Warren, Rhode Island, Planning Ahead For Rising Sea Levels

When the ensuing storms from Hurricane Ida made their way to Warren, Rhode Island, in September 2021, the community was pummeled with more than six inches of rainfall over just a handful of hours. The resulting flooding damaged buildings and caused distress for many of the nearly 11,150 people who live in one of the smallest towns in the country's smallest state.

Warren's decision-makers knew before Ida that they needed to come up with a plan to contend with the impact of climate change. The result was a December 2021 study — Market to Metacom — that stated that by 2100, sea level rise at high tide would reach nine feet around most of downtown Market Street and up to 12 feet in the low-lying areas. Overall, it projected more than 800 displaced residents and that the town will lose:

• $126.3 million in business revenue
• $85.8 million in infrastructure
• 541 housing units

The study recommended a managed retreat — "an intentional, coordinated municipal effort to permanently move community members, structures, and systems away from locations that are prone to prolonged or frequent high-intensity climatic events ... beyond a community's ability to cope," as defined by a June 2024 PAS QuickNote. Specifically, it called for redeveloping nearby Metacom Avenue by creating 33,500 square feet of civic space, 107,500 square feet of commercial space, more than 450 multifamily residential units, close to 70 single-family units, and around 1,100 parking spaces.

"It's a long-term vision, and this isn't going to happen overnight," says Herbert A. Durfee III, former director of planning and community development in Warren.

"The smallest state in the union is going to get smaller with climate change."
—Herbert A. Durfee III, a Warren, Rhode Island planner, on the impact of sea level rise caused by climate change.

But the ambitious plan aims to speak to not only the realities of sea level rise but also its effect on the community. That's why it involves making Metacom Avenue a receiving area to keep Market Street homeowners in Warren.

"I think there are a lot of managed retreat plans that have buyout programs, but I'm not sure how many of them plan to have their residents stay in the area," Durfee says. "And the idea is that we don't want to just hand them a check and say, 'Good luck.' We want to be able to say, here's an area that we are targeting that won't be underwater that we're trying to adapt to make it an area that will be suitable for mixed-use development so that our families can reasonably decide to stay in Warren."

Staying Patient and Positive While Searching for Funding

Located 10 miles southwest of Providence, Warren rests along the shores of two rivers that are part of the Narragansett Bay. It's so small that local communities work directly with the state, Durfee says, because Rhode Island itself is the size of a regional planning commission.

However, the effects of climate change on the community are quite substantial.

The volume of the water coming from flooding events is more than it used to be, which is causing runoff situations and drainage issues after storms. Coupled with the sheer power of the storms, infrastructure is eroding.

"Our wastewater treatment plant, probably like [a lot of places], is right on the shoreline of one of the rivers," Durfee says. "We anticipate that within 65 years, that plant will be underwater completely."

Also adding to the issue is the cost of the Market to Metacom plan, with Phase 1 — which includes property acquisitions and demolition, as well as removal of utilities — estimated at $15 million. The total for the other four phases is projected to be approximately $138 million.

"In terms of a community like Warren — and there are a lot of Warrens around the U.S. — we cannot do this without federal funding," Durfee says. "It just cannot happen."

Flooding after Hurricane Ida extended to Ward and Child streets near Belcher Cove in downtown Warren, Rhode Island. Photo courtesy of James A. Sousa.

Warren has had some funding successes. While the town didn't directly get Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) funds, the state's transportation department received $750,000 to look at three state-owned roadways in Warren and develop a coastal management plan. The Environmental Protect Agency Southeast New England Program also awarded Warren $75,000 in April.

However, the community's application wasn't selected for a potentially $17 million climate resiliency grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that was submitted by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM). Durfee says the community is continuing to work with RIDEM to retool its grant application for future funding opportunities.

"Being a small community, we don't have the local ability to provide much funding out of our tax base to do a full-on buyout program," Durfee says. "So, we're continuing to identify possible funding sources."

That includes engaging with federal representatives like Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, as well as U.S. Rep. Gabe Amo, to try and get money earmarked for the project.

Ultimately, Durfee says patience is more than just a virtue — it's crucial to the success of the Market to Metacom plan.

"I used to work for a regional planning commission, and the director always used to tell me, 'Herb, the impossible takes a day longer,'" Durfee says. "So, we need to have that perspective as we go along. Nothing's impossible. It just may take a day longer to get it done."

Top image: After Hurricane Ida dropped more than six inches of rain on Warren, Rhode Island, in September 2021, parts of Market Street flooded. It's a problem that has persisted for years, as climate change has led planners in the community to start a managed retreat to higher ground. Photo courtesy of James A. Sousa.