Local Students Give Presentations on Sea Level Rise and Storm Surge Impacts

On May 24th, students from the Environmental Technology and Natural Resource Management programs at the Essex Technical High School presented on the impacts of sea level rise and storm surge on Essex County towns.  The presentations were attended by municipal leaders and interested citizens.

The students presented their data analyses on Danvers, Peabody, Salem, and Beverly. Other students studied future climate impacts in Marblehead, Swampscott, Nahant, Lynn, and Saugus.

Students used inundation data to explore how the changing climate will affect the populations of these communities, as well as the land use, important habitats, critical facilities and lifelines, and the economy. Despite the many potential impacts to these coastal communities, students presented actionable and hopeful steps that communities can take to prepare.  Such actions include restoring salt marshes, improving stormwater infrastructure, cleaning up hazardous coastal sites, and exploring better evacuation routes that take future flooding into consideration.

To learn more, check out the student presentations below:

Danvers, MA: Predicted Exposures for Flooding

Coastal Vulnerability of Beverly

Salem Coastal Vulnerability

Peabody Worst Case Scenario Flooding and Sea Level Rise

Sea Level Rise and Us