What are the coastal risks and hazards affecting Stamford’s community? Coastal risk refers to the ongoing threat that rising seas and large storm events—both intensified by climate change—pose to coastal communities. In Stamford, the most frequent coastal hazards are tidal flooding and storm surge. These coastal flood hazards are projected to pose even more challenges for the City in the future, resulting in repeated property damage, infrastructure disruption, and long-term economic and environmental consequences.
Hazard TIDAL FLOODING frequent
Flood Pathways
Inland areas flood when water enters through low-lying areas between higher grounds as water levels rise .
Inlets an channe d tidal ls allow saltwa ter to p inland during ush storms , neighbo flooding r infrast hoods and ru from t cture far he sho re
.
oding Coastal flo critical e can damag re— tu infrastruc ower , p like roads m drains, r o t s , s e n li water and waste using ca systems— ptions ru service dis e repairs . siv and expen
INL
ET
Tidal flooding is the inundation of the coast by seawater from the ocean or tidally influenced water bodies. Flooding from high tides (“sunny day” flooding, king tides) will be experienced as a chronic stress due to sea level rise.
RI
VE R
ER RI R BA E N A IC R R HU
EM SYST
FLO
ODP
LAIN
Hazard STORM SURGE
event-based
Storm surge is the quick rise in seawater level during a storm, measured as the height of the water above the normal predicted high tide. The surge is caused primarily by a storm’s winds pushing water onshore.
Fringe Flooding are Wetlands by sea d e n e t a e r th yet they , e is r l e v le al role in it v a y la p odwaters, lo f g in b r abso rosion, limiting e g coastal in ld ie h s d an ies . communit
Low-lying areas along the waterfront are flooded as water levels rise above the existing ground elevation . Stamfor d’ barrier w s hurricane a the 196 s built in 0s to pr ot the city from coa ect storms . I s t include tal s dikes, flo odwalls, a pumps t hat redu nd ce storm su rge impa c in the h arbor ar ts ea .