In April 2023 I gave this talk as a kickoff event for an exhibit of artwork curated by Thom Duffy at the Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center called Submerged: A Changing Global Climate. The venue was appropriate, sine the Venice Island Performing Arts and Recreation Center was one of many buildings partly submerged when the remnants of Hurricane Ida visited the city on September 1-2, 2021.
PHOTOGRAPHS
The original talk at Venice Island was not recorded, so over the summer I re-recorded the audio in front of an audience of one, Justin Martin, PWD’s web editor. Justin then synced my words with my PowerPoint slides to create a video version. All images used in the talk are included in this video. If there are any you’d like to see at higher resolution, contact me. Some are the property of institutions other than PWD, but if I can’t provide them to you directly I can steer you to the source.
PRINTED RESOURCES
The following are the main publications from the City of Philadelphia related to flooding and climate change adaptation. I will try to update these links as new material is available. If you know of anything else that might be helpful, let me know and I’d be glad to add it to the list.
A GUIDE TO FLOODING IN PHILADELPHIA (PDF) This guide, created by the city’s Flood Risk Management Task Force, will help property owners and residents find out what to do when they experience flooding, how to understand flood risks and prepare for them.
City of Philadelphia Flood Management Program resource page includes information on National Flood Insurance Program, the effects of climate change on coastal areas, and guides for the city’s most flood-prone neighborhoods.
Manayunk flood guide Information for property owners, business owners, and tenants to minimize the impact of flooding in Manayunk. January 28, 2021
Manayunk flood pamphlet Lists flooding resources for use in Manayunk. October 20, 2021
Why Germantown Floods flyer explains the primary causes of flooding in Germantown. January 28, 2021
Germantown Alternative Evaluation and Recommended Outcome Report discusses storm flood risk reduction and sewer overflow reduction for the Germantown watershed. June 9, 2021
Eastwick flood management flyer offers information about flooding in Eastwick. September 12, 2023
BELOW: The dam also disappeared during the freshet of October 4, 1869. These two floods, more than 150 years apart, were the highest ever recorded on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia.
