In recent years, the Town of West Newbury has been experiencing increased flooding and erosion along the Merrimack River, a tidally influenced river with flows shaped by coastal storms, increasing sea levels, and more extreme precipitation events. Particularly vulnerable areas include River Road, lower Coffin Street, and Bridge Street. During periods of increased river volume, these locations experience road inundation and damage to infrastructure as the river overflows its banks.

To tackle these challenges, West Newbury secured funding through a Massachusetts Municipal Vulnerability Program (MVP) Action Grant received in 2023. With this funding, the Town was able to evaluate flooding vulnerabilities and explore both short and long-term options to bolster resiliency along River Road.

The Merrimack Valley Planning Commission participated in three public meetings facilitated by the project team, which consisted of the Town of West Newbury, including members of the Climate Change Resiliency Committee (CCRC) and their consultants: GEI consultants, and the Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI). The first meeting MVPC attended, held in November 2023, introduced the project to residents as part of a Town Projects Fair and Forum. A second meeting, held in May 2024, involved a scenario-based planning workshop, engaging residents in discussions grounded in local experiences to identify climate vulnerabilities, priorities, and community needs. The final grant-funded event, held in June 2024, featured a presentation by GEI and GMRI on project findings, followed by a community discussion. GEI utilized aerial drone imagery and ground observations to pinpoint the most vulnerable sections of shoreline susceptible to flooding and recommended actions to the Town.

Outcomes from this process included a comprehensive assessment of current baseline conditions along River Road, projected future conditions (using best available climate data), and a set of recommendations for near and long-term actions. This set of recommendations encompasses strategies including creating a living shoreline using natural materials in areas with ample frontage, using armored shoreline techniques in locations in which the road directly abuts the river, or employing hybrid shoreline which looks to combine the two methods. The project team also outlined options outside of shoreline stabilization including exploring alternative inland access points to River Road and bolstering non-structural adaptations to enhance flood prediction and preparedness such as developing a water level monitoring alter system and investing in high water vehicles.

The Merrimack Valley Planning Commission applauds the Town’s efforts and project team’s work, and advocates for similar pursuits of proactive climate-change planning efforts in the region. The River Road Storymap, detailing the project overview and findings can be found here. The Climate Change Resiliency Committee (CCRC) has shared their final report on their webpage here. This document positions the Town to plan for their next steps forward in resiliency with River Road. For future developments with the CCRC, follow their website here https://www.wnewbury.org/climatechange-resiliency-committee, and email any comments or questions to [email protected]. For more information about MVP Action Grants, visit MVP Action Grant | Mass.gov. To learn more about MVPC’s work to address climate change in the region, and find out how we can support local efforts, visit our program page: Environment | MVPC.