Visual Database to Show Homeowners Local Impact of Sea Level Rise

RHODE ISLAND—It's kind of a database of doom, but Rhode Island will soon give coastal community homeowners a glimpse into the potential for damage at their house due to future coastal flooding and sea level rise.

According to Meredith Haas, all the predictions are in a new report compiled for the state’s Shoreline Change Special Area Management Plan, or Beach SAMP.

Nicole Leporacci, a University of Rhode Island master’s of environmental science and management student, calculated how the properties would fare "with and without projected sea level rise of up to seven feet" and under various scenarios combining flooding and storm events.

"While this information has the potential to be, at the very least, discouraging, Leporacci and the state’s Coastal Resources Management Council look at it as a way to aid planners and homeowners in preparing for their risks," Haas noted.

The report is expected to be available soon on a website.