As its name suggests, the Mystic Seaport Museum in Connecticut has the sea — or, rather, the Mystic River — right at its door. While the relationship between the museum and the river has been mostly harmonious, rising water levels are now prompting significant protective changes.
What's happening?
Flooding at the museum site has been more frequent than ever. Historically, it might happen a few times a year. Now, flooding is a monthly or weekly occurrence, according to April reporting from the New York Times.
First opening to the public in the 1930s, the museum was built on the Atlantic Ocean at the low-lying site of what once was a shipyard. Constructed on the water, it was not designed to withstand today's rising seas.
At the moment, most of the museum's campus is considered a critical flood zone by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Even the highest points are only 14 feet above sea level, per the New York Times, making floods an inevitability.
"Flooding often submerges walkways throughout the campus," the paper noted, "preventing visitors from accessing buildings and experiences."
Why is Mystic Seaport flooding concerning?
As noted by the Times, researchers expect sea levels in the area to rise 20 inches by 2050.
"It might not be 2050," Chad Frost told the publication, "but this isn't a question of 'if,' but rather 'when.'" The architectural expert has been collaborating with the museum for years, focusing on flood resilience since 2020.
Rising sea levels primarily stem from human-caused pollution, which traps heat in our atmosphere and can cause Arctic ice melting and water to expand. In the context of the Mystic River shoreline, the higher water levels can supercharge flooding events, making them more frequent and more destructive.
As temperatures increase worldwide, we can expect more intense climate shocks, including not only floods but also hurricanes and fires.
Museums beyond Connecticut are making preparations to survive wildfires and extreme floods too. At the Louvre in Paris, France, artworks not on display can be stored off-site at a higher elevation, according to KRTV.
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No way 😨 "This is a slow building crescendo that gets worse the longer we wait," Frost continued, referring to the peril at Mystic Seaport's doorstep. "The clock is ticking," he added.
What's being done about Mystic River flooding?
The New York Times reported that, for the past five years, the museum has been implementing new methods for protecting its historical artifacts, including coastal barrier fortification and plans for building elevation.
Specialists are also relocating some of the buildings. However, some operations are tied to the waterfront — like the historic watercrafts on display — and if coastal levels continue to rise, those materials could be lost or damaged.
To protect the vulnerable Mystic River coast and so many others, we need to address the proliferation of heat-trapping pollution that exacerbates sea level rise and flooding events. Some steps you can take include lowering the amount of energy you consume that's fueled by burning dirty energy sources like oil, coal, and gas. Coordinating with your community can also maximize your impact.
More actions to take at the community level include those similar to the efforts that Frost has helped the museum to pursue, like flood-risk assessment. Advocating for infrastructural plans and local investments to help make your neighborhood safer can reduce the costs — financial and otherwise — of flood recovery efforts down the line.
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