Huron County Undertaking Climate Risk Assessment

Severe weather events are becoming everyday occurrences as climate change progresses. The County of Huron is preparing today for the future impacts of climate change on its infrastructure. 

In 2023, the County is completing a climate risk assessment for a large portion of its bridges and culverts. The intent is to evaluate how the infrastructure would hold up during a severe weather event. With much of Huron County’s infrastructure being near Lake Huron, the risk of damage to bridges and culverts with heavy rains, flooding, or spring thaws could impact travel routes and major highways. 

In 2019, Huron County staff completed a climate projection study that looked at weather patterns and projected weather events 20 and 50 years into the future. This prompted the County to embed a climate risk assessment into its existing Asset Management Plan.

In all, the County will look at 291 structures – including 210 bridges and 81 culverts, and assess their current condition, based on projected changes in weather and climate including the likelihood of more extreme weather events over their lifespan.

Investments from the Canada Community-Building Fund are instrumental in completing this work. This project will allow staff and council to consider the impacts of climate change on local infrastructure and service provision, and better prioritize capital projects based on that assessment.