Unprecedented Flooding at Strawbery Banke Museum on
January 13, 2024
Strawbery Banke Museum faced an unprecedented flooding situation on January 13, which resulted in substantial damage and challenges. In response, the Museum is actively addressing these issues with a comprehensive approach to mitigate the impact of the flooding: a new sea-level-rise funding initiative for the long term and operational resources in the short term.
High Tide: The combination of a high tide at 9.6 feet and a storm surge of 2 feet contributed to the severity of the flooding.
Water Levels: Water entered Shapley Pridham at around 10.2 feet, creating significant challenges for the Museum.
Precipitation and Winds: One inch of rain, combined with snowmelt and 30 mph winds from the southeast, drove water ashore.
Compromised Drainage: The storm drainage system faced complications due to flooding on Marcy Street and the coinciding high tide, exacerbating the overall impact.
Six of the Museum’s historic buildings had hundreds of gallons of water in their basements as result of the storm on January 13, 2024.
Damages: The images captured during the event vividly illustrate the dramatic consequences of the flooding. These historic houses were flooded:
Jones: Experienced 30 inches of water, resulting in the loss of a water heater.
Lowd: Submerged under 20 inches of water, leading to the loss of both the furnace and hot water.
Pridham: Recorded a staggering 30 inches of water, indicating the severity of the flooding in this area.
Yeaton Walsh: Recorded 10 inches of water intrusion.
Strawbery Banke Museum is taking proactive measures to address these challenges. The institution has initiated a sea level rise funding initiative to secure necessary resources for long-term solutions. Additionally, operational resources are currently being dedicated to implementing immediate measures to safeguard the Museum's valuable artifacts and infrastructure.
Water infiltrated boxes of archeological artifacts, previously carefully stored many inches above the basement ground to prevent damage in case of flooding.
Strawbery Banke needs your help to preserve this historic treasure for future generations.
The Museum invites the community to support its efforts in mitigating the impact of future flooding by contributing to the sea level rise funding initiative. Your support will play a crucial role in preserving Strawbery Banke Museum for future generations.
In the face of adversity, Strawbery Banke Museum remains steadfast in its commitment to preserving the rich history enclosed within its grounds and buildings. Together, with the support of the community, the Museum is determined to overcome the challenges posed by unprecedented flooding events.
Through the generosity of the recent capital campaign, we have a thorough plan of action for stormwater.
We now need the funding to implement the plan. And if the storms of the past thirteen months are any indication, we need to implement it quickly.
Giving to the Strawbery Banke Fund (annual fund) will allow us to contract with the very best preservationists, historians, engineers, and environmental scientists.