The Maryland Coastal Flood Explorer gives planners and decision makers access to the most current coastal flood data
Flooding in Annapolis in 2023. Photo submitted to Maryland DNR MyCoast app.
Maryland coastal residents can now explore local coastal flooding risks today and into the future. This month, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources released the Maryland Coastal Flood Explorer, a user-friendly and interactive mapper that allows users to visualize predicted high tide flooding, sea-level rise projections, and historic flooding events for all of Maryland’s coastal areas.
Any resident can go to the Flood Explorer, enter an address, and explore various flood risk scenarios around their property as well as within their broader community.
“Knowledge is our greatest defense, and the Flood Explorer puts the latest coastal flood science directly into the hands of the public,” said Natalie Snider, director of DNR’s Watershed and Climate Services. “Understanding our flood risk is the first step to building resilience, whether it’s securing your own home with flood insurance or a living shoreline, or as a community through nature-based solutions and resilience projects.”
Communities and residents can explore varying scenarios including:
- Current and future high-tide flooding
- Current and future flood events
- Projections for sea-level rise by decade through 2120
- Historic flood events such as Superstorm Sandy and Hurricane Isabel.
Coastal flooding is an increasing hazard faced by Maryland communities. The average number of minor flood days per year in Annapolis has quadrupled from the 1970s to present day according to NASA’s flooding analysis tool. As a result of this growing threat, an increasing number of communities have sought to create local flood visualizations. In 2021, DNR’s Watershed and Climate Services led the development of this tool for the Maryland Coastal Zone, giving Maryland communities equal access to high quality and high resolution flood visualizations.
The tool was created with support from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) through the Maryland Coastal Zone Management Program and in collaboration with Salisbury University’s Eastern Shore GIS Cooperative (ESRGC), University of Maryland Sea Grant, and University of Maryland Sea Grant Extension. This tool was made possible by a NOAA grant to the Maryland Coastal Zone Management program.
The tool is the first to display our Maryland-specific sea level rise projections prepared by the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, and provides communities with a common resource when preparing grant applications, developing Hazard Mitigation and Nuisance Flood Plans, and assessing vulnerable areas for restoration and resilience projects.
The Maryland Coastal Flood Explorer presents flood depths created from locally collected elevation data and Maryland sea-level rise projections. The tool was designed based on feedback from stakeholders and end-users collected throughout the development process.
“Having a visual, interactive platform will be a tremendous asset to the communities it serves, said Amanda Pollack of the Center for Watershed Protection, a national nonprofit that works with stormwater management and watershed planning. “The ability to zoom in and assess impacts at the local level is especially useful. What really sets this tool apart is the inclusion of historic event visualizations in addition to sea level rise scenarios and high tide flooding data.”
Communities can this tool for local planning efforts such as:
- Updating hazard mitigation plans, comprehensive plans, and nuisance flood plans;
- Identifying priority areas for adaptation and mitigation projects; and
- Communicating about flooding and sea level rise for broad outreach and education
Residents can use the tool to view the flood risk of their neighborhood, their common roadways to work or school, and their valuable community spaces such as parks, schools, and churches.
Community leaders and residents with questions about the tool can contact mdfloodexplorer.dnr@maryland.gov. A walkthrough of the Explorer and its features can be viewed on the DNR website:.
