Coastal Resilience

Climate Ready Kittery – Resilient Infrastructure through Nature-Based Design

Ongoing

This 2-year project will develop preliminary designs for making two critical roadways and adjacent natural areas more resilient to coastal flooding and climate change. The project is a collaboration with the Town of Kittery, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, local stakeholders, and the Wells Reserve.

Nature-Based Solutions for a Climate Ready Southern Maine

Ongoing

SMPDC’s Regional Sustainability and Resilience Program has partnered with the Wells Reserve and the York County Soil and Water Conservation District on a new grant-funded project to advance nature-based solutions (NBS) for protecting southern Maine’s people, property, and the environment from coastal climate hazards.

Nature-Based Solutions for Stormwater Management and Erosion Control at the Main Beach Parking Lot in Ogunquit

January 2025

This project developed an implementation plan for priority nature-based strategies (NBS) to increase the resilience of Ogunquit’s Main Beach parking area to storms and climate change. The project involved identification of suitable NBS based on coastal vulnerabilities, community engagement to identify priorities, and development of conceptual designs.

Climate Ready Coast - Southern Maine

November 2023

This 2-year project developed a regional coastal resilience plan for a ten-municipality region in southern Maine through collaborative engagement of municipalities, local land trusts, regional conservation organizations, and state and federal natural resource agencies.

View the final Southern Maine Regional Coastal Resilience Plan here!

Coastal Resources

Maine Geological Survey

Beach and Dune Best Management Practices

Provides best management practices techniques for common beach and dune management issues, published January 2021

Maine Coastal Property Owner’s Guide to Erosion, Flooding, and Other Hazards, 2nd edition

Provides new information to help educate coastal property owners on identifying features of the Maine coastline, their related hazards such as flooding and erosion, and based on the level of those hazards and property owner's interests, the potential mitigation and adaptation strategies to deal with those hazards, published February 2021

Past Webinars

Coastal Water Quality in Southern Maine
May 3, 2023

Join us for an informative discussion about coastal water quality issues in southern York County with guest speakers Shri Verrill, York County Soil & Water Conservation District; Meagan Sims, Maine Healthy Beaches; and Luke Frankel, FB Environmental Associates. Topics of discussion include coastal water quality issues, challenges, impacts, and monitoring and management efforts in the region, and opportunities for regional coordination and collaboration to address these issues.

Full Webinar Recording

Sea Level Rise Impacts to Groundwater
June 16, 2021

Sea level rise threatens not only the landscape above ground, but also the environment below. Join SMPDC to learn about the impacts of sea level rise on groundwater. Hear from two experts about how rising seas effect groundwater levels and composition, including saltwater intrusion into groundwater, groundwater rise, and associated impacts to underground infrastructure, pavement, and septic systems.

Full Webinar Recording

Dr. Ryan Gordon's Presentation (Saltwater Intrusion)

Dr. Jayne Knott Presentation (Groundwater Rising)