The Public’s Radio — ‘That conversation is coming’: South Coast towns may consider managed retreat, green infrastructure in response to rising seas

Coastal erosion at East Beach in New Bedford.  Credit: Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management

May 31, 2024

By Luis Hernandez — Beach erosion and extreme flooding are forcing South Coast officials to think more urgently about how to adapt to a rise in sea levels. New Bedford Light reporter Adam Goldstein joins Morning Edition host Luis Hernandez to discuss the many options under consideration.

Editor’s note: This story is part of “Washout: Our vanishing beaches,” a series about the reshaping of Rhode Island’s shoreline. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

TRANSCRIPT:

Luis Hernandez: Shoreline communities throughout our region are faced with growing questions about how to manage the beach erosion caused by climate-related storms and rising seas. Today, we take a look at the South Coast of Massachusetts. We’re joined by reporter Adam Goldstein, who has been reporting on this issue for the New Bedford Light. Adam, always a pleasure. Thank you.

Adam Goldstein: Thanks for having me, Luis. Always a pleasure.

Hernandez: Where do we see the greatest amount of beach erosion on the South Coast?

Goldstein: So the South Coast is a fairly unique environment in that we have the enclosure of the Elizabeth Islands. Buzzards Bay is shallower waters where you don’t have as much direct exposure to ocean waves, so our tidal range is a bit narrower and leads to generally less beach erosion, especially in terms of some of those interior towns like Mattapoisett, Marion, et cetera. Where we really see the most beach erosion on the South Coast is in Falmouth off the Cape, as well as Dartmouth and Westport, which have more of that open ocean exposure that you guys are used to in Rhode Island.

Hernandez: Last winter storms, how bad did that get?

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