A study of urban heat islands in Dallas found parts of the city can get up to 10 degrees hotter than other areas.
Data collected by Dallas’ Office of Environmental Quality and Sustainability (OEQS) and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Association identified areas like Oak Lawn and Deep Ellum as heat islands, areas that have fewer green amenities like parks and trees, and more dark surfaces absorbing energy from the sunlight.
About 70 community volunteers joined City of Dallas staff and NOAA representatives last August to test nine different routes at three different times of the day.
Preliminary data released Monday show there was an 8-degree temperature difference between the coolest and hottest parts of the city in the morning, and a 10-degree difference in the evening. Some areas that have historically experienced environmental injustice — like the Medical District, West Dallas, and Bishop Arts in Oak Cliff — have the highest temperatures.
“Studying urban heat island is critical to protecting the health of our residents,” said OEQS director Carlos Evans. “Health risks from urban heat islands include risks of respiratory illnesses, heat exhaustion, heat stroke, heat related deaths.”
The city chose to participate in the study to address heat-related health risks and support its comprehensive environmental and climate action plan.
“We're working with our partners to continue to identify equitable ways to identify hotspots, implement cooling solutions, and provide data to our council members and other decision makers,” Evans said.
With these results, the city plans to mitigate the effects of climate change by constructing more parks and planting trees in key areas.
“We view our work as investing in trees and people investing in the urban forest,” said Elissa Izmailyan, COO of the Texas Trees Foundation, which is working with the city on its tree strategy. “So it can create greener, cooler, healthier communities and investing in people so that they can care for that urban forest and the benefits it provides.”
The Dallas Urban Heat Island Management Study from 2017 recommended planting approximately 250,000 trees across the city to see significant cooling and health benefits.
“We must work to cool as many areas of the city as we can,” City Council Member Paul Ridley said.
“That will make a difference for our business owners, our nearby residential districts, and really the entire city.”
The city is working with departments like parks and recreation, public works, and Dallas water utilities to evaluate the remaining data and continue mapping the remainder of the city throughout the summer.
“Ultimately, we want to create a healthier and more resilient, more resilient city,” Evans said.
