Winter storms and coastal flooding wreaked havoc recently, with communities still recovering.

The Dept. of Marine Resources Boothbay Lab also experienced the storm effects. Water levels rose above the piers causing slight damage.

On Burnt Island, the keepers house, lighthouse and education center fared well. There was some damage to the boathouse and gangway which we will address in the spring. Aquarium staff was on call to monitor water quality and animal health in our wet lab. Harbor water is pumped to the wet lab, filtered, and distributed among our animal holding tanks. The amount of sediment in the water taxed our filtration system, especially at high tides. Aquarium staff were onsite to perform water changes and check on the animals. Our lobsters, fish, sea stars and other animals rode out the storm just fine. Even with the aquarium currently closed, there is daily animal care and maintenance happening.

Coastal flooding concerns continue as communities discern how to adapt to unprecedented conditions. We are part of the Coastal Flooding Community Science Project developed by the Gulf of Maine Research Institute. The project trains participants to make observations of coastal flooding and coastal flood impacts at select sites in the community. The data collected aids in understanding the unique vulnerabilities a specific town experiences during astronomical high tides and storms. We hosted two trainings in February with Boothbay residents whose participation will support resilience planning and emergency management. Follow the Maine State Aquarium on social media for more trainings. Visit the Gulf of Maine Research Institute’s project page to learn more: https://investigate.gmri.org/project/coastal_flooding/