Sea level rise poses a growing challenge to the New Bedford hurricane barrier, said Cynthia Dittbrenner of the Trustees. It could be overtopped in a Category 3 hurricane if sea levels rise by 4 feet. 

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She added that the hurricane barrier has been closing more frequently in recent years to protect the city’s waterfront from high tides. For the first 25 years of its existence, 1966 to 1991, the largest number of closures was 18 per year. Over the past decade, it has met or exceeded that number in every year except 2015, 2022, and 2023. (It closed 40 times in 2017, a record number.) Current sea level rise projections indicate that it may have to open and shut twice per day by 2050 due to tide levels. 

COMMUNITY CONVERSATION

Rising Seas and Coastal Impact ⇢

The Light holds its first Community Conversation of 2024, featuring environmental reporter Adam Goldstein and a panel of experts discussing Rising Seas and Coastal Impact. The event is free at the New Bedford Art Museum on Feb. 28, beginning at 6 p.m.

Twice-daily operation of the hurricane barrier “is not a sustainable practice,” according to the New Bedford Port Authority. Its executive director, Gordon Carr, explained that opening and closing the barrier that often would create logistical challenges for boats trying to access the harbor, and could dissuade them from using its services. 

Carr added that the port is conducting its own analysis of hurricane barrier closure events and duration. He said that while the port could take a number of steps to avoid frequent closures, if the predictions in the Trustees report come to pass, “it will dramatically change how the port operates.”

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spokesman Bryan Purtell said tide levels are not the only factor in deciding whether to close the hurricane barrier. He added that while there are no plans to add height to the barrier, “as our structures age … we do factor sea level rise … into our analysis of the options for repair.” 

The port will be updating its Municipal Harbor Plan this year with Fairhaven, Carr said, and will be raising the issue of hurricane barrier closures and sea level rise.

Email environmental reporter Adam Goldstein at agoldstein@newbedfordlight.org.

Editor’s note: This story was amended on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, to add hurricane barrier numbers for 2023.