New monitoring gear is headed to Essex and Ipswich as Massachusetts broadens its approach to tracking coastal flooding, including how storm surge and unusually high tides move water inland.
For coastal communities facing growing flood risks, that kind of real-time data could help inform emergency response planning and decisions about protecting homes, roads, and other infrastructure.
Here's what to know
According to the Gloucester Times, the Stone Living Lab's Real-Time Monitoring Network is adding two overland flood sensors in Essex and an offshore wave buoy in Ipswich Bay. The Gloucester Times said the UMass Boston-led lab is a partnership that includes UMass Boston, Boston Harbor Now, and city, state, and federal government partners.
Essex's two sensors will serve different roles: one is slated to remain near Great Marsh Brewing Company along the Main Street Causeway, while the other will move to a new location every four to six months. A separate overland sensor is also planned for Collins Cove in Salem.
Across the larger initiative, 10 more overland flood sensors and two offshore buoys are planned for locations stretching from Cape Ann and Boston to Buzzards Bay, Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha's Vineyard. In total, the added equipment is expected to more than double the network's reach.
Dr. Katie Dafforn, director of the Stone Living Lab and a distinguished professor focused on coastal resilience at UMass Boston, said: "The expanded Real-Time Monitoring Network marks a leap forward in fulfilling that mission, especially with the intuitive, easy-to-navigate dashboard that makes all this data readily accessible and visually understandable for all kinds of stakeholders."
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More background
Repeated high-tide flooding and storm-driven surges can damage roads, disrupt commutes, threaten utilities, and increase risks for waterfront homes and businesses.
Better flood mapping can also shape everyday financial decisions. More precise information about where water travels — and how quickly it moves inland — can influence flood insurance requirements, home elevation choices, and the cost of protecting coastal property.
Placed in Ipswich Bay and off Mattapoisett, the wave buoys will gather round-the-clock readings on wave direction, height, and frequency. That data can be used in climate modeling and may also provide early warnings as coastal flooding develops.
With the information available to the public, officials may be better able to identify repeat problem areas and make the case for resilience investments.
What's being done?
A major goal of the expansion is to improve coverage in parts of Massachusetts where ocean and flood monitoring has been limited. Instead of relying only on broad regional forecasts, communities will be able to use more localized information to better understand conditions on specific roads and shorelines.
Essex Town Administrator Brendhan Zubricki said the installation advances a key objective in Essex's Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Plan, and he added that the data should be useful both in town and to planners in other jurisdictions.
Stone Living Lab is making the monitoring network's readings available on public digital dashboards, giving local leaders, researchers, and residents access to the same real-time information.
Joe Christo, identified by the Gloucester Times as chief resilience officer for Boston Harbor Now and the Stone Living Lab, said the expanded network should make it easier to determine where coastal flooding is occurring while also helping climate experts plan for and adapt to climate change.
"The town of Essex is very pleased to be chosen to host a site as part of the Real-Time Flood Monitoring Network," Zubricki said. "This installation fulfills a critical goal found within the town's Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Plan while contributing data that will be helpful to coastal resilience planners in other jurisdictions and organizations."
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