How the city is adapting its coastlines and stormwater systems to protect residents and infrastructure from climate risks
New York City’s geography makes it uniquely vulnerable to flooding. With more than 520 miles of coastline and a dense urban core, the city faces growing threats from storm surges, rising sea levels, and extreme rainfall. Following Superstorm Sandy, the city began a sweeping transformation of its flood management systems — investing in both hard infrastructure and community-based resilience.
The Legacy of Sandy
When Hurricane Sandy struck in 2012, it flooded over 51 square miles of New York City and caused $19 billion in damages. The disaster prompted the city to rethink how it approached water. Instead of simply defending against it, planners began working with water — integrating wetlands, berms, and green corridors to absorb storm surges naturally.
Infrastructure Reinvention
The Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice has guided a range of projects like the East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) project — a 2.4-mile system of floodwalls, levees, and elevated parkland designed to protect 110,000 residents. Similar efforts are underway in Red Hook, the Rockaways, and Lower Manhattan.
Nature-Based Solutions
The NYC Department of Environmental Protection is expanding green infrastructure to manage inland flooding caused by rainfall. Permeable pavements, bioswales, and rain gardens capture stormwater before it overwhelms sewers. These low-cost solutions also cool streets and improve air quality.
Funding and Community Engagement
Resilience is not only about engineering. It’s about equity. The NYC Recovery and Resiliency office emphasizes inclusive planning so that historically marginalized communities are not left behind in adaptation efforts. Federal support from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and local bonds have fueled billions in capital investments.
Looking Forward
As part of its OneNYC 2050 strategy, the city is preparing for up to 30 inches of sea-level rise by mid-century. Projects like the Lower Manhattan Coastal Resiliency program integrate design innovation with public space — turning barriers into waterfront parks and cultural zones.
Authority Links: Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice, NYC DEP, NYC Recovery and Resiliency, OneNYC 2050, HUD, Lower Manhattan Coastal Resiliency, NOAA Hurricane Sandy Report, NYC Sustainability, EPA Water Research, FEMA.
