La Conner
Small Communities Cohort Program
La Conner
Adaptation Mitigation Pathways for Sea Level Rise
La Conner is a small town in Skagit County with a population of only 1,000 people. Sitting up against the Swinomish channel, they face threats from changing climate conditions including sea level rise and increased river flooding. Approximately 80% of the town of La Conner is in a floodplain.
Due to its small size, La Conner has an extremely limited capacity for climate work. So far, the town has developed a 2023 Sea Level Rise and Impact Report as part of the 2025 Comprehensive Plan Climate Chapter, which provided SLR scenarios, projected impacts, and an evaluation of potential mitigation measures. La Conner also established a Flood Emergency Response Plan. In 2017, La Conner stakeholders identified community values for shaping potential adaptation solutions, criteria for success, strategies to mitigate SLR and flooding impacts, and next steps during a design charette. Building off this work, the Small Communities Cohort Program is supporting La Conner in developing adaptation strategies for current and future risks.
The Small Community Cohort Program Project
Through participation in the Small Communities Cohort, La Conner seeks to build from a 2023 sea level rise and flooding study to identify and sequence adaptation strategies for current and future risks. This will support La Conner’s efforts to address the increasing threats of flooding and sea level rise on the community.
Project Goals
01
Analyzing relevant adaptation pathways and engaging staff to develop a deeper understanding of SLR and flood risk mitigation options.
02
Evaluating anticipated costs for implementing adaptation pathways approaches.
03
Developing an Adaptation Pathways Plan with community input that has clear and objective adaptation pathways with trigger points for implementation.
04
Developing policy recommendations to support inclusion of the APP in La Conner’s Comprehensive Plan Climate Element.
For More Information:
The Small Communities Cohort Program, hosted by the Puget Sound Climate Preparedness Collaborative, supports climate preparedness projects in 12 smaller and/or less resourced jurisdictions and Tribes through staffing and consulting support.
