Climate Adaptation Chapter

The Strafford Regional Planning Commission (SRPC) received funds from the New Hampshire Coastal Program to assist the Town of Durham in developing a climate adaptation chapter of its Hazard Mitigation Plan. This chapter provides adaptation strategies to protect areas of Town that are at risk of flooding due to climate change.

The purpose of this project was to: conduct research on present climate change and sea level rise estimates using the Piscataqua/Great Bay Report as a backbone; review approaches taken by other states, communities, and agencies in responding to this threat; develop a series of maps identifying areas of increased risk to flooding due to sea level rise specific to Durham; develop strategies that protect areas at risk from flooding due to climate change and sea level rise; and identify various regulatory and non-regulatory options that can be considered by the Town.

With collaboration from municipal officials, Durham residents, the University of New Hampshire, and other state and local agencies, the goal is to increase the Town’s resiliency against coastal hazards and flooding due to sea level rise by addressing potential impacts and developing options to help protect Durham from this potential risk.

This chapter has been adopted as a subset of the existing Hazard Mitigation Plan (2012), which will be recommended to be incorporated into the Master Plan.