CRMC, partners launch Shoreline Adaptation Inventory and Design program

June 5, 2019, Wakefield – The Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) and its partners this week are launching the Shoreline Adaptation Inventory and Design (SAID) program, beginning with an instructional webinar on Thursday, June 6, and field trips to different coastal locations June 12 and 13, 2019. This continues work to make Rhode Island’s shoreline and coastal habitats more resilient in the face of increased storms and sea level rise.

CRMC, the University of Rhode Island Coastal Resources Center, Rhode Island Sea Grant, Save The Bay, and the Roger Williams University Marine Affairs Institute plan to use funds from a $280,140 National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) Coastal Resilience grant CRMC received in November. The Town of Bristol and City of Providence Department of Planning and Development, and Parks are also municipal partners.

The SAID program aims to create an inventory of completed and potential shoreline adaptation projects. These are projects that address the impacts of coastal storms, sea level rise and stormwater such as erosion, flooding, and loss of habitats and shoreline public access. They help to improve the resilience and safety of the shoreline while increasing the benefits of natural systems such as water quality improvement and enhancement of habitat for fish and wildlife. The SAID program will both document past efforts and provide ways for cities, towns and local communities to nominate sites for future projects.

“We would like this to be more than a planning exercise. The ultimate goal is to get projects in the ground,” said Caitlin Chaffee, policy analyst and project lead for the CRMC. “Rhode Island is pretty advanced and many municipalities have completed hazard mitigation plans and vulnerability assessments. A lot of towns already have projects in mind.”

The webinar on Thursday will cover an overview of the SAID program, including online mapping and photo tools. It will also inform viewers how to nominate a site or project idea for the program inventory. The field trips on June 12 at Mill Cove Road in Warwick (from 1-4 p.m.) and 13 at Grinnell’s Beach in Tiverton (from 9 a.m.-12 p.m.) will highlight successfully completed projects in the state as well as candidate sites for the program.

Municipalities will be able to access a Google maps inventory, and an online tool for the nomination process, Chaffee said. Ultimately, approximately 10 projects will be chosen to receive funding and technical assistance for design and permitting, with the goal of making them “shovel ready” for other funding opportunities.

“There’s an increasing amount of resources aimed at improving coastal resilience, such as the program supporting this effort—the federal Coastal Resilience Grant program administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation,” Chaffee said. “We want to make sure Rhode Island is in a good position to take advantage of these funding opportunities with a strong pipeline of shovel-ready projects.”

The work is slated to be completed on the inventory and other deliverables by August 1, 2020. The CRMC’s Rhode Island Shoreline Change Special Area Management Plan (Beach SAMP) is the boundary for the project area. Anyone can nominate a site, Chaffee said, Nominations will be reviewed by the project team and vetted with their respective municipalities.

Join the webinar here: https://zoom.us/j/598227561. To join by phone dial (646) 558-8656 (meeting ID: 598227561#).

Register for the field trips here: https://form.jotform.com/91546376458166