Projects
Communities across the region are implementing a range of projects to address coastal flooding and increase resilience. This page showcases these projects, and the adaptation strategies employed.
If there is a project you would like included, please email Kelly Rehberg, krehberg@gpcog.org
Project
Municipality
Sawyer Road Removal
Cape Elizabeth and Scarborough
Description
The Towns of Cape Elizabeth and Scarborough was awarded a grant through the Maine Natural Resources Conservation Program (MNRCP) to remove a ¼ mile portion of Sawyer Road/Street that transcends the Spurwink Marsh across the town lines. The road removal will eliminate tide restrictions, restore saltwater marshland, and enhance emergent salt marsh upstream of the restriction.
Project Information
Adaptation Strategies
Managed Retreat
Wharton Point and Maquoit Bay Conservation Land Living shoreline
Brunswick
This project installed living shorelines at Wharton Point and Maquoit Conservation Land in April 2020. Since that time, small adjustments have been made to test new methods at both sites for the effective use of nature-based infrastructure for reduced erosion and enhanced wave attenuation.
Living Shoreline
Calling your Bluff
Casco Bay Islands
Great Diamond Island, Little Diamond Island, Long Island, Chebeague Island, brought together experts and hosted a symposium to discuss the best ways to protect coastal bluffs due to sea level rise, erosion, and climate impacts.
Stone Wharf Resiliency Planning
Chebeague Island
The Stone Wharf is home to many different activities including pedestrians, recreational boaters, working fisherman, and the ferry. However, the wharf and surrounding area are vulnerable to sea level rise making access challenging. In 2023 Chebeague was a awarded a Shore and Harbor Planning Grant for the project “Chebeague Stone Wharf resiliency planning and design.” This follows design plans developed in 2022. The Town is looking to ensure the wharf remains accessible for all uses for years to come.
Hardscape
Falmouth Town Landing Resiliency Study
Falmouth
Falmouth’s Town Landing is at risk of flooding. The Town completed an assessment to develop recommendations to improve the facility and adapt to the effects of sea level rise and storm surge.
Coastal Resilience Solutions Assessment
South Portland
This project will evaluate hardscape solutions at six coastal sites across the City. These include: Willard Beach, Front Street, Mill Cove, Anthoine Creek, Barberry Creek, and Long Creek.
Hardscape
Willard Beach Dune Restoration
South Portland
The City will be working with contractors to conduct beach scraping at Willard Beach. This will redistribute existing sand on the beach and form a ridge or "sacrificial dunes" backed up along the dune areas as a temporary storm protection measure.
Dune scraping
Resilience Zoning
Portland
The City drafted a Coastal Flood Resilience Overlay zone (CFROZ) in response to increased coastal flooding. The proposed CFROZ boundary is based on updated coastal flooding modeling from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The overlay zone would extend beyond the reach of the City's existing floodplain management regulations to help protect areas that are vulnerable to flooding due to sea level rise.
Coastal Resilience Overlay Zoning District
