Abstract Submission: Malden Island and Hen Island off the coast of Georgetown, Maine have cottages (some of which have been in families for up to seven generations), communal buildings with cultural value to the residents, and water and wastewater infrastructure. The Islands incurred significant damage from coastal storm surge and wave action in January 2024, including to the community dock and boardwalks, destruction of a pedestrian bridge between the two islands that also conveyed water and wastewater infrastructure, and substantial damage to the community cookhouse. The majority of Malden Island lies in the FEMA Flood Hazard Zone and the southern half of the main inhabited area, including the community cookhouse, seawalls, former pedestrian bridge between islands, and several houses, lie in the zone subject to a velocity hazard (wave action). The goal of the project was to provide guidance on measures that can be taken to increase resiliency given present and future hazards presented by climate change and the practical constraints faced by a small island community. The engineering evaluation provided an assessment that synthesized recommendations considering several factors: construction sequencing based on urgency and accessibility; construction means and materials considering the logistical challenges of transporting materials and equipment to the Islands; design elevations for infrastructure incorporating the local Floodplain Management Ordinance requirements and resilient design guidance from ASCE MOP 140: Climate-Resilient Infrastructure: Adaptive Design and Risk Management and the Maine Coastal Management Program’s CoastWise approach; and a vulnerability assessment of infrastructure with respect to flood tolerance and level of service expectations. Managed retreat was also addressed as a long-term solution.
