The Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission will begin a study next month on the potential impact of changing sea levels on coastal Lincoln County towns. According to LCRPC representative Bob Faunce, the data will be useful for emergency management agencies as they prepare for future operations.
Lincoln County EMA Director Tim Pellerin said the study would help the agency identify areas susceptible to flooding, allowing them to update their hazard mitigation plans and get hazard mitigation grants to improve at-risk infrastructure.
“This is the perfect information we need for the local communities as we update the hazard mitigation plans,” Pellerin said. “It’s a huge asset for everyone in the county.”
In a PowerPoint presentation to the Lincoln County Commissioners Feb. 21, Faunce showed several locations that would be adversely affected by an increase in sea levels.
Researchers will investigate the impact of a two, four, and six-foot sea level rise, numbers based on the estimated rise over 100 years. The impact of a “storm of record,” based on the largest storm of the past 100 years, will also be explored.
Should another storm of record occur, Faunce displayed a picture showing several parts of Damariscotta underwater, including the bridge leading to Miles Memorial Hospital and the Damariscotta municipal parking lot.
The LCRPC received over $35,000 to conduct the 18 month long study. The Commissioners previously approved the grant, and matching funds, at a previous meeting. The LCPRC will be working in conjunction with Lincoln County towns and the Maine Geological Survey to complete the study.