The affects of climate change will impact the world’s aquatic ecosystems and human infrastructure during the 21st century. These changes, such as sea level rise and changing rainfall patterns will influence flood hazard risks and coastal erosion, as well as river and tidal wetland restoration. To enable sustainable living in the future, societies will have to address these climate change impacts and transform how they manage scarce water resources.

ESA PWA has developed a range of services to address these needs. We have focused our pioneering experience in restoration, geomorphology, engineering and systems modeling to meet the challenge of water resources work in a changing climate. We are addressing the root causes of greenhouse gas emissions and are developing adaptation and planning strategies to live with the effects. In short, we translate complicated climate change projections into actionable planning and implementable long-term solutions.

We have successfully used this approach to advise a range of clients, including local California agencies and international climate change partnerships, on topics including carbon mitigation, sea level rise, ecosystem resiliency and adaptation strategies. This work spans a gamut of temporal and spatial scales—from specific implementation projects, to regional planning and international policy guidance.

Our expertise includes: carbon sequestration, sea level rise risk and vulnerability assessments, managed shoreline retreat, climate-varying watershed hydrology, climate-proofing of flood management systems, community and ecosystem adaptation, regional sediment management, and provision of science and policy guidance to decision makers.