Nantucket is particularly susceptible to flooding and is increasingly concerned about the exacerbating effects of climate change as sea levels rise and storms become more frequent and intense. Unfortunately, little of the local data on flooding has been systematically analyzed. To address this problem, we built a database comprising 703 flooding events and 856 storm and non-storm flood instances. We found that 88% of the events were minor, nuisance flood events from high tide flooding and winter storms account for the major of major flood events. We identified the causes and effects of flooding at three location (Polpis Road near Sesachacha Pond, Polpis Road near Fulling Mill Creek, and Children’s Beach) and recommended several potential mitigation strategies.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Walsh, Maura A.
• Gisolfi-Mccready, Kaija
• Blythe, Robert C.
• Casella, James A.

Subject

• Sustainability
• Community
• Water
• Environment

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• 4856
• E-project-121020-171038

Keyword

• Climate Change
• Infastructure
• Database
• Flooding

Advisor

• Golding, Dominic

Year

• 2020

Center

• Nantucket, Massachusetts Project Center - IQP

Sponsor

• Vincent Murphy - Nantucket Natural Resources Department
• Peter Morrison - Nantucket Civic League

UN Sustainable Development Goals

• 9 - Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
• 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities
• 13 - Climate Action

Date created

• 2020-12-10

Resource type

• Interactive Qualifying Project

Rights statement

• In Copyright