Coastal Delmarva towns plan for more extreme weather events
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A car drives through flooding last year in Crisfield, Maryland. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Coastal Delmarva homeowners are bracing for more extreme weather events like flooding, as towns map out plans to protect their communities.
Why it matters: Waterfront Delmarva towns — popular destinations for DMV-area vacationers — are grappling with their future against record-breaking heat, heavier and more frequent downpours, and flooding.
The big picture: Climate change is causing extreme precipitation events to be more intense and frequent in much of the U.S. — affecting infrastructure and local economies.
- This is because a warmer atmosphere can hold more water vapor, which provides added moisture and energy to storm systems.
- In addition, climate change is causing sea levels to rise, increasing the frequency and severity of coastal flooding.
State of play: Groups like Maryland's Coastal Resilience Program are working with coastal communities to understand their vulnerabilities and plan for more flooding, higher water levels, and hotter temperatures that strain ecosystems.
- For instance, Oxford worked with the program to develop a capital improvement plan for the town to adapt to its projected sea-level rise.
Yes, but: It can be costly to do this planning or install fortifications like seawalls and bulkheads or natural barriers such as living shorelines. "These are very high-dollar projects," says program director Sasha Land.
- Case in point: Crisfield, a coastal town in Maryland, recently received a $36 million FEMA grant to help mitigate flooding.
By the numbers: 56% of the properties in Maryland's Worcester County, home to popular vacation spots like Ocean City, are at a major risk of flooding, per data from the climate research group First Street.
- Almost 32% of the properties in Talbot County, where you'll find St. Michael's and Easton, are at a major risk of flooding.
- In Delaware's Sussex County (containing Bethany, Dewey, and Rehoboth beaches), it's about 29% of properties. And in Annapolis' Anne Arundel County: 14% of properties.
- For comparison, the national average is 14.7%.
Zoom in: Many Washingtonians building second homes in these areas are taking matters into their own hands to fortify them, architects tell Axios.
- "When we get high net worth individuals that are trying to build multi-million-dollar properties on the coast, there's a whole different set of specifications that you use to create [a] generational house," says Mark Kaufman of GTM Architects, who's worked on homes in Rehoboth, Dewey Beach, and Maryland's Eastern Shore.
Many of Kaufman's coastal projects incorporate Kevlar storm shutters, hurricane-grade window glass and doors, lightning protection systems, and water-resistant housewrap.
- Michelle Vassallo of MV Architects installed flood vents in a recent Bay Ridge, Maryland, vacation home — a move she says she took from her projects at The Wharf.
- And many of these homes operate on a smart system so owners can launch protections remotely in case of a storm. Sensors for water leaks are another popular tech move, says Kaufman.
But purchasing a waterfront lot, building a house, and fortifying it against extreme weather isn't cheap.
- A high-end, custom home in Bethesda might cost $400 to $500 per square foot to build, says Kaufman. A custom waterfront house could be $600 to $1,000 per square foot.
Meanwhile, some clients are looking for bay or lakefront vacation homes where their properties might be less affected by severe weather, Kaufman tells Axios.
What they're saying: Despite fears about flooding, people are still going all-in on waterfront homes.
- "The water is a major attraction, and some buyers are willing to bear the cost to address these concerns," says Angela Simonelli, a real estate agent on Maryland's Eastern Shore. "After all, their waterfront property is an investment."
And home prices in many of these popular vacation towns have still risen, per Bright MLS data.
- The median home price in Sussex County was $470,000 in May — up 68% from its $280,000 median price the same time five years ago.
- During the same period, Worcester County saw a 48% increase, Anne Arundel County a 44% increase, and Talbot County a 54% increase.
What we're watching: Many of these fortifications aren't permanent fixes, but rather means of preparation. "Change is going to happen," Land tells Axios.
- "The way we think about it in our world is 'What is your flood risk tolerance? That is a question that these communities are going to have to continually ask themselves."