The boat ramp at Puritan Road and Sculpin Way in Swampscott, an area that’s prone to flooding at high tides and during storms. Photo by Paula Muller
By Gayla Cawley
SWAMPSCOTT — Residents may have some relief after the seaside town was given a $103,000 state grant to combat flooding from storm surge and rising sea levels.
With the Coastal Resilience Grant Program funding, announced by the Baker-Polito administration and provided by the Office of Coastal Zone Management, Swampscott will develop design plans and permit applications for improvements to several of its waterfront access ways that have been identified as primary pathways for coastal flooding. The planning is for the town’s waterfront access elevation and flood protection project.
“We’re just really pleased that we were awarded the grant,” said Town Administrator Thomas Younger. “This will allow us the opportunity to design, permit and plan this project.”
Younger said town officials would be investigating and documenting current coastal conditions. He said design alternatives and strategies would be evaluated, which will be integrated with the town’s planned waterfront improvements.
Swampscott also was recently awarded a $50,000 grant to develop a harbor plan with a vision of encouraging waterfront development. The study’s goals include maintaining the waterfront’s scenic character, increasing public access to the harbor, encouraging economic development and identifying ways to improve infrastructure.
Swampscott was one of 19 municipalities awarded more than $1.8 million in coastal resilience grant funding to support local efforts to prepare for and reduce the impacts from coastal storms and climate change, including storm surge, flooding, erosion and sea level rise.
“Massachusetts is taking a leading role in understanding and preparing for climate change impacts like sea level rise and coastal flooding,” said Gov. Charlie Baker in a statement. “These coastal resilience grants are an excellent example of these efforts, providing direct funding and technical assistance to help our coastal communities address these issues in a pragmatic and proactive way.”
Flood-heavy areas that will be looked at in town include Preston Beach on the Marblehead/Swampscott line, Phillips’ Beach and park area, Fisherman’s Beach, Whales Beach, Eiseman’s Beach and Johnson Park, Younger said. Plans could include elevating the access ways without adversely impacting abutting facilities or properties, he said.
“We’re looking at ways and alternatives so we can basically resolve flooding issues or water issues coming over those beaches,” Younger said. “We’ve been lucky in the past few years where we really haven’t had serious storms.”
Gino Cresta, Public Works director, said the Richdale convenience store across from Fisherman’s Beach has been flooded from water getting onto the street. “In the past, all we’ve done is blocked off the roadways and waited for the tide to recede, and then cleaned up the roadway,” he said.
Cresta said the sea level is rising every year.
Bruce Depper, 62, a Puritan Road resident who lives near Whales, Fisherman’s and Eiseman’s beaches, said the last time he got flooded badly was during 1991’s No Name Storm, also known as the Perfect Storm. Once or twice a year, he said, water comes over the sea wall, usually during a full moon and a storm. Houses near him get flooded more, but he’s never had water in his home or basement.
Sherry Roy-Kolthof, of Puritan Road, said the only flooding she sees is farther up the street from her near the boat launch area. She maintains her private seawall, which she said protects from flooding.
“We’ve been pretty lucky,” she said.
Joel Spellman, a Sculpin Way resident who lives near Fisherman’s Beach, said he has to pay flood insurance, and is having issues with his mortgage company. He’s lived in his house for 13 years and has had about four major floods. He’s lost two rugs and needed new walls and a new paint job in his basement.
He said he also had a sewer break back up into the basement. The town’s insurance didn’t cover it, Spellman said, and told him to hire a lawyer and prove it. About five years ago, his flood insurance covered the damage from the last major storm, and he was able to put a new toilet system in. Before the upgrade, when the water level would rise, the sewer couldn’t accommodate it and he would get raw sewage in his basement area.
“I’ve been lucky,” Spellman said. “I haven’t had any issues since we put the new toilet system in. But there’s always tomorrow.”
Gayla Cawley can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @GaylaCawley.