impacts many industries, including:

[Aerial shot of solar panels.]

manufacturing and energy

[Aerial shot of flood waters over a road.]

transportation

[Timelapse of clouds moving over farmland.]

agriculture

[Shot of people paddling kayaks past green trees.]

recreation

[Shot of water running over an asphalt road behind three orange traffic cones.]

Too much water can create just as many problems in your community as not enough.

[Shot of tomato plants in the rain.]

From 1995-2020, the agricultural industry lost $752.6 million to flooding in Bay watershed states.

[Shot of a cow in a field.]

Climate resilience is the ability to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to hazardous events, trends, or disturbances related to climate.

[Shot of people on a bridge watching the sun set over a wide river.]

Being resilient to changes in climate can include:

[Shot of grass in the rain.]

Understanding your community’s risk

[Shot of a playground slide surrounded by flood waters.]

Assessing your vulnerability and risk

[Shot of trees blown onto a house in the aftermath of a storm.]

Investigating your options

[Shot of the green roof of a commercial building.]

Prioritizing and planning

[Shot of people in work vests pointing at a blueprint.]

Taking action

[Shot of volunteers sitting together in the sun near bags of trash.]

Protecting climate resilience can help your community rebuild stronger and preparing for weather extremes protects your community from potential losses.

[Shot of a person wading through knee-deep flood waters along a suburban street.]

[Black screen.]

There are many things you can do to plan for the impact of water extremes on your community. Visit ProtectLocalWaterways.org to learn more.