CRMC issues public notice to adopt SLAMM maps 

October 7, 2014, WAKEFIELD – The Coastal Resources Management Council has proposed amendments to Section 210.3 of its coastal program to adopt Sea Levels Affecting Marshes Model (SLAMM) maps for all 21 of Rhode Island’s coastal communities for coastal wetland restoration and adaptation planning purposes.

The public notice for the proposed amendments to Section 210.3 of the Coastal Resources Management Program can be found here: http://www.crmc.ri.gov/regulations_proposed/2014_1125_CRMP_110and210.pdf *** This meeting was rescheduled to 1/13/2015 ***

Over the last 200 years, Rhode Island has lost more than half of its salt marshes to man-made impacts, resulting in a loss of approximately 4,000 acres statewide. Today, the CRMC and other partners are faced with trying to preserve and protect the remaining coastal wetlands being impacted by an increase in coastal flooding frequency, which is a direct result of sea level rise.

Our coastal salt marshes provide valuable habitat for fish and other wildlife, as well as important ecosystem services for the people of the state. It is critical to identify upland areas to target for protection and restoration and develop adaptive strategies to preserve these sensitive areas,. The SLAMM maps depicting current and potential future coastal wetlands will provide a foundation for understanding the adaption and restoration options, developing policy and guidelines, and training local and state decision-makers to protect salt marshes now and in the future.

The CRMC, along with project partners the University of Rhode Island Coastal Resources Center and RI Sea Grant, The Nature Conservancy, Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, the Roger Williams University Maritime Institute, and Save The Bay have developed these maps, which can be integrated with other efforts, including the Shoreline Change (Beach) Special Area Management Plan, the CRMC’s habitat restoration strategy and other local comprehensive plans. The maps are also available online here: http://www.crmc.ri.gov/maps/maps_slamm.html.