Delaware Climate Information Center

Delaware communities experience flooding and damage from storms with heavy precipitation, wind, waves, and/or storm surge, as well as from perigean spring tides that cause localized, nuisance flooding. Sea-level rise (SLR) will significantly exacerbate the risk of flooding from these events. Additionally, SLR can cause more gradual effects on the area, such as saltwater intrusion to groundwater supply, drowned coastal agricultural fields and forests, beach erosion and marsh migration, changes in the tourism and real estate industries, public safety, and more. This technical report does not analyze or offer projections regarding overall flood risk for Delaware towns. However, the SLR planning scenarios contained in this report should form a critical piece of the risk assessment and planning process at the state and local level.

All state agencies shall consider and incorporate the sea level rise scenarios set forth by the DNREC Sea Level Rise Technical Committee into appropriate long-range plans for infrastructure, facilities, land management, land-use, and capital spending. DNREC shall periodically update the scenarios with the best scientific data available and distribute new guidance to state agencies.