Greenwich Coastal Resiliency Assessment & Plan

Princeton Hydro was contracted by the Town of Greenwich, Connecticut to develop a coastal resilience plan in anticipation of changing conditions due to climate change. The Town possesses 27 miles of shoreline along the Long Island Sound, with 7 of 30 islands in its eight harbors being town-owned. Greenwich, like many coastal communities, already experiences coastal, pluvial, and fluvial flooding which disrupts traffic patterns, impacts infrastructure, and damages town and private assets. In order to protect these coastal areas, which provide a variety of environmental, economic, and community benefits, our team is working to develop a plan that makes sense and will not only protect but enhance Greenwich’s coastal areas.

The work for this project is broken up into two phases, Phase 1 includes a suite of analyses to identify specific areas that are at risk, assess the extent of exposure to flooding, provide concepts for enhancing resiliency, and prioritize specific recommendations for upgrading the municipality’s assets. These assessments are interdisciplinary and aim to provide a holistic overview of the built, physical, and natural systems within Greenwich Connecticut. A key component of our assessment and Plan is to not only provide information needed for planning and decision-making, but to also provide information to the general public. To meet this objective, Princeton Hydro will arrange and facilitate two public information sessions. Here, the Princeton Hydro communications team and experts will present our findings along with a Q&A session, provide a primer on climate change and its effects on sea level, and allow for public feedback to maximize public participation.

During Phase 2, our team plans to specifically analyze the effects of tidal migration on the town’s four pond complexes. Our plan will provide specific recommendations on how to transition the ponds and shoreline areas to adapt to changing future conditions, with the ultimate goal of maintaining the town’s most important natural resource for public use. The Princeton Hydro team will employ field and modeling techniques to monitor water quality, assess pollutant loading & sediment dynamics, and conduct biological surveys. Like Phase 1, Phase 2 will also include a public information session to present our findings, discuss projected conditions of the ponds, and provide a number of management options to suit future conditions.