Against the Deluge: Storm Surge Barriers to Protect New York City

Transcription

1 Against the Deluge: Storm Surge Barriers to Protect New York City March 30-31, 2009 Polytechnic Institute of New York University, Brooklyn On March 30 and 31, 2009, the Metropolitan Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers in conjunction with the Environmental Sciences Section of the New York Academy of Sciences will host a two-day conference to evaluate the concept of storm surge barriers to protect the New York metropolitan region from severe coastal flooding. The first day s session will address the questions: Should barriers be built in NYC? If so, when? The second day: Can barriers be built for NYC? If so, how? What are the lessons of Katrina for New York City? Is the region at risk from a major hurricane? What parts of the city are particularly vulnerable to coastal flooding? To what extent can the region be protected by storm surge barriers? What can we learn from the experience with such barriers in New England and Europe? What would be the impediments to building storm surge barriers? What effect would they have on the estuarine environment? Can they be built? What would they look like? What would they cost? When could and should they be in place? Presentations from experts in academia and the engineering community will address these questions. At each day s conclusion, a panel of experts will evaluate the program and offer their judgments. Speakers: Larry Roth, P.E., American Society of Civil Engineers Dr. Sai Ravela and Dr. Kerry Emanuel, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Dr. Brian A. Colle, Katherine Rojowsky and Dr. Frank Buonaiuto, Stony Brook University Nicholas Kim, P.E., Philip Simmons, P.E., and Brian George, P.E., HydroQual, Inc. Joshua Friedman, NYC Office of Emergency Management Dr. Malcolm J. Bowman, Stony Brook University Warren Kurtz, P.E., Consulting Engineer Col. A.L. Tortora, New York District. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers James G. Mueller, P.E., NYC Department of Environmental Protection Dr. Anne Ronan, P.E., Cooper Union Dr. Jeroen Aerts, IVM-VU University, Amsterdam Dr. R. L. Swanson, Stony Brook University Alfred H. Brand, P.E., Hugh S. Lacy,P.E., Anthony Devito, P.E. and Athena DeNivo, P.E., Mueser Rutledge Consulting Engineers Michael Abrahams, P.E., Parsons Brinckerhoff Piet Dircke, Msc, and Peter Jansen, Msc, Arcadis NV, the Netherlands Thomas Schoettle, P.E., Camp Dresser & McKee Graeme Forsyth, CEng, Halcrow, UK Dr. F.H. Griffis, P.E., Polytechnic Institute of New York University

2 Conference Schedule Monday, March 30, :30 9:00 Registration and Exhibition 3:00 3:10 Welcome Dr. F.H. ( Bud ) Griffis, Chairman, Department of Civil Engineering, Polytechnic Institute of New York University 3:10 3:30 Introduction, Dr. Douglas Hill, P.E. Part I. THE THREAT OF COASTAL FLOODING 3:30 4:30 KEYNOTE: Lessons of Katrina for New York City Larry Roth, Deputy Executive Director, American Society of Civil Engineers 4:30 5:00 A Statistical-Deterministic Model for Hurricane Risk Prediction Dr. Sai Ravela and Dr. Kerry Emanuel Massachusetts Institute of Technology 5:00 5:30 Climatology and forecasting NYC storm surges Dr. Brian A. Colle, Katherine Rojowsky and Dr. Frank Buonaiuto Stony Brook University 5:30 6:30 Dinner 6:30 7:00 Hydrodynamic/GIS Simulation of Storm Surge Flooding in the NY/NJ Harbor System Nicholas Kim, P.E., Philip Simmons, P.E. and Brian George, P.E. HydroQual, Inc. 7:00 7:30 Potential Vulnerability and Losses in NYC from Coastal Flooding Joshua Friedman, NYC Office of Emergency Management 7:30 8:00 Hydrologic Feasibility of Storm Surge Barriers Dr. Malcolm J. Bowman, Stony Brook U. 8:00 9:00 Review Panel, Should Barriers Be Built in New York City? Warren Kurtz, P.E., chairman Col. A.L.Tortora, Commander, New York District. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers James G. Mueller,P.E., Director, Bureau of Engineering and Design, New York City Department of Environmental Protection Larry Roth, Deputy Executive Director, American Society of Civil Engineers

3 Tuesday, March 31, 2009 Part II. ENGINEERING STORM SURGE BARRIERS 3:00 3:30 Delta Project in the Netherlands: Past and Future Dr. Jeroen Aerts, IVM-VU University, Amsterdam 3:30 4:00 Navigation and Regulatory Constraints U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 4:00 4:30 Environmental Considerations Dr. R.L. Swanson, Stony Brook University 4:30 5:00 Geotechnical Aspects of Three Storm Surge Barrier Sites Alfred H. Brand, P.E., Hugh S. Lacy, P.E., Anthony Devito, P.E. and Athena DeNivo, P.E. 5:00 5:30 Global Overview of Navigable Storm Surge Barriers Piet Dircke, Msc, Arcadis, the Netherlands 5:30 6:10 Dinner 6:10 6:30 Student Designs of NYC barriers Dr. Anne Ronan, P.E., Cooper Union 6:30 7:00 Conceptual Design of an East River Storm Surge Barrier Michael Abrahams, P.E., Parsons Brinckerhoff 7:00 7:30 Conceptual Design of a Storm Surge Barrier Across the Narrows Peter Jansen, Msc, Arcadis, the Netherlands 7:30 8:00 Conceptual Design of an Arthur Kill Storm Surge Barrier Thomas Schoettle, P.E., Camp Dresser & McKee 8:00 8:30 Conceptual Design of New York New Jersey Outer Harbor Gateway Graeme Forsythe, CEng, Halcrow, UK 8:30 9:00 Panel Discussion: Can Barriers Be Built in New York City? Dr. F.H. ( Bud ) Griffis, Chairman, Department of Civil Engineering, Polytechnic Institute of New York University

4 Registration: Before 3/23/09: Pre-registration is necessary to save a seat. Full registration includes a copy of the proceedings and dinners (no proceedings for student registrations). ASCE/NYAS Members: $170 $150 group (5 or more) $100 one-day $50 full-time students with ID Non-members: $200 $180 group (5 or more) $130 one-day $80 full-time students with ID After 3/23/09: $230 $210 group (5 or more) $160 one-day $110 full-time students with ID Proceedings only: $35. Checks should be drawn to ASCE Met Section and mailed to: ASCE Met Section c/o J. Khinda 98 Park Terrace East #3B New York, NY

5 Abstracts KEYNOTE: Lessons of Katrina for New York City Larry Roth, Deputy Executive Director, American Society of Civil Engineers The members of the ASCE Hurricane Katrina External Review Panel have conducted an in-depth review of the comprehensive work of the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Interagency Performance Evaluation Taskforce (IPET) to better understand this tragedy and prevent similar disasters from recurring. The report, The New Orleans Hurricane Protection System: What Went Wrong and Why, focuses on the direct physical causes and contributing factors to the hurricane protection system failures. It provides details about New Orleans and the hurricane, the protection system, how the levees failed, the human, financial, and cultural impacts, and direct causes and contributing factors such as overestimation of soil strength, waterfilled gaps, inoperable pump systems, and under-appreciated risk to the city. The report includes a number of calls to action relating to lessons learned from the disaster. Their application to New York City is discussed. A Statistical-Deterministic Model for Hurricane Risk Prediction Dr. Sai Ravela and Dr. Kerry Emanuel Massachusetts Institute of Technology A description is given of a method to simulate synthetic storms and their intensities using historical and simulated climate, which is then used to develop a probability density function of winds. The method consists of three steps: a genesis step to initiate new storms, a track propagation step to continue them, and an intensity simulation step along the track to estimate hurricane parameters. Two independent methods including analysis of historical record and a random seeding method are used to initiate tracks. Two independent methods including a nonparametric statistical model based on data, and a parametric model using meteorological winds are used to propagate tracks. A one-dimensional simplified coupled ocean-atmosphere model is used to simulate hurricanes, which are assumed to be axis-symmetric with a parametric wind profile. The storms simulated by our method provide a rapid estimate in present or potential future climates. They can be coupled with surge models including SLOSH and ADCIRC. Climatology and forecasting NYC storm surges Dr. Brian A. Colle, Katherine Rojowsky and Dr. Frank Buonaiuto Stony Brook University A climatology of storm surges and flooding events for NYC will be presented for the past 50 years ( ) as well as the how the flooding frequency may change with rising sea level during the next several decades. Favored historical storm tracks yielding NYC coastal flooding will be discussed. High resolution simulations of past storm events for NYC (e.g. hurricane Gloria 1985) will be shown using the latest atmospheric and ocean models. The sensitivity of the simulated water level predictions to small changes in storm track and timing will also be highlighted. Hydrodynamic/GIS Simulation of Storm Surge Flooding in the NY/NJ Harbor System Nicholas Kim, P.E., Philip Simmons, P.E. and Brian George, P.E. HydroQual, Inc. A 3-D hydrodynamic model covering the NY-NJ Harbor System and the coastal waters of NY Bight and Long Island Sound was used to simulate storm surge conditions of NY-NJ Harbor. Data collected during the 1960 Hurricane Donna were used to validate the model. Projection conditions include the projected sea level rise for the years 2050 and 2080 in the NY-NJ Harbor area and the atmospheric and oceanic conditions observed during the Hurricane Donna event.

6 Placement of four storm surge barriers was considered: at the Narrows, Perth Amboy in the Arthur Kill, at the mouth of Jamaica Bay, and one in the East River. Projected storm surge elevations at various locations in the NY-NJ metropolitan area were then used as inputs in GIS to create representations of inundation extent for the various storm, barrier deployment, and climate change sea level rise conditions. Various demographic and environmental data were also incorporated into GIS to help identify potential impacts for flooded areas. Hydrologic Feasibility of Storm Surge Barriers Dr. Malcolm J. Bowman Stony Brook University Modeling results show that storm surge barriers can protect inner New York City and nearby New Jersey from a rise in sea level and extreme weather events in the era of climate change. Making some informed assumptions about rates of sea level rise, changes in the intensity and frequency of future hurricanes and nor easters, modern coupled meteorological and oceanographic numerical models can accurately simulate future tides, currents and storm surges along the ocean coast of the New York Bight, New York Harbor, Long Island Sound, the Hudson River, and their tributaries, bays and estuaries. These models can be run for a variety of sea level, tide and weather forcing scenarios with/without barriers in place. Owing to the low gradient of the Hudson River and its large storage capacity, flooding inside the barriers from rainfall runoff is extremely unlikely. Delta Project in the Netherlands: Past and Future Dr. Jeroen Aerts IVM-VU University, Amsterdam In 1953, a major storm surge flooded large parts of Netherlands. Since that time, $10-20 billion have been invested in storm surge barriers, dams and dikes. This project, 'The Delta Project', is unique both in its size and the way technical solutions are linked to tidal processes and the dune ecosystem. However, future projections show that climate change will increase the probability of flooding. Moreover, since 1953 the economic value of the land protected by the barrier system has increased by a factor seven due to urban development and economic growth. The question is, therefore, whether and how the current Dutch flood defense system can be adapted for these future developments. Environmental Considerations Dr. R.L. Swanson Stony Brook University The gates of storm surge barriers will rarely be closed, but the supporting structure in the narrow waterways surrounding New York City will restrict the normal tidal exchange. This change in the estuarine circulation of the harbor is likely to have a number of consequences. Water quality and sediment transport may be adverse affected, as well as the marine ecology. Structural design of the barriers should be accompanied and informed by analysis of these potential environment effects. Geotechnical Aspects of Three Storm Surge Barrier Sites Alfred H. Brand, P.E., Hugh S. Lacy, P.E., Anthony Devito, P.E., and Athena DeNivo, P.E. Mueser Rutledge Consulting Engineers The aim of this paper is to examine the geotechnical aspects and challenges to the engineering of the proposed storm surge barriers in the waters surrounding New York City. The geologic and bathymetric conditions at each of the three sites will be explored. The paper will explore the general options for foundations which could be utilized for various different basic types of surge barriers, including navigable lock and dam, fold-flat floating gate (Venice type), rotating cylinder type (Thames River type), swinging hinged gate (Netherlands and elsewhere), fixed gate wall

7 with floating caissons, and others. The apparent suitability and applicability of various foundation options for each of the three sites, given the geologic and bathymetric conditions at each site, will be studied. A conceptual assessment of other considerations such as navigation, sedimentation, scale and scope, etc., will be touched upon as they relate to the foundation and geotechnical aspects of the barrier design. Global Overview of Navigable Storm Surge Barriers Piet Dircke, Msc Arcadis, the Netherlands The Dutch barriers like the Eastern Scheldt Barrier and the Rotterdam Gate are world famous. The Dutch experience with design, construction, operation and maintenance of storm surge barriers is appreciated all over the world, and Dutch engineers were and are involved in New Orleans, Venice, St Petersburg and London. In this paper this knowledge is used to give a global, systematic overview and comparison of suitable types that could be suitable for the New York situation. Aspects to be considered will include: Type of gate structures Year of construction, years of operation, closing frequency Design criteria & requirements Risk management Environmental, geotechnical, navigation aspects Range of navigable dimensions Technical design details Relative costs of construction Operation and maintenance aspects Life cycle management issues Student Designs of NYC barriers Dr. Anne Ronan, P.E., Cooper Union In an introductory engineering design course at The Cooper Union, first-year students developed conceptual designs of a series of storm surge barriers for the New York City metropolitan area. The students were required to design moveable barriers with height sufficient to block surge from a category 3 hurricane, geometry to conform to existing site conditions, minimal disturbance of existing structures, and maximum unimpeded flow area when the barriers are in their open position. The resulting designs included pivoting bridge decks and boardwalks, butterfly-valve type instream barriers, and large telescopic sets of plates that run along tracks in the seabed. Conceptual Design of an East River Storm Surge Barrier Michael Abrahams, P.E. Parsons Brinckerhoff A conceptual design is described for a storm surge barrier across the East River, a 16 mile long tidal estuary that extends from the southern tip of Manhattan Island to Throgs Neck. Normally water flow is tidal in nature, flowing between Long Island Sound to the north and New York Harbor to the south. The waterway is heavily trafficked, primarily by barge and tug consists but larger vessels may also be present, particularly at the northern reaches. The daily tidal variations are approximately 16 feet at the northern end of the waterway, making construction in this busy waterway a particular challenge. Conceptual Design of a Barrier Across the Narrows Peter Jansen, Msc Arcadis, the Netherlands

8 The Dutch have many centuries of experience in successfully protecting millions of citizens in densely populated urban areas in a coastal and estuarine environment against the risks of floods. Barriers and levees play an important role in this protection system. Based on the extensive Dutch experiences with storm surge barriers, both in the Netherlands (Eastern Scheldt, Rotterdam, Ramspol) and abroad (Venice, Saint Petersburg), a conceptual design of a storm surge barrier in the Verrazano Narrows will be presented that gives a first impression of what the gate could really look like. The paper will also present a Dutch approach: a systematic and integrated, step-by-step process with room for impact analysis, alternatives, and stakeholder participation. Conceptual designs of an Arthur Kill Storm Surge Barrier Thomas Schoettle, P.E. Camp Dresser & McKee The Arthur Kill is a 10 mile long channel which separates Staten Island, New York, from New Jersey, connecting Raritan Bay on its south end with Newark Bay on the north. Along the New Jersey side it is primarily lined with industrial sites, while on the Staten Island side, it is primarily lined with salt marshes. The Arthur Kill is a heavily used marine channel, providing access for ocean-going container ships to Port Newark and to industrial facilities along the channel itself. This paper will provide a conceptual design of a storm surge barrier traversing the Arthur Kill With a focus on providing social, economic and sustainable benefits to the surrounding communities, the design will include innovative design features drawing inspiration from the acclaimed Marina Barrage unveiled in Singapore in Conceptual Design of a New York New Jersey Outer Harbor Gateway Barrier Graeme Forsyth, CEng, FICE, FIES Halcrow, UK Halcrow s approach is to consider the feasibility of an Outer Harbor Gateway that would span the New York Bight from the northern tip of Sandy Hook, NJ at Gateway National Recreation Area to the western tip of Rockaway, NY at the National Gateway Recreation Area at Breezy Point. The approximate 5-mile span would be comprised of a system of structures and gates. In addition, the project would require a berm system along the length of Sandy Hook and parts of Rockaway (to Cross Bay or Flatbush Ave). In addition to storm surge protection, we will also consider the potential for the barrier to positively impact regional transportation, water quality, and air quality.