Cohasset Faces Rising Flood Risk, Explores Mitigation Strategies
Town's Harbor Committee Presents Alarming Climate Projections, Outlines Potential Solutions
COHASSET - December 3 - Cohasset's Harbor Committee has presented alarming projections showing a significant increase in flood risk for the town over the next 25 years. The committee's chair, George Baumgarten, shared findings from a recent study conducted by the Woods Hole Group during a Select Board meeting on December 3.
The study, funded by a Coastal Zone Management grant, indicates that areas such as Elm Meadows and Black Horse Lane could face severe flooding by 2050. According to the projections, the probability of flood events in these areas could rise to "a 50 to 100% chance every one to two years on average," Baumgarten reported.
"This turns a rare flooding event into a significant nuisance and impact on everyday life," Baumgarten said, quoting Nasser Brahim of the Woods Hole Group. "Cohasset Village floods significantly all the way to the west of the commuter rail tracks."
The models predict flooding depths of four and a half to five feet along Elm, Summer, and South Main streets by 2050. This represents a dramatic increase from current projections, which estimate a 2% chance of flooding in Elm Meadows in any given year.
In response to these projections, the Harbor Committee is exploring various mitigation strategies. Baumgarten emphasized that there are practical steps Cohasset can take in the near term that are not necessarily prohibitively expensive.
"There are steps that Cohasset can take in the near term that are not necessarily prohibitively expensive," Baumgarten said. "It could be part of paving projects that the Department of Public Works takes on. It could be part of some commercial and private development."
The committee has identified several concepts to address flooding, focusing on protecting uptown infrastructure, including the wastewater treatment plant, public safety building, and downtown Cohasset. Some proposed solutions include building a dam at Black Horse Lane and exploring options to mitigate flooding closer to the Gulf River.
Baumgarten stressed the importance of engaging with local residents, particularly those living in high-risk areas like Black Horse Lane, to gather their insights and concerns.
In other news, the Select Board received an update on the progress of the new public safety building project at 135 King Street. Michelle Leary, Assistant Town Manager, reported that the project is moving forward rapidly since the $10.4 million funding approval at the Special Town Meeting in 2023.
The town purchased the property at 135 King Street in April 2024 for $2.4 million and has since engaged an Owner's Project Manager and design firm. Schematic designs have been completed, incorporating the needs of the police, fire, and emergency management departments.
"To accommodate both police and fire, two additions will need to be added to the structure, an apparatus bay to house the ambulance and engine for the department, and a sally port and detention center to comply with requirements for the police department," Leary explained.
The project team has managed to reduce the original design by almost 10,000 square feet through programming meetings with Chief Dockray and Chief Quigley. The next phase will involve moving towards design development, which will provide a more refined and indicative view of the future public safety building.
Leary stated, "Our intent is to continue with the design phase, moving towards design development, which is less conceptual, more refined and indicative of what the future public safety building will look like."
The town plans to host a series of public forums once the design development is complete to answer questions and obtain feedback from residents. The project timeline aims for bidding and presenting all information at the annual town meeting, with a groundbreaking scheduled for fall 2025.