Vulnerability Assessment

Background

The Town’s Flood Vulnerability Assessment is a crucial step in developing a comprehensive understanding of Town vulnerabilities and adaptation strategies to improve resiliency in the face of predicted environmental stressors, such as sea-level rise and storm surge. Scarborough, like other coastal communities, is feeling the impacts of sea level rise and intense storms. The January 20224 storms were devastating to residents, properties, and infrastructure, and point to the need to address the Town’s most at-risk areas and infrastructure. 

The Town hired experts from GEI Consultants to complete the Vulnerability Assessment. Starting in the spring of 2024, the team from GEI compiled and analyzed data from local, State, and Federal sources. These data are used to understand Scarborough's current and future coastal flooding risks and to develop adaptation strategies for areas and infrastructure that are or will become prone to flooding.  

Interactive StoryMap

The Vulnerability Assessment was translated into an interactive StoryMap that outlines vulnerability information. The StoryMap provides information on methods used, identifies vulnerabilities, recommends adaptation strategies, and recommends ordinance updates. The StoryMap also includes data used or generated through the assessment and a work plan of next steps for the Town.

The StoryMap will serve as a public resource and living tool for Town vulnerability and resilience information. It will be updated as new information becomes available and as adaptation strategies are implemented. 

View the storymap

Focus Areas & Goals

Existing and Future Vulnerabilities

The Vulnerability Assessment will analyze existing data, such as predicted sea level rise, storm surge, precipitation trends, infrastructure locations, and development patterns, to help identify vulnerabilities.  New elevation data will also be collected for some utilities and shoreline areas. Integrating existing and new data will help describe shoreline and infrastructure affected by coastal flood hazards, characterize sea-level rise vulnerability, and develop a standard starting point for flood protection. 

Reducing Vulnerability and Improving Resiliency

Town ordinances will be reviewed to identify areas where updates could reduce vulnerability and improve resiliency. The information in the Assessment will also help the Town plan capital projects, set budget priorities, and seek grant funding to address priorities outlined in the Assessment. 

Working Group

The Assessment is guided by a working group made up of representatives from Higgins Beach, Pine Point, Prouts Neck, local organizations, Town Council, and Town staff. Slides presented at the working group's meetings are available in the Project Deliverables section below.

Community Engagement

A town-wide public meeting was held in August 2024, and neighborhood meetings were held in the Higgins Beach and Pine Point communities in September 2024. Recordings of the meetings and the slides presented at the meetings are linked below. 

A Town Council workshop was held on Wednesday, August 20, to present the findings of the Assessment to the Council and community. A recording of the workshop is linked below.

Follow-up neighborhood meetings at Higgins Beach and Pine Point were also held in September 2025. 

view the storymap

For more information, please contact Jami Fitch, Sustainability Manager, at jfitch@scarboroughmaine.org.