Delaware Coastal Programs

Sea level rise affects more than beaches and oceanfront land owners. Sea level rise can increase the height of storm waves, making more areas vulnerable to storm damage. Sea level rise can inundate and flood low lying areas, causing losses to tidal wetlands, habitat, and agricultural areas. Sea level rise also can cause higher water tables and salt water intrusion, interfering with septic systems, drinking water and irrigation water. 

To address these issues, a Statewide Adaptation Plan for Sea Level Rise will be developed. The adaptation plan, when complete, will recommend policy changes and practices that will ensure that Delaware makes informed policy and investment decisions today to prevent damage and losses to infrastructure, resources and homes tomorrow. 

The plan will be developed with a team of stakeholders from a diverse network of interests including municipal governments, highway planners, landowners, emergency managers, wildlife managers, agricultural professionals, insurance agents, and tourism officials.

 The Adaptation Plan will include the following phases:

•  An issues characterization phase, during which, teams of experts will research and document environmental, economic and social resources at risk from the effects of sea level rise
•  A strategy development phase, during which, teams of experts will recommend ways to address the issues and minimize loss of resources
•  An implementation phase, during which, recommendations will be incorporated into policies and programs at all levels of government and where additional research will occur.

Sea Level Rise Initiative

• DCP Sea Level Rise Project Compendium (September 2009)

Preparing for Sea Level Rise:  Development of an Adaptation Strategy for Delaware Workshop

A kick-off workshop was held March 12, 2009 to bring together a wide group of stakeholders to learn about the potential impacts of sea level rise and to discuss and document issues of particular importance to them. Working groups to investigate technical issues and a steering committee will be formed shortly after the initial workshop.

• Workshop Agenda
• Welcoming Remarks: David Carter, DNREC, Delaware Coastal Programs
• Presentations
• Sea Level Rise and Storm Effects on Coasts....Under Changing Global Climate: S. Jeffress Williams, USGS
• Sea Level Rise Adaptation in Mid-Atlantic States: Jim Titus, US EPA
• Developing a Sea Level Rise Adaptation Strategy for Delaware: Susan Love, DNREC, Delaware Coastal Programs, and Stephen Borleske, Delaware EPSCoR
• Workshop Proceedings
• Sea Level Rise March 2009 Workshop Summary Document - Full Document
• Sea Level Rise March 2009 Workshop Summary Document - Cover Only
• Sea Level Rise March 2009 Workshop Summary Document - Summary only
• Sea Level Rise March 2009 Workshop Summary Document - Appendices Only

Sea Level Rise Adapatation Planning

• Delaware Sea Level Rise Adaptation Plan Proposal
• Adapting to Sea Level Rise - Delaware's Planning Process

Coastal Resiliency Plan Development

• Town of Bowers Beach
• City of New Castle 

• Application of the Sea Level Rise Affecting Marsh Model (SLAMM) Using High Resolution Data At Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge - February 2009
• Hydrologic Monitoring of the Kitts Hummock Area

Additional Resources

• NOAA's Digital Coast: Coastal Inundation Toolkit
• US Climate Change Science Program
• The US Climate Change Science Program: Coastal Sensitivity to Sea Level Rise; a Focus on the Mid-Atlantic Region
• NOAA's Coastal Climate Adapatation Website
• International Panel on Climate Change

For more information, please contact:

Delaware Coastal Programs
DNREC/Division of Soil & Water Conservation
89 Kings Highway
Dover, DE 19901
(302) 739-9283