Feasibility of Harbor-wide Barrier Systems: Preliminary Analysis for Boston Harbor

Authors

Paul Kirshen, University of Massachusetts BostonFollow
Mark Borrelli, University of Massachusetts BostonFollow
Jarrett Byrnes, University of Massachusetts BostonFollow
Robert F. Chen, University of Massachusetts BostonFollow
Lucy Lockwood, University of Massachusetts Boston
Chris Watson, University of Massachusetts BostonFollow
Kimberly Starbuck, University of Massachusetts BostonFollow
Jack Wiggin, University of Massachusetts BostonFollow
Allison Novelly, University of Massachusetts BostonFollow
Kristin Uiterwyk, University of Massachusetts BostonFollow
Kelli Thurson, Acradis
Brett McMann, Acradis
Carly Foster, Acradis
Heather Sprague, Acradis
Hugh Roberts, Acradis
Di Jin, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute
Kirk Bosma, Woods Hole Group
Eric Holmes, Woods Hole Group
Zach Stromer, Woods Hole Group
Joe Famely, Woods Hole Group
Alex Shaw, Woods Hole Group
Brittany Hoffnagle, Woods Hole Group
Rebecca Herst, University of Massachusetts BostonFollow

Document Type

Research Report

Publication Date

5-2018

Keywords

Boston, climate change, shore-based climate adaptation, sustainability

Disciplines

Environmental Health and Protection | Environmental Policy | Environmental Sciences | Sustainability

Abstract

The aim of this study is to provide the City of Boston with a preliminary assessment of the feasibilities and potential benefits, costs, and environmental impacts of three harborwide barrier configurations.

While this study is not comprehensive, and there are many ways that further research could refine and extend its findings, those findings were clear enough to justify making recommendations for next steps. The authors recommend that the City continue to focus its climate resilience strategy for the next several decades on the shore-based multi-layered approach described in Climate Ready Boston. Shore-based solutions would provide flood management more quickly at a lower cost, offer several key advantages over a harbor-wide barrier, and provide more flexibility in adapting and responding to changing conditions, technological innovations, and new information about global sea level rise. These shore-based solutions would be needed in any case over the next few decades to manage coastal flooding during the design and construction period of a harbor-wide barrier if a decision was made to build one in the future.

Comments

See Executive Summary document in the Additional Files section of this page.

Community Engaged/Serving

Part of the UMass Boston Community-Engaged Teaching, Research, and Service Series. //scholarworks.umb.edu/engage

Recommended Citation

Kirshen, Paul; Borrelli, Mark; Byrnes, Jarrett; Chen, Robert F.; Lockwood, Lucy; Watson, Chris; Starbuck, Kimberly; Wiggin, Jack; Novelly, Allison; Uiterwyk, Kristin; Thurson, Kelli; McMann, Brett; Foster, Carly; Sprague, Heather; Roberts, Hugh; Jin, Di; Bosma, Kirk; Holmes, Eric; Stromer, Zach; Famely, Joe; Shaw, Alex; Hoffnagle, Brittany; and Herst, Rebecca, "Feasibility of Harbor-wide Barrier Systems: Preliminary Analysis for Boston Harbor" (2018). School for the Environment Publications. 4.
https://scholarworks.umb.edu/environment_pubs/4