Officials launch groundbreaking tool to help coastal residents face worsening crisis: 'Knowledge is our greatest defense'

Maryland coastal residents have a new tool at their fingertips — one that provides them with flood risk scenarios around their property and community.

What's happening?

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources just released a user-friendly planning tool — Maryland Coastal Flood Explorer. The interactive map provides visuals of present and historical flooding events, future high-tide flooding, and projections of sea level rise for Maryland's coastal areas.

"Knowledge is our greatest defense, and the Flood Explorer puts the latest coastal flood science directly into the hands of the public," said Natalie Snider, director of the DNR's Office of Watershed and Climate Services.

Why is this planning tool important?

Ocean waters have pushed Maryland's sea levels more than 1 foot higher over the last century — and they're rising faster every year.

The burning of dirty energy sources, such as coal, oil, and gas, releases pollution into the atmosphere that traps heat, warming the Earth and causing ocean waters to expand and ice sheets to melt. That leads to higher sea levels, more frequent flooding, and worsening storm damage — especially in low-lying states like Maryland.

Tools like this are especially timely as extreme weather events become more destructive. Although intense storms have always existed, scientists agree that human-caused pollution is now intensifying these events, making them more frequent and dangerous than in the past. 

What's being done to prevent future flooding?

The new Flood Explorer supports smarter decision-making for residents, planners, and local governments — from elevating homes to restoring wetlands to updating emergency plans. It builds on other community-forward innovators, like South Carolina's "smart reefs" that monitor storm conditions in real time and floating homes designed to rise with floodwaters.

On a personal level, people can explore critical climate issues and take steps to reduce planet-overheating pollution: drive less, switch to electric appliances, and support renewable energy projects in their community.

And if you're concerned about power outages caused by flooding or storms, installing solar panels with battery storage can help keep your home powered during extreme weather events. EnergySage offers a free service to compare quotes from vetted local installers and can help homeowners save up to $10,000 on solar installations.

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