Fairfield’s beaches, rivers, and tidal marshes are coveted natural resources – centerpieces of its beauty and recreational offerings. But over 3,800 (15%) of our homes, five churches, several historical homes and buildings, and essential town operational infrastructure sit in a coastal flood plain that was largely tidal marsh before being developed.
October 2017 projections of the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA) anticipate a sea level rise of up to 20 inches by 2050 for coastal Connecticut. It also projects more intense and frequent weather events leading to increased risk of both coastal and inland flooding.
The Flood & Erosion Control Board (FECB) is responsible for development and oversight of flood and erosion mitigation measures to increase the resiliency of our beaches, wetlands and infrastructure. CT State statutes require that sea level rise be considered in state and local conservation and development planning.
Achievements to Date
- Fairfield has an approved 2015 FECB Flood Control and Resilience Master Plan that was updated and integrated into the 2024 MetroCOG plan. In 2019, the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) used this to develop their plan that would protect the majority of the Town infrastructure and residences located in the floodplain. However, this plan is extremely expensive to implement, and we are in the process of re-examining the best options for the town and its residents in an updated 2024 Master Flood, Erosion and Resilience plan. Phase 2 would be to secure funding to do the actual implementation, likely through a combination of grants, resiliency funds and bonding.
- The Town has authorized and funded several parts of this plan to date: (1) protecting our wastewater treatment plant and nearby Town facilities from a 500-year storm with a large berm; (2) design and implementation of detention basins to mitigate large flood events in the Rooster River watershed; (3) updating and rebuilding the bulkhead at Perry’s Green at Southport Harbor; (4) improving the resilience of our downtown infrastructure including an exploration of how to mitigate flooding of the railroad underpasses and (5) conducting a review of all of our tide gate systems and developing a regular maintenance and repair plan to ensure that we have healthy and fully functioning tidal marsh system.. Several other smaller resilience studies are also underway.
- Jennings dunes remediation with native grass is also on the plan.
Challenges Ahead
- Planning amidst uncertainty about the degree of sea level rise. The current CIRCA projection of 20 inches by 2050 is the best science we have today, but that will be updated and verified every 10 years
- Uncertainty of funding for resilience and mitigation projects
- Promoting resiliency programs for the roughly 3,000+ residential houses and key parts of Town infrastructure in flood plain that would be impacted by climate change and sea level rise
- SFTF recognizes that erosion and flooding is a significant threat to those residents already experiencing housing insecurity and who do not have the resources to make preventative upgrades to their homes.
- Mitigating nuisance flooding that can make our coastal roads impassable in major weather events and creates a safety risk to residents
Benefits of an Active Flood and Erosion Control Plan
- Planning for intermittent flooding – such as a heavy rain or storm surge – as well as permanent flooding due to sea level rise
- Shaping current zoning and building regulatory decisions that would mitigate the impact of future sea level rise on both residential construction as well as Town facilities and consider options for managing inland flooding
- Taking both current flood plain areas and future projections into account in developing short- and long-term infrastructure plans
2030 Plan Goals:
- Secure ACOE and DEEP approval and implement the Engineered Beach management program
- Secure funding and implement the South Benson Pump Station and drainage plan
- Secure grant and/or Town funding for all prioritized segments of the upcoming 2024 FECB master plan so that the Town is in a position to apply for future grants and bonding funding to mitigate future flooding impacts on our Town infrastructure and residences
- Ensure that the relevant departments have the necessary resources to implement our hazard mitigation plans and protect our Town residents in the event of a significant storm or flood event including ensuring that there is a secondary warning system and evacuation plan for residents in flood prone areas who might not have access to a car or have disability challenges
- Review the zoning and building requirements in the flood plain
How Do We Reach Our Goals?
- Develop consensus on an overall long-term Town plan and execute prioritized elements of the plan as listed above over time
- Identify and utilize all available financial funding options