Green Infrastructure Resilience Planning for Climate Change: Stormwater BMPs and Social Vulnerability for Climate-Induced Flooding Risk Assessment Framework

Abstract

Climate change and urbanization are altering hydrological cycles and intensifying climate-induced flooding events with wide-ranging environmental, economic, social, and cultural impacts. Particularly vulnerable are socially disadvantaged groups with low coping capacity. Green infrastructure—encompassing both structural and non-structural stormwater best management practices (BMPs)—is increasingly recognized as an adaptive planning strategy for climate change resilience. This paper develops a resilience planning framework integrating risk assessment with green infrastructure applications, using the Charles River watershed in the Boston Metropolitan Area as a case study. Key research questions address climate sensitivity to long-term flooding, indicators of resilience and vulnerability, and the capacity of green infrastructure to mitigate flooding risks. Hydrological modeling through the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) is combined with transect-based scenarios applying stormwater BMPs such as porous paving, bioswales, and green roofs under various climate change conditions (+1 to +4 °C, with incremental precipitation increases). Results are expected to demonstrate the efficacy and limitations of BMPs in reducing long-term flooding risks, highlighting the need for integrated structural and non-structural approaches, comprehensive watershed management, and incorporation of social vulnerability into resilience planning. The framework contributes practical methodologies for climate adaptation and resilience in urbanized watersheds.