650 R.I. Code R. § 650-RICR-20-00-1.8 Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model (Slamm) Maps

• Library: Rhode Island Administrative Code
• Edition: 2023
• Currency: Current through December 28, 2023
• Year: 2023
• Citation: 650 R.I. Code R. § 650-RICR-20-00-1.8

A. Rhode Island coastal communities

1. The Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) and its partners have developed Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model (SLAMM) Maps for the coastal wetlands of all twenty-one (21) Rhode Island coastal communities. The purpose of these SLAMM maps is to show how coastal wetlands will likely transition and migrate onto adjacent upland areas under projected sea level rise scenarios of 1, 3 and 5 feet in the coming decades. These maps are intended to support state and local community planning efforts and to help decision makers prepare for and adapt to future coastal wetland conditions despite the inherent uncertainties associated with future rates of sea level rise.

2. The SLAMM maps were developed using a digital wetlands coverage derived from the 2010 National Wetlands Inventory for Rhode Island. The elevation data used in the model was developed from the 2011 USGS LIDAR elevation dataset. These maps were developed using the "protection off" mode for the model simulations, thereby depicting the highest potential for marsh migration despite current limitations such as parking lots, roads or other development. In this way the maps illustrate opportunities for conservation and potential land modification to enhance wetland migration and restoration. The SLAMM data do not consider natural processes such as coastal erosion or the impacts of coastal storms that can have significant influence on shoreline location and sediment dynamics. Despite these limitations the data still provide a valuable tool to identify those places that provide the best opportunity for future saltmarsh habitat and conservation priorities, and provide valuable information to help plan for new development and infrastructure. Additional map parameters, data sources and caveats can also be found at www.crmc.ri.gov.

3. These SLAMM maps are Geographic Information System (GIS)-based map images exported as PDF files to reduce file size and ease of access. In total there are one hundred forty-nine (149) map panels that cover the entire Rhode Island shoreline and each panel has four maps showing the current wetland condition (as of 2010) followed by 1, 3, and 5-foot of sea level rise scenarios.

4. No warranty is expressed or implied by the CRMC and its SLAMM project...