Application of SLAMM to Coastal Connecticut Final Report
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Application of SLAMM to Coastal Connecticut Final Report Prepared for: New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission Lowell, MA Emily Bird Project Manager Environmental Analyst Prepared by: Warren Pinnacle Consulting, Inc. Jonathan Clough President Amy Polaczyk Research Associate Marco Propato Research Associate NEIWPCC Report NEIWPCC Contract 2013-022 January 2015 NOTICE This report was prepared by Warren Pinnacle Consulting, Inc. in the course of performing a project funded by an agreement awarded by the Environmental Protection Agency to the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (hereafter NEIWPCC) in partnership with the Long Island Sound Study.. Although the information in this document has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection agency under agreement LI-96144501 to NEIWPCC, it has not undergone the Agency’s publications review process and therefore, may not necessarily reflect the views of the Agency and no official endorsement should be inferred. The viewpoints expressed here do not necessarily represent those of Long Island Sound Study, NEIWPCC, or EPA, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or causes constitute endorsement or recommendation for use. Further, NEIWPCC, the State of Connecticut, and the contractor make no warranties or representations, expressed or implied, as to the fitness for particular purpose or merchantability of any product, apparatus, or service, or the usefulness, completeness, or accuracy of any processes, methods, or other information contained, described, disclosed, or referred to in this report. NEIWPCC, the State of Connecticut, and the contractor make no representation that the use of any product, apparatus, process, method, or other information will not infringe privately owned rights and will assume no liability for any loss, injury, or damage resulting from, or occurring in connection with, the use of information contained, described, disclosed, or referred to in this report. Table of Contents Table of Contents ............................................................................................................ iii Figure Listing ................................................................................................................. vi Table Listing ................................................................................................................. viii Acronyms and Abbreviations List ..................................................................................... x 1 Background .............................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Model Summary ................................................................................................................ 1 2 Methods.................................................................................................................... 4 2.1 Study Area ......................................................................................................................... 4 2.2 Input Raster Preparation...................................................................................................... 4 2.2.1 Elevation Data ........................................................................................................... 5 2.2.2 Elevation transformation ............................................................................................. 7 2.2.3 Wetland Layers and translation to SLAMM .................................................................. 8 2.2.4 Dikes and Impoundments ............................................................................................ 9 2.2.5 Percent Impervious ................................................................................................... 10 2.3 Model Timesteps .............................................................................................................. 11 2.4 Sea Level Rise Scenarios .................................................................................................. 11 2.5 Historic sea level rise rates ................................................................................................ 12 2.6 Tide Ranges ..................................................................................................................... 13 2.6.1 Elevations expressed in half tide units (HTU) ............................................................. 13 2.7 Wetland Boundary Elevation ............................................................................................. 14 2.8 Accretion Rates ................................................................................................................ 15 2.8.1 Tidal Salt Marsh ....................................................................................................... 15 2.8.1.1 Irregularly-flooded marsh ...................................................................................... 18 2.8.1.2 Regularly-flooded Marsh ....................................................................................... 18 2.8.2 Accretion Rates of Other Wetlands ............................................................................ 22 2.9 Erosion Rates ................................................................................................................... 22 2.10 Model Calibration ............................................................................................................ 23 2.11 Model Setup .................................................................................................................... 27 2.11.1 Area 1 - Fairfield County .......................................................................................... 28 Fairfield County Site Description ............................................................................................ 28 Fairfield County Site Parameters ............................................................................................ 29 Application of SLAMM to Coastal Connecticut iii Fairfield County Site Calibration and Parameters ..................................................................... 31 2.11.2 Area 2 - New Haven and Middlesex Counties ............................................................. 34 New Haven and Middlesex Counties Site Description .............................................................. 34 New Haven and Middlesex Counties Site Parameters ............................................................... 34 New Haven and Middlesex Counties Site Calibration ............................................................... 37 2.11.3 Area 3 - New London County .................................................................................... 39 New London County Site Description ..................................................................................... 39 New London County Site Parameters ...................................................................................... 40 New London County Site Calibration ...................................................................................... 41 2.12 Uncertainty Analysis Setup ............................................................................................... 45 2.12.1 SLR by 2100 ............................................................................................................ 46 2.12.2 Digital Elevation Map Uncertainty ............................................................................. 48 2.12.3 Vertical Datum Correction ........................................................................................ 49 2.12.4 Great Diurnal Tide Range ......................................................................................... 50 2.12.5 Wetland Boundary Elevation ..................................................................................... 51 2.12.6 Erosion .................................................................................................................... 52 2.12.7 Accretion ................................................................................................................. 52 2.12.7.1 Accretion Point Estimate Uncertainty...................................................................... 52 2.12.7.2 Mechanistic Accretion Model Uncertainty ............................................................... 54 3 Results and Discussion ............................................................................................ 56 3.1 Entire Study Area ............................................................................................................. 56 3.2 Southwest Coast Watershed .............................................................................................. 64 3.3 Housatonic River Watershed ............................................................................................. 71 3.4 South Central Coast Watershed ......................................................................................... 75 3.5 Connecticut River Watershed ............................................................................................ 81 3.6 Southeast Coast Watershed ............................................................................................... 85 3.7 Thames Watershed ........................................................................................................... 90 3.8 Pawcatuck Watershed (CT portion) ...................................................................................