This document discusses planning for sea level rise in Rhode Island. It provides past, present and projected future rates of sea level rise. It identifies potential impacts of sea level rise such as erosion, overwash, wetland loss, and infrastructure failure. Maps show examples of projected inundation in Newport Harbor from 5 feet of sea level rise. The document outlines studies and data being collected on erosion rates, sediment transport, inundation mapping, and economic impacts. It discusses developing policy recommendations, education materials, and adaptation guidelines for municipalities. Products under development include updated erosion maps, economic analyses, and identification of at-risk infrastructure. The goal is to provide cities and towns with tools and lessons from other areas to help plan for and

2. Years before present
RateofSLR(mm/yr)
“Geologic past” (Fairbanks,
1989; Horton et al. 2009)
“Instrumental record”
(Church and White, 2006)
“Projections”
(Rahmstorf, 2007)
Past, present, and potential future rates of
sea-level rise

3. So, what can happen?
Bluff erosion
Overwash
Island Breaching
Threshold Crossing
Urban Inundation
R. Carlson
Wetland
Migration
or Loss
Water Quality Reduction
Ecosystem Change
Infrastructure Failure
Listed
Species
Impacts

4. Newport Harbor: Projected Inundation
5 feet of sea level rise above MHHW

5. Shoreline
Change/Beach
SAMP
New Data & Information:
•Erosion & Sediment Transport
Mapping & Monitoring
•Inundation Mapping
•Identification of
Areas/Infrastructure at risk
•Economic Analysis
•Engineering Evaluation of
tools/techniques
• Salt Marsh Migration
Planning Tools and Policy
Development
• Legal review of Alternative Development
Strategies
• Review of Techniques used elsewhere to
address these issues
• Lessons learned in NY/NJ from Sandy
• Recommendations or Guidance to
Municipalities or other State Agencies on
Best Practices or Policy
• New/Improved CRMC Policies
Education, Outreach &
Communication
• Webpage
• Fact Sheets & Targeted Mailings
• Social Media
• Library Lectures & Stakeholder Meetings
• “Group of Community Leaders” to help
get message out
• Videos & Accounts of Personal
Connection
Other statewide studies:
• EC4
• Dept of Health (health &
drinking water)
• Dept of Env. Management
(waste water facilities)
• Dept of Transportation
(transportation infrastructure)

6. Sea Level Is A Land Use Problem
Land Use Tends To Be A Municipal Issue
Pilot Communities

7. Solutions At A Workable Scale

8. Products We Are Working On
• New data and information about the shore face dynamics will be developed
• Updated Erosion Maps—how has the shoreline changed over time and how
might we expect it to change in the future?
• Sediment Transport Analysis—where does the sand go after it has been
washed away?
• Salt Marsh Impact Assessment—how will our wetlands respond to rising sea
levels, will they migrate landward or drown in place?
• Economic Analysis—what is the cost (insurance, rebuilding, taxes)
associated with shoreline change?
• Identification of at risk areas and infrastructure—what infrastructure or
facilities are at risk from flooding both in the short-term from a major storm
event or over the long-term from rising sea levels?
• Integration of findings from other statewide vulnerability assessments—
integrating all state findings related to shoreline change will provide a more
comprehensive picture and improve planning.
• Analysis of the legal questions surrounding shoreline change

9. Tools We Are Working On
• A review of tools and techniques that have been used in other
places around the USA and the world to potential applicability to
the situations in Rhode Island.
• Guidelines for Establishing Local Emergency Permitting for Post-
Storm Recovery
• A compendium of Adaptation Techniques
• Homebuyers Guide to Understanding Impacts of Shoreline
Change on Coastal Properties
• Lessons learned from Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey and New
York, and how those lessons relate to and may be able to be
adapted to the issues going on in Rhode Island.
• Develop a “Nuts and Bolts” took kit for Cities and Towns to draw
up
• Engineering Review of Potential Rhode Island Adaptation
Techniques
• Build private sector solutions that shift towards adaptation.

10. Flood Zones(2009, left and 2013, right)
Misquamicut Barrier
2‐3 ft reduction in BFE

11. ????

12. Goal: develop independent set of FIRMS for
Washington County using state of the art
methods
• Surge and wave simulations forced by NACCS
ADCIRC and SWAN simulations at save points
for extra‐tropical and tropical storms.
• Simulations of near‐shore wave field and
estimates of BFEs using STWAVE
• Extremal analysis based on NOAA Generalized
Extreme Value (GEV) analysis tool
• Create FIRM maps based on state of the art
methods

14. A Time To Plan and Adapt