Stormwater Mitigation Plan for the Town of North Beach, MD

Abstract

This effort addresses stormwater mitigation in the town of North Beach, Maryland. Located on the internal coast of Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay, North Beach is experiencing one of the highest levels of eustatic sea level rise. One main intersection, 5th Street and Bay Avenue, sees nuisance flooding from storm events of an inch or more due to its low elevation compared to surrounding blocks. Even though this intersection borders a public beach, the flooding is almost always due to stormwater and not storm surge. North Beach is seeking recommendations for a stormwater mitigation plan to eliminate pooling at this intersection. This report hypothesizes the effectiveness of the recommendations that would increase the resilience of North Beach. The design uses ecological solutions to flood mitigation that benefits local habitats and species. It also seeks to educate about the implemented practices. The proposed recommendations have been found to reduce flooding by 47%, while remaining cost-efficient and fundable by local grants.