2023 Events:

2022 Events:

2021 Events: Speaker Series: Towards a Resilient Newburyport and presentations to members meetings.

Retreat Plan for North Topsail Island
March 3, 2021 (member’s meeting)

Rob Young, PhD
Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines, Western Carolina University

Dr. Rob Young of Western Carolina University presents the Retreat Plan for North Topsail Island, a barrier island near Wilmington, NC. Dr. Young explains how analysis of critical scientific and economic data can be used to plan for climate change on a coastal community similar to Plum Island.

The Heat is On: Climate Change and Your Health
October 15, 2020

Ahmer Ibrahim, M.D.
Pentucket Medical Associates

Dr. Ahmer Ibrahim of Newburyport discusses how climate change globally can affect our health locally and strain infrastructures ill-prepared to respond. Extreme changes in climate can impact an individual’s health, from increased cases of asthma, to malnutrition and heat stress. Climate change can affect air quality and pollution, food production, the availability of clean water, and the aberrant growth or spread of toxic micro-organisms in our environment.

Blue Carbon: Lungs of the Sea
Feb 11, 2020

Phil Colarusso, Ph.D.
EPA diver

Dr. Phillip Colarusso, a marine biologist and diver for the Environmental Protection Agency for over 30 years, speaks on “blue carbon,” the group of habitats which include seagrasses, salt marshes, and mangroves. Our community is surrounded by a coastal ecosystem that includes salt marsh and seagrass. Dr. Colarusso shares the results of studies that he and his team conducted on the sea meadow grasses along the New England coastline.

Plum Island Erosion.. is it the jetty?
Dec. 27, 2019

Christopher Hein, Ph.D.
Virginia Institute of Marine Science

The R word (Retreat). When is it time to leave?
Nov. 6, 2019

A.R. Siders, Ph.D, J.D.
University of Delaware

A.R. Siders discusses the "R" word: Retreat. When, if ever, is it time for individuals and communities to leave vulnerable coastal properties due to more frequent and stronger storms on rising sea levels? Watch this video conference recording of a discussion between Professor Siders in Delaware and the Storm Surge audience in Newburyport, MA.

Nature in Flux: Managing Change at Parker River NWR
October 16, 2019

Nancy Pau
PRNWR Wildlife Biologist

No Water, No Sewer, No Electricity . . .
What Do You Do?
September 17, 2019

Kristin Kelleher
Programs Director, CABA (Climate Action Business Association)
Christopher LeClaire
Newburyport Fire Chief, Emergency Management Director

(No video available)

Lobster Wars
May 26, 2019

Film screening followed by panel discussion with:
David Abel, Filmmaker
Mike Morris, Storm Surge

Carbon Footprint 101:
What is it? Why does it matter?
March 23, 2019

Debra Shepard, Principal & Owner of Riverstone Sustainability

Decoding the Weather Machine, Part 2: Climate Change Solutions
March 11, 2019

NOVA film followed by discussion

Decoding the Weather Machine, Part 1: The Case for Climate Change and its Effects
February 25, 2019

NOVA film followed by discussion

2018 Events

Fighting Back: Defending Science in a Time of Denial
Dec. 10, 2018

Andrew Rosenberg, Ph.D.
Union of Concerned Scientists Director of the Center for Science and Democracy

"Fighting Back: Standing up for Science in a Time of Denial" by the Union of Concerned Scientists brought to you by PortMedia

Climate Change —The Innovation Opportunity of the 21st Century
Nov. 13, 2018

Cameron Wake, Ph.D.
Research Professor at the Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans and Space, and the Dept. of Earth Sciences UNH
Josephine A. Lamprey
Professor in Climate and Sustainability, UNH Sustainability Institute, Program Chair, Sustainability Dual Major

(click link above to see on SCTV archive)

Rise of the Superstorms
Oct. 15, 2018

NOVA film followed by discussion

2017 Events

2017 Programs included speakers, panel discussion and a climate café.

The Next Big Storm: Preparing Newburyport for Extreme Weather
Dec. 7, 2017

Panel of Newburyport City Officials

After the Storm: One Community’s Encounter with Hurricane Sandy
Nov. 9, 2017

Chris Raia
Toms River Police Department Officer, Retired

Five years ago, Hurricane Sandy was one of the deadliest and most destructive tropical storms in U.S. history. Developing in late October 2012, the storm strengthened as it moved northward across the Caribbean, hitting Jamaica, Cuba and the Bahamas as a Category 2/3 hurricane. Continuing north along the U.S. coast as a Category 1 hurricane, Sandy ultimately curved west-northwest and landed in New Jersey and New York on October 29 as a post-tropical cyclone with hurricane force winds. Preparations had begun in New Jersey on October 26 with a voluntary evacuation, but two days later it was mandatory. Toms River Patrolman Chris Raia (now retired) was assigned to the barrier island on Monday, October 29 and could not leave for 24 hours. Chris shares his first-hand account of weathering Sandy, and what was left in its aftermath. Certainly, New Jersey's experience with Sandy has implications for us if a similar event were to hit Newburyport and the Merrimack Valley.

Coastal Processes Along Plum Island
May 24 2017

Matthew Shultz,
PE Senior Coastal Engineer, Woods Hole Group, Inc.

(No video available)

Climate Café
13 May 2017

Climate Café is a community conversation about local climate issues, facilitated by our future leaders – students from our area high schools.

Ocean Acidification
Apr. 26, 2017

Professor George Buckley
Assistant Director of Sustainability Programs, Harvard University Extension School

Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution society has burned fossil fuels for energy. The oceans have quietly been absorbing about one quarter of the CO2 emissions we release into the atmosphere every year since then. This has tempered the warming of the world, but at a great cost. The CO2 absorbed by the ocean has changed the chemistry of the seawater, making it acidic. To date it has been largely unnoticed as the effects are underwater and gradual in nature. However scientists have documented that this change in acidity is affecting life in the ocean, from larval forms of sea life to any creature that has a calcium-based shell. It is compromising coral reefs, ocean ecosystems and entire food chains. When coral reefs and shellfish die, for example, ecosystems and fisheries will be impacted, as will the world’s food supply. Locally, native clams, mussels, shrimp and lobsters are a few of the more recognizable creatures and fisheries that will be affected. Professor George Buckley, Assistant Director of Sustainability Programs at the Harvard University Extension School, discusses this environmental issue and looks at mollusks as well as healthy coral reefs and some very important micro forms of marine life known as Coccolithophores.

Coastal Adaptation: We Have No Plan
March 29, 2017

Rob Young
PhD, Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines, Western Carolina University

World-renowned Coastal Geologist Dr. Robert Young discusses our national policy regarding coastal hazards and sea level rise and the costs and consequences of holding our shorelines in place by engineering our beaches in the face of climate change. There are often narrow windows of opportunity to effect political and social change after notable events. Following Hurricane Sandy, the United States missed one such opportunity. Instead of stepping back and considering formulating a national plan for coastal management, adaptation, and storm recovery, The United States chose to ignore climate change and future vulnerability and hold the U.S. shoreline in place. Dr. Young comments, “We have no national plan or national vision for how we should be responding to storms, how we should be rebuilding after storms in a sensible way, how we should be spending federal dollars to provide coastal protection through beach nourishment and dune building projects.” This effort has come at great expense to the federal taxpayer, the environment, and the federally subsidized flood insurance program. Dr. Young raises the question: “Can we afford to continue doing this, and what will it take to change our behavior?” Dr. Young is the Director of the Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines (PSDS), a joint Duke University/Western Carolina University venture. He is also a Professor of Geosciences at Western Carolina University and a licensed professional geologist in three states (FL, NC, SC).

2016 Programs

Coastal Ecosystems: Our Best Shoreline Protection
Dec. 7, 2016

Michael R. Johnson
U.S. Department of Commerce NOAA Fisheries Habitat Conservation Division, Gloucester, MA

Michael Johnson, a marine biologist with NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service in Gloucester and a resident of Ipswich, explains why protecting coastal ecosystems from non-climate impacts can increase the resiliency of these systems to existing and projected climate change impacts. The effects of climate change on human infrastructure are being experienced in communities around the world today by the carbon dioxide emissions already released into the atmosphere. As emissions grow, these impacts are expected to become more frequent and intense. While climate mitigation (reduction in emissions) is a critical component in our climate strategy, adaptation to climate change will become increasingly vital to both human and natural ecosystem survival. Fortunately, there are co-benefits to protecting and restoring coastal ecosystems and protecting human coastal infrastructure. Maintaining and restoring healthy and resilient coastal ecosystems not only provides valuable services in the form of healthy seafood, tourism, and recreation, but also can increase protection from rising sea levels, coastal storms, and other impacts from climate change.

Fun Science: Drones & Robotic Boats to Study Coastlines
Nov.2, 2016

Peter A. Traykovski
Associate Scientist, Applied Ocean Physics & Engineering, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Peter Traykovski from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is a pioneer in using drones for mapping and data collection in order to increase our understanding of how coastal processes work. He shares how hobby grade robotics has the potential to revolutionize how we study and monitor coastal processes with examples and pictures from aerial imaging drones and robotic boats. Dr. Traykovski has used off the shelf drones and software to produce 3-D profiles of eroding beaches on Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard. He also demonstrates the use of a remote controlled kayak of his own design to map the entrance to river mouths and harbors. Public officials, interested in how the Merrimack River Entrance affects its adjacent barrier beaches, could benefit from these technologies currently being used along the Cape and Islands. Students with an interest in science and technology who enjoy piloting remote control boats, aircraft, and vehicles might envision other areas of study that could employ these remote control robotic devices.

How the 1800s Jetties Affected the Merrimack River Inlet
June 8, 2016

Irene Watts
Coastal Engineer and Oceanographer, Florida Institute of Technology

Where rivers meet the sea, the inlets like to naturally snake and wander like an unattended garden hose. Historically this has also been the case with the Merrimack where it empties into Ipswich Bay between Plum Island and Salisbury — until we constructed the river jetties. Irene Watts, Coastal Engineer and Oceanographer, Florida Institute of Technology, describes the evolution of the inlet through time, before and after jetty construction.

Water on the Waterfront: How Portsmouth and Gloucester Face the Future
Apr. 26, 2016

Rick Taintor
Planning Director, Portsmouth, NH
Rick Cademartori
Planning Director, Gloucester, MA

Plum Island Point Erosion Explained
Feb. 2, 2016

Mike Morris
Chairman, Storm Surge

Storm Surge Chair Mike Morris was invited to give a talk on Plum Island Point erosion to the Newburyport Conservation Commission during its meeting on February 2, 2016.

2015 Programs

Plum Island: A Night at the Movies
Dec. 2, 2015

Viewing of 2 films: “Man and Nature” by Casey Atkins and “Plum Island, A Barrier Beach Under Stress” by Bill Sargent (link to 2nd film only)

Massachusetts Hurricane Risk in a Changing Climate
Nov. 4, 2015

Kerry A. Emanuel, PhD, Professor of Atmospheric Science, MIT

Plum Island: Lessons from Nature
Oct. 21, 2015

Dennis Hubbard
PhD, Professor of Geology, Geology Department Chair, Oberlin College

Dr. Dennis Hubbard, Professor of Geology at Oberlin College, has studied the movement of sediment through the inlet and along northern Plum Island. Part of his study dealt with changes in natural sediment transport as a result of engineering structures, including the 1970 repairs to the southern jetty. Dr. Hubbard's talk reviewed the natural processes of coastal sediment transport and how nature moves sand across tidal inlets. It then shifted to the issue of coastal engineering structures in general and the possible impacts of those on and near Plum Island specifically. Dr. Hubbard's talk has obvious implications for any engineering change, including pumping sand onto the beach without addressing the obstacles that are altering its natural flow. An understanding of his research can help decision-makers avoid costly mistakes. A discussion after the formal presentation will help apply these general principles to specific issues on the island beaches today.

Coastal Resilience of the North Shore
Apr. 29, 2015

2015 Environmental Science Class, Essex Technical High School

Poetry of New England Weather Data with Sculpture & Music
Mar. 4, 2015

Nathalie Miebach, Artist

Storm Surge Art Exhibition
Mar. 6-28, 2015

Various Artists

2014 Programs

Encroaching Tides: How Sea Level Rise & Flooding Threaten East Coast Communities Over the Next 30 Years
Nov. 19, 2014

Erika Spanger-Siegfried
Senior Analyst Climate and Energy, Union of Concerned Scientists

(no video available)

The Next Storm: Understand the Risks and Be Prepared
Oct. 29, 2014

Mike Morris
Chairman, Storm Surge

(No video available)

Reducing Risk through Enhancing Great Marsh Resiliency
Oct. 1, 2014

Peter Phippen
Coastal Resources Coordinator, Merrimack Valley Planning Commission & MassBays Estuary Program
(No video available)

The Pros & Cons of Coastal Erosion Control
June 18, 2014

Jim O’Connell
Coastal Geologist / Coastal Processes Specialist / Certified Floodplain Manager

Jim O'Connell, a coastal geologist & coastal land-use specialist for close to 30 years, describes the beneficial functions of coastal landforms and the coastal processes that drive shoreline and coastal landform changes, along with documented shoreline change rates over the past 100 or so years along the Massachusetts shore. His presentation includes Massachusetts’ regulatory constraints for altering coastal landforms and interfering with coastal processes, with actual site examples of a wide variety of structural and non-structural coastal erosion control alternatives in various coastal environments around Massachusetts.

Using Oysters to Protect Towns and Cities From Sea Level Rise
June 4, 2014

Anamarija Frankić
PhD, University of Massachusetts, Boston
(No video available)

Preparing for Sea Level Rise
May 21, 2014

Kirk Bosma
Coastal Engineer, Woods Hole Group

Kirk F. Bosma, PE, is a Senior Coastal Engineer and Team Leader of the Coastal Sciences, Engineering & Planning team at Woods Hole Group. Numerous coastal communities have developed, or started to develop, Coastal Climate Adaptation Plans that integrate projected sea-level rise influences into their planning process. In many coastal areas, the adverse impacts of climate change and sea-level rise may be reduced by a careful response to the increased threat of storm induced flood damage. The identification of appropriate adaptive actions (e.g. abandonment, retreat, elevation, protection, and engineering approaches) depends largely on an understanding of the present and future surge-induced flood risk.

Shored Up: When Human Nature and the Force of Nature Collide (trailer)
May 14, 2014

Documentary film by Ben Kalina

Investing Now to Prepare for Climate Impacts
April 16, 2014

Wendi Goldsmith
Bioengineering Group, Salem, MA

Wendi Goldsmith, CEO, Bioengineering Group, Salem MA, speaks about Anticipating the Future: Investing Now to Prepare for Climate Impacts.

Rolling the Dice With Big Storms
Feb. 3, 2014

Mike Morris
Chairman, Storm Surge
Bob Thompson
Meteorologist in Charge, National Weather Service, Taunton, MA

The Emergency Management Contacts in four neighboring communities talked about how each of their communities is prepared for a serious weather event, and provided tips for how all of us can be better prepared. Storm Preparedness Panel: - Fire Chief Jonathan Brickett, Amesbury Newburyport Emergency Management - Retired Fire Chief Robert Cook, Salisbury Emergency Management - Police Marshal Thomas Howard, Newburyport Emergency Management - Police Chief Michael Reilly, Newbury Emergency Management

2013 Events

How Do We Assess Coastal Vulnerability & Plan to Adapt?
December 16, 2013

Paul Kirshen
PhD, University of New Hampshire

Dr. Paul Kirshen is Research Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering at the University of New Hampshire. For thirty years Dr. Kirshen has served as Principal Investigator of complex, interdisciplinary, participatory research related to water resources and coastal zone management and climate variability and change. Recent and ongoing relevant research includes developing adaptation strategies for urban infrastructure in several New England cities, investigating the impacts of increased coastal flooding on particularly vulnerable populations and adaptation strategies, and adaptation planning for multi-purpose, multi-objective river basin systems. Since 2010, he has been a Lead Author for the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (co-recipient of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore) and the US National Climate Assessment. He also serves on several state committees and commissions on climate change adaptation.

Ocean Frontiers II: A New England Story for Sustaining the Sea
December 2, 2013

Film and Discussion
Catherine Bowes
Program Manager, NE Offshore Wind Program, NWF

Chris Boelke
Field Office Supervisor, NOAA Fisheries Gloucester

Mike Morris
Chairman, Storm Surge

The recently released film Ocean Frontiers II describes how people representing many varied interests have come together to work on the nation's first multi-state ocean management plan. The coastal waters of New England have long been an important resource for recreation, commercial fishing and shipping. Today, climate change is affecting these traditional uses, and proposals for off-shore energy raise new challenges. For example, if not planned carefully, wind energy development could harm productive fisheries, conflict with shipping routes and even impact submerged Native American sites. The state of Rhode Island invited a range of stakeholders to address their overlapping and often competing interests by looking at the coastal waters as a system. This management plan is now the model for a regional approach in New England and other U.S. coastal areas. Ocean Frontiers II is an inspiring story of citizens working together for healthier economies and healthier seas.

Changing Our Conversations about Our Changing World
November 18, 2013

John Anderson
Director of Education at New England Aquarium

As part of the Storm Surge speaker series, John Anderson will talk about communications and the role of public engagement. How can citizen groups and public institutions help shift our conversations to be more productive? Mr. Anderson is the Director of Education at New England Aquarium. He has collaborated on several education projects about climate change since 2000. He is currently directing the National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation which aims to build interdisciplinary learning groups that include ocean and climate scientists, social and cognitive scientists and educators from aquariums, zoos and museums across the country. Mr. Anderson earned an MA in biology from Boston University

Changing Climate, Changing Coasts
Nov. 4, 2013

Rob Thieler
PhD, Director – U.S. Geological Survey’s Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center

Dr. Rob Thieler is a coastal geologist and a nationally recognized expert on sea level rise at the US Geological Survey in Woods Hole. His research includes comparing vulnerabilities of all the different areas of the East and Gulf Coasts. He will explain why Plum Island is more like the Outer Banks of the Carolinas than the rest of the New England coast in terms of coastal vulnerability. He will discuss making decisions about coastal issues in an uncertain future. Presented at the Parker River Wildlife Refuge at 7 pm on Monday 4 November.

Climate Change in New England: Past, Present and Future
October 21, 2013

Cameron Wake
PhD, Research Professor Climatology and Glaciology, University of New Hampshire

Climate Changes. It always has and always will. What is unique today is that human activities are the primary driver of our changing climate. In fact, the decisions we make over the next decade regarding how we produce and use energy will determine the future climate our grandchildren inherit. A wide variety of climate indicators show that the northeast United States has been warming over the past four-to-five decades and that this warming has already begun to impact a variety of ecosystems and economic sectors. Model simulations show that New England will continue to get warmer and wetter, both extreme precipitation events and summertime drought will become more frequent, and snow will turn to rain. In addition, sea levels will continue to rise. These changes will continue to impact many sectors across the region, including marine resources, coastal infrastructure, agriculture, forestry, and winter recreation. Dr. Cameron Wake is a research associate professor in climatology at the Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans and Space at the University of New Hampshire. He also has a joint appointment in the UNH Department of Earth Sciences and is the Josephine A. Lamprey Fellow in Climate and Sustainability at the UNH Sustainability Institute. Dr. Wake leads a research program investigating regional climate and environmental change through the analysis of ice cores, instrumental data, and phenological records, with a focus on the northeast United States, the Arctic, and central Asia. His collaborative research on several regional climate assessments in the northeast United States has been shared with state and federal agencies and representatives, has been covered widely in the media, and has been cited by several as motivation for policy action. Dr. Wake also directs Climate Solutions New England, a regional network promoting energy self-reliance and weather resilient communities so that secure renewable energy is the common condition and vulnerability to our changing climate reduced.

Sea Level Rise: The Plum Island Story
October 9, 2013

William Sargent
Author, Storm Surge Committee Member, Coastlines Project Director

Presented by The Newburyport Forum William Sargent: NOVA science series consultant, science and environmental author Wednesday, October 9th at 7 PM, Newburyport Public Library Program Room