EES Departmental Seminar: Denise Brushett, Department of Environment and Climate Change
Denise Brushett
Project Lead: Nova Scotia Municipal Flood Line Mapping Program, Government of Nova Scotia
Title: Mapping the Risk: Advancing Flood Resilience in Nova Scotia
Abstract: Nova Scotia faces some of the highest flood-related risks in Canada due to the combined effects of sea level rise, land subsidence, and increasing precipitation. With much of the province’s development concentrated along coastlines and major watercourses – many of which are subject to compound flood mechanisms – effective flood risk management is essential. Municipal flood line maps are a central tool in this effort, providing critical information on flood hazards and guiding the development of appropriate land-use regulations, informing emergency management planning, and supporting residents in making informed decisions about flood risk.
The Nova Scotia Municipal Flood Line Mapping (MFLM) Program, led by the Department of Municipal Affairs in partnership with Natural Resources Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada, aims to establish consistent, province-wide flood mapping and provide a robust foundation for flood hazard delineation. Supporting this framework is Nova Scotia’s Climate Change Standard which incorporates future climate conditions including sea level rise, storm surge, emission scenarios, and evolving intensity-duration-frequency relationships into both coastal and riverine flood modeling and mapping.
Methodology, data inputs, and modelling approaches applied across flood mapping projects in Nova Scotia are illustrated through several case studies, highlighting key innovations being integrated into regional-scale mapping efforts. Together, these advancements improve the accuracy and usability of flood hazard information and strengthen provincial flood risk management, planning, and emergency preparedness.
Time
Location
Milligan Room, B-8007 8th Floor Biology/EES wing of the LSC
Additional Information
Meet the lecturer: FREE COFFEE and COOKIES in B-3078 at 10:45 am before the lecture