Report on Climate Change Impacts to Coastal Stormwater Treatment Systems

This report can help communities address the impacts of flooding, storm damage, and salt and wind exposure to stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) in coastal areas.

Coastal areas are vulnerable to flooding and storm damage—issues that are magnified by climate change and sea level rise. When located in coastal areas, stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) are subject to flooding, storm damage, and salt and wind exposure. These impacts are expected to increase over time due to sea level rise, higher groundwater levels, and more frequent and intense storms due to climate change. To help communities address these impacts, the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM), in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, funded the development of Assessment of Climate Change Impacts on Stormwater BMPs and Recommended BMP Design Considerations in Coastal Communities.

Links to Report and Supplements

For links to this report and additional information, see:

• Recommendations for Coastal Communities to Address Climate Change Impacts to Stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) - This fact sheet provides a brief summary of the report, including an overview of potential climate change impacts to BMPs and design recommendations that municipalities can use as guidance when siting a BMP on the coast.
• Assessment of Climate Change Impacts on Stormwater BMPs and Recommended BMP Design Considerations in Coastal Communities (PDF, 7.6 MB) - Prepared for CZM and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection in 2015 by the Horsley Witten Group, Inc., with support from the Woods Hole Group, this report is intended to help municipalities address the unique challenges of siting, designing, and constructing stormwater BMPs in coastal areas. The report assesses the impacts of flooding, storm damage, and salt and wind exposure on existing BMPs; evaluates expected increased impacts due to sea level rise, higher groundwater levels, and increased frequency and intensity of storm impacts due to climate change; and makes recommendations for potential BMP design modifications.
• Appendix A: Assessment Summaries for BMPs (PDF, 10 MB) - This appendix from the report provides 26 field evaluations of coastal stormwater BMPs in Massachusetts to identify potential siting and design factors subject to climate change impacts.
• Appendix B: Projected Risk of Flooding (PDF, 5 MB) - This appendix includes projections of future flood elevations for the assessed BMPs to identify risk of flooding over the 50-year planning horizon.

Coastal Pollutant Remediation Grant Program

This report provides relevant information for coastal communities that are seeking funding for stormwater BMPs under the Coastal Pollutant Remediation (CPR) Grant Program, which is administered by CZM.

For more information about this report, please contact the CZM Coastal Habitat and Water Quality Staff:

• Adrienne Pappal (Program Manager), [e-mail], [phone]