(SLAUGHTER BEACH, Del.) - A new grant for a Sussex County bayshore town aims to minimize damage from storms.
Flooding is just one problem the state is addressing in Slaughter Beach as the awardee of the Delaware Coastal Program's Resilient Community Partnership.
Slaughter Beach was selected to be the first recipient of the $75,000 federal grant provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to help Delaware communities improve their planning and preparation capabilities for responding to coastal hazards.
Some slaughter beach homeowners say they've seen more flooding than usual. Cathleen Miller says it's unnerving when only one of the town's two access roads are impassable.
"Slaughter Beach Road, so far, doesn't look like it's been too much of a problem," said Miller, "but Cedar Beach [Road], when it's high tide and there's a big rain storm or even a little more than a rain storm, it does tend to flood now."
Shaun Glassmeyer recently moved to Slaughter Beach but has already noticed a few flooding hotspots.
"Just every two or three houses the water actually goes out into the road, across the road and there's awfully large puddles," said Glassmeyer.
Through this partnership, DNREC, DCP and Slaughter Beach will carry out a comprehensive vulnerability assessment of risks from coastal storms, sea level rise and extreme tides. Other potential risks, including wildfires and temperature changes due to climate change will be examined.
This assessment will produce data and visualization tools that characterize the Town's risk so that the Partnership can identify adaptation and mitigation measures that will enhance the Town's resiliency to hazardous events. Other goals are to promote best practices and their transferability so that other Bayshore towns may benefit from this important work.
"I think it's great that the state of Delaware actually puts money into some of the areas that need it," said Miller.
The selection of Slaughter Beach follows a competitive process that was announced in November 2015. DCP will provide direct staffing, technical support, public outreach and training to assist the Town with its vulnerability assessment.
As the home to more than 400 animal species tucked quietly away behind a Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge, Slaughter beach is a gem to homeowners who want to protect the town's resources.
"That's why I picked it more than anything," said Glassmeyer.
"I can go for a walk on the road right on the backside of Prime Hook and I can go out to the beach and walk out there. It's actually a perfect little place."
"Very different from where we came [from]," said Miller. "I mean, the crabs, and the turtles and foxes, there's just about everything and it's beautiful."
Stakeholder participation will also be a major part of the process, with an initial public workshop to be scheduled in Slaughter Beach later this spring.