Great Marsh Adaptation Planning

Implications for Quality of Life in our CommunitiesSalisbury

Newburyport Newbury

SALISBURY

SALISBURY

Route 1A (Beach Road)

Salisbury Beach at Broadway

Low-lying houses along the bayside of Salisbury Beach

US Route 1 and Associated infrastructure

Identified Areas of Interest for Adaptation Planning

Current Status

Short-Term Recommendations

Long-Term Recommendations

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Salisbury Beach at Broadway

VULNERABILITIES:• Erosion – chronic

and storm-related• Storm surge

flooding

Photo Credit: Gregg Moore

Photo Credits: Sandy Tilton

Barrier beach erosion also on Plum Island in Newburyport and Newbury

Salisbury Beach at Broadway

Probability of Coastal Inundation in 2030 and 2070 (includes projected storm surge)

2030 2070

1% Flood Depth in 2030 and 2070 (includes projected storm surge)

2030 2070

Salisbury Beach at Broadway

Photo Credits: Gregg Moore

Research and study of erosion trends

Land acquisition of dune areas, restoring natural systems

Native dune vegetation planting and fencing to enhance health of the dune systems

2016 CZM Resiliency Grant awarded to City of Newburyport for dune nourishment, sand fencing, better trails, and education on northern tip of Plum Island

Salisbury Beach at Broadway Current Adaptation Activities

Continue acquisition of land if/when available and install dunes

Continue dune grass planting & fencing Planning & Zoning: local enforcement of existing

state barrier beach regulations & exploration of other zoning regulations including Beach Overlay Districts

Incentives for developers to build “climate smart”, e.g. raising buildings

Salisbury Beach at Broadway Future Adaptation Strategies

Education of property owners and renters Engagement with business owners and citizens

groups such as the Salisbury Beach Partnership & Merrimack River Beach Alliance

Establish a Salisbury Resiliency Committee

Salisbury Beach at Broadway

Community engagement is critical & zoning is critical!

Future Adaptation Strategies

Need to incorporate climate projections into everyday discussions, decisions and planning,

including economic development

NEWBURYPORT

NEWBURYPORT

Plum Island Turnpike Waste water

treatment facility Lower Artichoke &

Bartlett Spring Pond Business Park Central Waterfront Water Street Plum Island & Beach

Identified Areas of Interest for Adaptation Planning

Current Status

Short-Term Recommendations

Long-Term Recommendations

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Newburyport Central Waterfront

Photo Credits: Joe Teixeira

VULNERABILITIES:Flooding during astronomical tides that coincide with multiday storm events, affecting businesses, parks and other recreational areas

Newburyport Central Waterfront

Probability of Coastal Inundation in 2030 and 2070 (includes projected storm surge)

1% Flood Depth in 2030 and 2070 (includes projected storm surge)

Newburyport Central Waterfront

COAST: Coastal Adaptation to Sea Level Rise Tool

One-time Damages from 100-year Flood in Newburyport,

MA Study Area

YearSea Level Rise

Damage to Buildings

2030 Low (0.31 ft)$14.1

Million

2030 Med (0.50 ft)$14.9

Million

2030 High (0.72 ft)$15.8

Million

2070 Low (1.09 ft)$18.3

Million

2070 Med (2.19 ft)$24.2

Million

2070 High (3.45 ft)$32.4

Million

• Newburyport Resiliency Committee is established and active

• EPA Sustainable Communities grant

• Stormwater best management practices with City and business owners

• Public education & engagement in partnership with Great Marsh Resiliency Project and Storm Surge citizens group

Central WaterfrontCurrent Adaptation

Activities

Incorporate climate projections into master planning & future development

Business owner engagement Better overall stormwater management & best

practices Explore building retrofits (e.g. drop-in flood

barriers & longer term floodproofing) to reduce impacts of flooding

Explore opportunities for hybrid adaptation strategies in “hardened” areas of riverbank (e.g. Joppa Park)

Future Adaptation Strategies

Central Waterfront

NEWBURY

NEWBURY

Plum Island Turnpike Plumbush Downs Sewage Vacuum-

Pumping Station on Plum Island

Newbury Elementary School

Newburyport Turnpike/Rt 1

Low-lying houses along bayside of Plum Island

Plum Island & Beach

Identified Areas of Interest for Adaptation Planning

Current Status

Short-Term Recommendations

Long-Term Recommendations

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VULNERABILITIES: • Flooding from the

river-side (storm surge plus sea level rise) affects homes, roads, & the PI sewage pump station

Low-lying houses along bayside of Plum Island

Probability of Coastal Inundation in 2030 and 2070 (includes projected storm surge)

Low-lying houses along bayside of Plum Island2030 2070

Low-lying houses along bayside of Plum Island

1% Flood Depth in 2030 and 2070 (includes projected storm surge)

2030 2070

Low-lying houses along bayside of Plum IslandCurrent Adaptation Activities

Coastal zoning and incentives for StormSmart redevelopment and new construction of homes in vulnerable areas

Outreach & education to homeowners and communities

Low-lying housesFuture Adaptation

Strategies

Enhanced property owner education, including the benefits of specific building retrofits such as “freeboard” (raising homes on stilts)

Freeboard incentives Restoring flow with improved culverts, raising

roads if possible

Photo Credit: Pamela Merrill

Low-lying housesFuture Adaptation

Strategies Establish conservancy district zoning overlay to prevent future development in flood-prone areas and to create a long-term buffer between development and flooding

Incorporate climate projections into long-term planningResearch “rolling

easements” as way to deal with the need in some low-lying places to retreat (if/when there is no other option)

Cashman Park, Newburyport Today

Our original idea for resiliency

Our revised post-election idea