Proximity to the water is a prime asset for the region. But as bigger, more frequent storms fueled by climate change increase the likelihood for flooding, too much of this water we all love will put more roads, bridges and sewage pumping stations, as well as natural resources such as beaches and shorelines, at risk for damage.

Towns that look to the future by assessing the potential risks for flood damage and planning for ways to mitigate those risks will be in the best position to keep their residents safe and their natural assets protected when floods occur. Stonington did this a year ago, and more recently Waterford also hired a firm to study ways it can be better protected from floods. In the upcoming weeks, Waterford residents will have an opportunity to comment on that town’s study and the recommended actions it contains.

With images of Hurricane Harvey-induced flooding in Houston and similar water-logged devastation in the Caribbean and Florida from huricanes Irma and Maria still fresh in the public’s minds, it’s crucial for residents to get involved in planning now for a decidedly wetter future.

Stonington’s study revealed rather startling levels of vulnerability in many sections of town. Route 1, the Amtrak line and large sections of both the Borough of Stonington and the village of Mystic have a very high probability of regularly being flooded by the year 2050. The Mason’s Island causeway was determined to be particularly vulnerable and the probability of future annual flooding in some parts of Mystic will be as high as 50 percent.

Waterford Planning Director Abby Piersall said the study will allow the town to better budget for needed capital improvements, certainly another smart move at a time when every municipality is more budget conscious because of continued state financial woes.

Waterford’s draft report contains recommendations ranging from the fairly low-cost and simple to the expensive, long-range and complex. At one end of the spectrum, it makes sense for the town to act quickly on such no-nonsense recommendations as adjusting zoning regulations to increase the allowable building height in some waterfront neighborhoods. Such a change would accommodate recommended flood-resistant building methods.

Other straightforward recommendations that should be completed without delay: elevating electrical panels at some vulnerable sewage pump stations and installing tide gauges in areas such as Jordan Cove and the Niantic River to get a more precise handle on the rise of high tides. Raising panels will protect the pump stations from the most likely flooding levels and the gauges will provide the specifics needed to plan for flood mitigation with more accuracy.

Some recommendations at the other end of the spectrum, however, will likely require years of incremental capital improvement budgeting and perhaps even grants or financing to carry out, no matter how worthy they may be. Among these suggestions are acquiring more land to protect and expand shoreline marshes that serve as natural flood containment sites and completely rebuilding to year 2070 flood projections one of the town’s most vulnerable sewage pumping stations at Mago Point.

The state is fortunate to have, among other resources the towns can use, the Connecticut Institute for Resilience & Climate Adaptation at UConn Avery Point. As an example, the institute held a discussion last month by a panel of marine scientists and risk experts.

With storms such as Harvey, Irma and Maria fresh in minds, and closer-to-home storms such as Sandy and Irene still vivid in memories, Waterford and Stonington officials took the smart path with these flood planning studies and are now well-positioned to take steps to mitigate flood damage. We urge other towns to follow suit with similar action plans. 

The Day editorial board meets with political, business and community leaders to formulate editorial viewpoints. It is composed of President and Publisher Timothy Dwyer, Executive Editor Izaskun E. Larraneta, Owen Poole, copy editor, and Lisa McGinley, retired deputy managing editor. The board operates independently from The Day newsroom.