Assessment of Damage and Mitigation Strategies for the Misquamicut, Ri Coastal Community From a 100 Year Storm Event and Sea Level Rise

Abstract

Misquamicut is a coastal community located in Westerly, Rhode Island with a high density of structures that is at risk from inundation, wave, and wind damage from large storm events. The area has suffered significant damage from storms in the past such as the Hurricane of 1938, Hurricane Carol in 1954, and most recently, Superstorm Sandy in 2012. This area is also highly susceptible to sea level rise (SLR), which is predicted to be as high as 7 feet by the year 2100 (NOAA, 2017). A tool called the Coastal Environmental Risk Index (CERI) was used to estimate damage to structures located in Misquamicut due to a 100 year storm event with and without 7 feet of sea level rise. Using CERI, four mitigation strategies were evaluated to improve resiliency of the community: basement window plugs, dune restoration and reinforcement, a tide gate, and elevation of structures.