THE MAIN IMPACTS:

Erosion on the developed portion of Newbury Beach, north of Parker River National Wildlife Sanctuary, threatens ocean- front neighborhoods, with up to 4.6 feet of beach already lost per year [CIT. 5].

Marsh Loss By 2050, the town’s low marsh may increase by 61% as high marsh transitions to low marsh [CIT. 2].

Habitat Concerns By 2050, about 115 (18%) of the town’s 637 acres of estuarine beach/tidal flats could become open water [CIT. 2].

Developed Coast Daily tidal flooding of Newman and Pine Island Road may occur in 2050. Ten-year storm flooding of roads and buildings on Plum Island, Northern Boulevard, and Plum Island Turnpike is likely in 2050, with some daily tidal flooding [CIT. 1,3].

OTHER RISKS INCLUDE:

Property Damage A 10-year storm in Newbury may flood more than 609 buildings (14.6%) in 2050 [CIT. 3]. Chronic daily tidal flooding could impact 44 buildings (1.1%) in 2050 [CIT. 1].

Road Flooding Daily high tides may flood almost 1.7 miles (1.9%) of roads in 2050 [CIT. 1]. An estimated 18.5 miles (20.5%) of roadway could flood in the event of a 100-year storm in 2050 [CIT. 3].

STRATEGY SNAPSHOT: DUNE NOURISHMENT

Sand dunes serve as a critical natural barrier for protecting coastlines from storms and flooding. After losing several homes to the sea, Newbury restored a stretch of coastal dunes several years ago by planting native vegetation, installing sand fencing, and removing invasive species with technical assistance from the University of New Hampshire. The project team, and community volunteers, also collected data to inform future restoration efforts.