Developed Coastlines

The Massachusetts coast is a beloved place for many. Drawn to the shoreline, we’ve built cities, towns, and neighborhoods along a waterfront that supports local economies and enhances our lived experience. Yet coastal towns are now on the front lines of the increasing risks of climate change, including impacts from coastal storms, flooding, erosion, and sea level rise.

On the South Coast, there are 14 towns ringing Buzzards Bay and portions of Narragansett Bay which benefit from the ocean’s natural resources. Two Designated Port Areas and world-renowned research institutions contribute greatly to the economy of the region that nearly half a million people call home.

Into the future, coastal storms are projected to be more frequent and severe [CIT. 4]. As soon as 2050, more than 8% of buildings in this region (over 15,000) are projected to flood in a 10-year storm event [CIT. 5]. Particularly vulnerable are the towns of Wareham, Bourne, Marion, and Mattapoisett because of their position at the terminal end of Buzzards Bay. As storms enter the bay, a “funnel” effect forces more water up through the Bay and into low-lying neighborhoods and town centers.

The location and orientation of Buzzards Bay has meant it has been disproportionately hard hit by hurricanes relative to the rest of the state. Hurricanes cause both erosion and increased flooding as waves surge onto the landscape. Hurricane Bob in 1991, for example, caused 10 to 15 feet of storm surge in Bourne and Wareham resulting in immense damage to homes and infrastructure [CIT. 1].

All the towns in this region have completed Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness plans identifying community vulnerabilities and needed projects, and some have gone a step further to complete more detailed Climate Vulnerability Assessments. Citing lack of staff capacity and funding constraints, however, most towns have not moved beyond planning. A complicating factor is the separation between private and public sectors, each responsible for different utilities and services while facing the same future of risk. We need to address these constraints regionally, working across sector and town boundaries to act strategically to adapt our roads, buildings, and infrastructure as well as to think about where we choose to move out of harm’s way.

WHAT THE DATA SHOWS

Our developed coastlines are vulnerable to increased flooding caused by climate change as they face storms of greater intensity and frequency coupled with sea level rise.

Consider:

Regular inundation from daily tidal flooding is projected to affect over 25 miles of roadway and over 1,400 buildings in this region as soon as 2050 [CIT. 5].

Over 250 miles of roads and more than 15,000 buildings may be inundated in this region by a 10-year storm event (10% annual chance) as soon as 2050, and a 100-year storm (1% annual chance) could impact over 21,000 buildings and over 360 miles of roads. By comparison, projections for the North Shore show that 7,500 buildings may be flooded as soon as 2050 in a 10-year storm event [CIT. 5].

More than a quarter of all buildings in Wareham could be inundated by a 10-year storm as soon as 2050 [CIT. 5] due to its location and low-lying infrastructure.

LOOKING AHEAD

Based on our findings, we propose:

Elevating and adapting infrastructure: In interviews and Municipal Vulnerability Plans, towns have identified priority access roads, infrastructure, buildings and homes that will need to be elevated or adapted. Several towns also mentioned low-lying sewer pump stations along the coast that need to be elevated or floodproofed due to rising seas and groundwater tables.

Weighing retreat against other options: For some residents and business owners, retreat may be the only viable option when adaptation is not possible or realistic due to the frequency or magnitude of flooding. Many residents in these flood-prone areas, however, may not have the financial resources for either. New proposed state legislation would create a commission to look at the feasibility of an acquisition program to provide willing property owners in flood risk areas with the financial ability to relocate. As proposed, the Flood Risk Protection Program would result in vulnerable properties becoming (on a voluntary basis) permanently conserved as natural areas, better able to buffer storm impacts and protect surrounding areas (See “Facing the Future” on pg. 30).

Building capacity to implement resilience projects: Stepping back from each town’s individual lens to take a regional approach to prioritizing resilience work will be critical. The Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD) is in the initial stage of developing a Regional Resilience Plan that looks at environmental, economic, and social vulnerabilities across the region. But beyond planning work, it is critical we address the capacity needs of the towns to implement resilience work on-the-ground.

Prioritizing projects equitably: In addition to considering the severity of flooding impacts to communities when prioritizing work, it will be critical to also consider the financial ability of neighborhoods to adapt or retreat. We must strive to develop an equitable approach to allocation of public resources.