Publication Date

8-2024

Advisor(s) - Committee Chair

Jason Polk, Jun Yan, Jerry Brotzge

Degree Program

Department of Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences

Degree Type

Master of Science

Abstract

Climate change is the global phenomena affecting all sectors of society by creating conditions more conducive for the occurrence of extreme weather events. It is projected that the intensity and frequency of events will increase. Flooding, in particular, is projected to increase in frequency due to more intense precipitation events. Karst landscapes are especially vulnerable to climate change impacts because of their unique hydrology and geology. Karst flooding is most likely to occur from prolonged or intense rain events, which climate change will likely make more feasible. Areas are disproportionately affected by climate change due to population demographics and environmental conditions.

In this study, a modified climate vulnerability assessment, inclusive of social, hazard, and karst vulnerabilities was created to holistically quantify vulnerability in any small-scale area within the U.S. The assessment was then validated and applied to Warren, Edmonson, Butler, and Allen County, Kentucky, four counties within BRADD (Barren River Area Development District) that are involved in the EPA Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program. Scoring was performed through existing data sets, the use of GIS layers, and other indices to identify scores of Adaptive Capacity, Exposure, and Sensitivity. The results show a similar trend of vulnerability among the four counties, all falling in the range of Moderate Vulnerability; however, there were slight differences among them with Warren County being the least vulnerable, and Edmonson County being the most vulnerable. This study uses a modified vulnerability assessment and GIS (Geographic Information Systems) to quantify and identify vulnerable areas in the BRADD. Each county was scored using indicators evaluating social, economic, and environmental factors. The scores were analyzed using GIS by producing spatial distribution maps, which will help inform the BRADD of the most vulnerable areas and indicators, as well as data gaps, to inform future mitigation planning.

Disciplines

Earth Sciences | Environmental Sciences | Meteorology | Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology | Physical Sciences and Mathematics

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