URI leads team of researchers awarded $1.5 million NOAA grant
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| Realistic 3D visualization for Eastham, Mass. along the Cape Cod National Seashore using Advanced Circulation (ADCIRC) modeling results of the March 2018 Nor'easter with 1.0 m sea level rise. |
Researchers at the University of Rhode Island and Penn State University have been awarded a four-year, $1.5 million grant through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to study the effects of sea level rise and how it may exacerbate the impact of extreme weather.
The project
will draw on expertise from researchers at URI’s Graduate School of
Oceanography, its College of the Environment and Life Sciences, the Department
of Ocean Engineering within the URI College of Engineering, and the URI Coastal
Resources Center.
Other collaborative participants include the Schoodic Institute
and the National Park Service. The overall goal of the project is to help
communities, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
adapt and improve their resilience as climate continues to change and extreme
weather such as hurricanes and nor’easters continue to increase in terms of
frequency and severity.
According to NOAA, the rate of sea level rise is accelerating. Since 1993, the average global sea level has increased by 3.4 inches. By the end of the century, it is likely to rise at least one foot over 2000 levels.
Sea level plays a role in flooding, shoreline erosion, and other hazards,
affecting nearly 40 percent of the U.S. population living in high-population
density coastal areas. However, despite what is known about sea level rise,
there is a lack of research available when it comes to how the impacts of
nor’easters and hurricanes may be amplified as a result.
“There are a number of studies that have been done looking at just sea level rise or just extreme weather, but what we’re really lacking in terms of clear understanding is the combined impact of these two phenomena,” said Isaac Ginis, professor of oceanography, who is leading the study.
“This is
especially important to us on the East Coast and in New England, where we’ve
seen significant coastal flooding produced by waves and storm surge during
nor’easters and hurricanes. How these effects are amplified by sea level rise
has been largely unexplored. This information gap inhibits our ability to
properly plan for the future and is likely to lead to under-informed and
ineffective adaptation measures.”
The project will expand the body of research related to the
effects of extreme weather and sea level rise on five New England national
parks and two wildlife refuges – Cape Cod National Seashore, Boston Harbor
Islands National Recreation Area, and New Bedford Whaling National Historical
Park in Massachusetts; Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge, Trustom Pond
National Wildlife Refuge, and Roger Williams National Memorial in Rhode Island;
and Acadia National Park in Maine – as well as their surrounding communities.
The project was supported by all four members of Rhode Island’s congressional delegation and received letters of support from more than 15 local communities and local non-profits.
“This federal research funding will help URI faculty and students
gather valuable information to answer questions about changing sea levels and
in turn protect coastal communities from the effects of climate change,” said
U.S. Senator Jack Reed.
Using state-of-the-art atmosphere, storm surge and wave/erosion
modeling the team will provide high-resolution recreations of the impact of
future storm and sea level rise scenarios, identifying vulnerabilities in the
ecosystems and infrastructure of the identified sites and their adjacent
communities. The modeling will also include hazard, risk, and adaptability
assessments, as well as mitigation scenarios.
“Rising seas and worsening storms driven by climate change are two
major challenges Rhode Island will face in the decades to come,” said U.S.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. “It’s fitting that the University of Rhode
Island has been selected by NOAA to research ways to protect coastal areas from
these dual threats.”
Researchers will work closely with the National Park Service, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, and stakeholders at the community level to tailor
the research and translate the science in a way that can be incorporated into
local resource management and adaptation measures to improve coastal resilience
and to protect communities, people and infrastructure, and ecosystems.
“Each community has their own needs,” says Ginis, “but our
modeling results will produce tailored and tangible information for local
decision makers – state and local governments, emergency management officials,
town and city planners and other stakeholders – to address their specific needs
and enable them to plan and adapt as the sea level rises and climate continues
to change.”
Taking historical data into account as well as topography,
geology, water depth, land elevation, natural processes such as shoreline
changes, and human influence, the team will be able to project more than 50
years into the future, using 3-D visualization to provide computer simulations
illustrating storm hazards and identifying potentially effective mitigation
measures.
“As climate change continues to wreak havoc on communities across our state, it’s more important than ever to better understand the effects of rising sea levels and their impact during extreme weather events,” said Congressman Jim Langevin.
“Devastating storms and flooding are becoming more
frequent and severe, so we must invest in climate resiliency and adaption
before it’s too late. I’m thrilled that the University of Rhode Island will now
have the federal funding to lead the way on this critical area of research, and
I look forward to reviewing the research.”
Ultimately, the project will open an important dialogue between
researchers and local stakeholders, and Federal resource managers, and
facilitate the development of practical and well-informed, science-based best
practices that will guide future policies and resource management strategies to
protect our coastal economic, environmental, cultural, and community resources.
“Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time, and we need to deal with this existential threat head-on,” said Congressman David Cicilline.
“With the support of this federal grant, the University of Rhode
Island and Penn State University will be able to study the impact
climate-caused sea-level rise has on extreme weather. Their project will
ultimately provide our coastal communities with the information they need to
improve resiliency and plan for rising sea levels and severe weather events.”
