Stamford Coastal Resilience Plan Community Meeting | Final Presentation July 28, 2026
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Agenda How “Final” is this plan? 1. Project Background
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We presented a draft of these recommendations in a public meeting on June 24
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Since then, we incorporated input from that meeting and refined our recommendations
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In this presentation, we are sharing the recommendations that will be included in the final report that concludes this effort
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These recommendations are not “shovel ready.” As each of these recommendations moves toward implementation, there will be more conversations with the community
2. Understanding Coastal Flood Risk in Stamford 3. A Roadmap for a More Resilient Stamford a. What Can the City Do? b. What Can Residents and Property Owners Do? 4. Q&A
Hispanohablantes: esta información se publicará en el sitio web del proyecto antes de que termine la semana.
Project Background
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What is a Coastal Resilience Plan? Coastal resilience means the ability of coastal communities, ecosystems, and infrastructure to anticipate, withstand, adapt to, and recover from, climate-related hazards (e.g., sea-level rise, coastal flooding, storm surge, erosion, extreme rainfall, and heat). The Coastal Resilience Plan is being developed as a roadmap to resilience that will identify and propose actionable strategies to address coastal flood risks in Stamford
Establish an updated understanding of current and future coastal flood risk
Prioritize nature-based & hybrid solutions to reduce coastal flood risk and support local ecology and quality of life
Develop an actionable roadmap to resilience that includes site-specific strategies
Project Area
The project area for the Coastal Resilience Plan includes neighborhoods mostly south of I-95: ○
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Cove, East Side, Shippan, South End, Waterside, and portions of Downtown and West Side Areas of Stamford within Coastal Area Management zone
Understanding Coastal Flood Risk in Stamford
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Types of Coastal Flooding
Coastal flood modeling by the Connecticut Institute for Resilience & Climate Adaptation (CIRCA) was used to map high-risk flood areas for presentday and future climate conditions.
HIGH TIDE FLOODING
occurs in low-lying coastal areas. This type of flooding occurs during normal high tides or extreme high tide events (e.g., king tides or spring high tides).
COASTAL STORM FLOODING
occurs during coastal storms like hurricanes and Nor’easters. It includes the effects of storm surge and waves.
Compounded Risks
In low-lying coastal areas, coastal flooding, riverine flooding, and stormwater flooding can create compounding flood impacts. The Coastal Resilience Plan focuses on coastal flooding alone. However, the City is also evaluating stormwater flooding in several areas of the City including the entire Cummings Pond watershed.
Compounded Risks
In low-lying coastal areas, coastal flooding, riverine flooding, and stormwater flooding can create compounding flood impacts. The Coastal Resilience Plan focuses on coastal flooding alone. However, the City is also evaluating stormwater flooding in several areas of the City including the entire Cummings Pond watershed.
The Cummings Pond Ecological and Flood Resilience Plan (forthcoming)
CUMMINGS POND WATERSHED
CUMMINGS POND
How Climate Change is Likely to Affect Coastal Flooding
In recent decades ocean warming and ice sheet loss due to global warming have contributed to global sea level rise. Along the East Coast, including Connecticut, sea level rise rates are more rapid because of subsidence or sinking of the coastline. Sea level rise makes coastal flooding more frequent, deeper, farther-reaching, and more damaging. ● ● ● ● ●
Higher storm surge More frequent tidal flooding Deeper floodwaters Reduced drainage capacity More shoreline erosion
CIRCA projects up to 20 inches of sea level rise by 2050 and up to 40 inches of sea level rise by 2100
Topography of the Stamford Coastline Stamford has low-lying terrain, ranging from sea level to above 75 feet in areas like Shippan Stamford’s South End and Cummings Park range in elevation from 1-9 feet, many areas susceptible to flooding These low-lying areas are at risk of flooding today, even without the additional influence of sea level rise.
Hobson Street
Weed Avenue
Source: Stamford Advocate
Source: Stamford Advocate
Shippan
Weed Avenue
Source: Tyler Theder
Source: Stamford Advocate
How We Describe Flood Events Recurrence Interval: The average number of years, over the long term, between subsequent flood events of a given size or severity Example: A 100-year flood event occurs on average once every 100 years. % Annual Chance: the probability of a particular flood event or larger happening in any given year % Annual Chance = 100/recurrence interval Example: 100-year flood event = 100/100 = 1% Annual Chance Percent Annual Chance is just a probability! It is possible for a given flood to occur multiple times in one year, in back-to-back years, or not at all for a period of years. You have a jar with 100 marbles – 99 clear and 1 red. There is a 1 in 100 (or 1%) chance of you reaching into your jar and pulling out the red marble.
Did you know there is a Hurricane Barrier here?
SCHOONER COVE HURRICANE BARRIER
KOSCIUSZKO PARK HARBOR DRIVE
How the Hurricane Barrier Operates
EAST BRANCH STAMFORD HARBOR EARTHFILL DIKE AND HURRICANE BARRIER
The Army Corps of Engineers owns, operates, and maintains the navigable gates of the Hurricane Barrier in the East Branch of Stamford Harbor
Present-Day Flood Extents Hurricane Barrier Closed
20 Inches of Sea Level Rise ~2050 | Hurricane Barrier Closed
40 Inches of Sea Level Rise ~2100 | Hurricane Barrier Closed
40 Inches of Sea Level Rise ~2100 | Hurricane Barrier Open
Roadmap for a More Resilient Stamford What Can the City Do?
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Making Stamford Safer How the City can optimize emergency response immediately before and during a flood event Evacuation Routes Shippan Avenue Concept Design Flood Sensor Network Citywide Signage
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Emergency Preparedness
Current Evacuation Zones & Proposed Routes • N-S arterials from evacuation zones to/through I-95 • Avoid areas of high flood risk • Ensure critical facilities are accessible • Multiple parallel routes distributes volume • Signals on routes optimized for northbound traffic
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Emergency Preparedness
Proposed Evacuation Routes & Modeled Flooding
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Shippan Avenue Vulnerability Assessment
High water conditions water from the harbor backs up into drainage pipes Backflow combined with stormwater causes flooding in the Shippan Avenue and Magee Avenue intersection – a critical evacuation route
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Shippan Avenue Concept Design
Tide gates prevent harbor water from flowing back into storm drainage pipes Bioretention basins and other types of Green Stormwater Infrastructure provide temporary storage for stormwater Stormwater pumps can facilitate discharge of stormwater at a higher elevation Proposed roundabout redesign to facilitate evacuation and improve safety
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Forthcoming Cummings Pond Ecological and Flood Resilience Plan
Shippan Avenue Concept Design
Tide gates prevent harbor water from flowing back into storm drainage pipes Storage needed for stormwater while tide gates are closed Explore potential for subsurface stormwater storage below parking lots
Legend Proposed tide gate Potential area for subsurface stormwater storage
Shippan Avenue Conceptual Section
Flood Sensor Network
Sensors can be installed: ● On dry land to detect flooding ● In water to track changes in tide and flood depths
Flood Sensor Network How sensor data can be used ● Real time data can be viewed in a web-based dashboard ● Facilitates re-routing of busses and emergency response vehicles ● Activate flashing signs or mast arms ● Sensor data combined with weather data and modeling can forecast flooding ahead of storms
NYC FloodNet Sensor Credit: Science + Resilience Institute
NYC FloodNet Dashboard
Three Tiers of Flood Awareness Signage Permanent Evacuation Route Signs
MUTCD EM1-1
Dynamic Emergency Signage
Flood Awareness + Flood Gauge Monuments
Potential Signage Locations Permanent Evacuation Route Signs: continuously along routes Dynamic Evacuation Signs: Example locations: Major evacuation route junctures, underpasses, at most bridges, municipal parking garages, entrances to public open space, shelters Flood Awareness + Flood Gauge Monuments: Example locations: schools, libraries, transportation center, community center, public open spaces, near marinas and waterfront promenades
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Reducing Flood Risks Lowering flood damage using infrastructure and policy choices Hurricane Barrier Resilience Tide Gate System Future Planning and Policy Zoning Regulations Municipal Open Space
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Hurricane Barrier Resilience Study Recommendation: evaluate hurricane barrier’s ability to withstand current and future flood hazards
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Closure analysis
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Gap assessment
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Detailed modeling
East End of Hurricane Barrier
40 inches sea level rise scenario: flood waters go around the side of the hurricane barrier
Conceptual extension of hurricane barrier
Dyke Lane Pump Station
Pump station structure is part of the hurricane barrier Recommendation: confirm the structure has been maintained to structurally withstand storm surge
DYKE LANE PUMP STATION
System of Tide Gates Recommendations: ● Verify condition of 3 existing tide gates. Modify as needed to provide access. ● Install 5-10 additional tide gates in strategic locations ● Establish plan for routine maintenance Legend Existing Tide Gate
Future Planning and Policy Recommendations ●
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Coastal areas are at high risk for severe flood impacts, and those risks are likely to increase over time because of climate change The homes and structures in high-risk areas can be updated or renovated with flood resistant construction and/or elevated to reduce the risk to inhabitants and the structure Planning and policy updates are one way the City can help to reduce flood risk
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The Role of Planning and Zoning ●
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The City has a responsibility to make sure that new construction or significant renovations meet basic standards for safety and the wellbeing of the community Accomplished in part through zoning codes and regulations, which were written before the impacts of climate change were fully understood Structurally, residential buildings have a design life of ~50 years, and the mean lifespan is 83 years Typical home mortgage 10-30 years, Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) repayment 15-20 years
2026 Home Reconstruction
2050 WILL BE HERE SOON 2050 ~20” of sea level rise expected
Paid for with 12-month construction loan
2027 Family moves in Construction loan converted to a 30-year mortgage 1% chance per year 26% chance of flooding in 30 years
2057 Mortgage paid off
2077 ~End of Building’s Design life
Current Zoning Requirements
AREA OF MINIMAL FLOOD HAZARD Zone X
Triggered by new construction and significant renovation Structure and building systems must be flood-resistant design Elevation of 1 foot above base flood elevation required in FEMA A, AE, & VE zones FEMA maps and associated flood elevations are based on historic storm events - do not consider climate change Safe access during a flood event is required, not defined More structures are at risk of future flooding & flood elevations are likely to be higher than reflected by current requirements
These requirements are separate from flood insurance
FEMA flood maps are used as the basis for flood management requirements in the City’s zoning regulations
What can the City do? Changes to Zoning Regulations
Near Term ZONING Changes: ●
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Keep current zoning requirements, increase design flood elevation from base flood elevation +1 to base flood elevation +3 Increase allowable building height based on updated design flood elevation
Long Term ZONING Changes: ●
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Detailed modeling is needed to establish a future design flood elevation with location-specific anticipated future flood depths Update the area that must meet flood safety requirements and update elevation requirements based on modeled future flooding Clarify safe egress requirement
These changes would not impact which properties are required by FEMA to have flood insurance
Boston’s Coastal Resilience Overlay Zone
What Can the City Do? Long-Term Planning – Voluntary Buyouts What is a voluntary buyout program? ●
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With significant public support, the City could create a program that gives homeowners in very high-risk areas the option of selling to local government or land trust Gives owners an option to protect their families from risk without sacrificing the equity they have in their properties Property converted to public open space and naturalized habitat, which helps absorb flood impacts and adds to the City’s park system Buyout programs typically funded through grant programs (FEMA, NRCS, and others) and local cost-share
Home in New Jersey affected by coastal flooding, then during and post-buyout process. Photo credit: Rutgers University
Strategies for Municipal Open Space Recommendations: ● Toolbox of potential adaptation actions will be included for living with the water and moving assets away from the water. ●
Examples of how these “tools” work at a site-specific scale will be addressed in the forthcoming Cummings Pond Ecological and Flood Resilience Plan.
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Cummings Pond Ecological and Flood Resilience Plan
Municipal Open Space Live with the Water
Enhanced Tidal Wetlands / Living Shorelines
Green Stormwater Infrastructure
Habitat Enhancement / Living Shorelines
Naturalized Berm / Living Shorelines
Floodable Sports Field
Floodable Paved Sports Facilities
Municipal Open Space Move Assets Away From the Water
Elevate Access Routes
Elevated Embankment
Elevated Promenade
Elevate Structures
Relocate Facilities
What Can the City Do? Summary of Actions
Making Stamford Safer Formalize evacuation routes Drainage and traffic improvements at the Shippan and Magee intersection Flood sensor network Flood awareness signage
Flood Risk Reduction Hurricane barrier resilience measures Tide gates Planning and policy updates Flood resilience upgrades in critical facilities and municipal open space
Roadmap for a More Resilient Stamford What Can Residents and Property Owners Do?
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Adaptation Strategies For Private Property Owners
This presentation includes a high-level overview of strategies including: ●
Wet floodproofing
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Dry floodproofing
Permanent
Temporary
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Elevating
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Relocating
Source: Garrison Flood Control
Source: overhead-doors.com Resources for more detailed guidance: FEMA guide, “Protect Your Property From Flooding” Stamford’s Environmental Protection Board
Source: Christian Abraham, CT Insider
Wet vs. Dry Floodproofing
Dry Floodproofing
Flood Shields
Source: Garrison Flood Control
Diagram of sewage backflow preventer Source: Square One
Perimeter Wall
Wet Floodproofing
Elevated Home Source: CT Insider
Elevated AC Condensor
Next Steps
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Next Steps
July 28
Aug 7
Aug 27
Onward!
Final public presentation
Implementation Plan Meeting
Final report submission
Pursuit of Grant Funding & Plan Implementation
Discussion Thoughts? Questions? We want to hear from you! Raise your hand or type your questions in the Q&A.
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Thank you for joining us! Want to talk more? Email coastalfloodplan@stamfordct.gov
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Scan this QR code to get more information and updates at the project website