City of New Castle Ecosystem Assessment and Enhancement Project

The City of New Castle and DNREC have partnered for a study to determine the potential impacts of various sea level rise scenarios on the city’s ecosystems. The Ecosystem Assessment and Enhancement Project is based on the recommendations of a previous city/state partnership. It will evaluate the

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Coastal Construction Permits

A listing of permit applications and related documents for the regulatory programs that govern coastal construction. Coastal Construction Permit Application — For construction activities

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I Am in Local Government

The Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy provides programs and assistance for local governments in Delaware. Find information on grants, rebates and sustainability help for local government.   Find the Information You

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I Am a Resident of Delaware

The Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy provides programs and assistance for residents and property owners. Find information on grants, rebates and programs for residents.   Find the Information You Need  

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I Am a Business Owner

The Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy provides programs and assistance for business owners. Find information on grants, rebates and programs for businesses.   Find the Information You Need  

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Coastal Construction

Coastal development adds stress to beach systems, especially to dunes. Dunes and beaches are the first lines of protection from wave action for coastal communities during coastal storms. Dunes also act as storage areas that supply sand to the beach during storms.

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2020 Coastal Cleanup Photos

A gallery of photos from volunteers who turned out during September to help clean their favorite beach or park, or their own neighborhood, during the month-long Delaware Coastal Cleanup.

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“Not My Trash – But I Picked It Up.”
Coastal Cleanup 2020

For 32 years, volunteers cleared tons of trash from Delaware beaches in single-day events. In 2020, to make the Coastal Cleanup accessible and safe for everyone, the effort transitioned to a month-long campaign.

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Delaware Coastal Management Program – Program Changes

The NOAA Office for Coastal Management has approved program changes that reflect a structural reorganization of the DCMP to move the program into the DNREC Division of Climate, Coastal, and Energy.

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Notice of Proposed Program Change to the Delaware Coastal Management Program

The Delaware Coastal Management Program has submitted proposed changes to Delaware’s federally approved coastal management program to the NOAA Office for Coastal Management.

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Climate Communications Training

It is possible to facilitate informative and empowering conversations about climate change. In this two-day course, participants will learn about strategic framing – a research based approach to communication that engages audiences in thinking productively about how they can participate in creating or supporting solutions to climate change. Overview This training,

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Resilient Community Partnership: Atlantic Coast Communities and Lewes

DNREC’s Delaware Coastal Programs (DCP) office has partnered with a group of seven unique coastal municipalities on a comprehensive assessment of impervious surface coverage. The project will produce community-specific strategies for reducing existing and future impervious surface coverage and increasing stormwater infiltration. Local Leadership Presentations

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Delaware Coastal Cleanup

Trash on our beaches and in our waterways isn’t just unsightly – it’s also potentially dangerous to marine life and in some cases harmful to water quality. The annual Delaware Coastal Cleanup offers volunteers an opportunity to help make a difference for Delaware’s shoreline and waterways while joining an international effort to clean up the

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New Castle Resilient Community Events

The public participation portion of the City of New Castle Resilient Community Partnership included a series of public meetings at which residents and stakeholders were able to brainstorm and contribute their input to the partnership. March 14, 2018 Resilient Community Partnership Public Workshop City of

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Resilient and Sustainable Communities Summit

Nearly 200 people attended the first annual Delaware Resilient and Sustainable Communities Summit at the Del Tech Conference Center on November 27, 2017. The event drew a diverse audience from throughout Delaware, including representatives from 22 towns, 16 Nonprofit and Community Groups, 15 Federal and State Agencies, 14 professional services companies, six county and regional

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Resilient and Sustainable Communities League

The Delaware Resilient and Sustainable Communities League is a group of 14 member organizations that coordinate together to help assist Delaware’s communities as they adapt to the impacts of climate change and work towards a more sustainable future. The Delaware Resilient and Sustainable Communities League now has its very own website!

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Past Projects and Fellows

The DNREC Coastal Management Program and the Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve are dynamic, evolving programs whose focus remains on the balance between the use and protection of Delaware’s coastal resources. This is an archive of information about some past projects.

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The Delaware Coastal Management Program

From the Delaware Bay to the Atlantic Ocean, Delaware’s coastal resources contribute to its economy, environment, and quality of life. DNREC’s Delaware Coastal Management Program (DCMP) is a networked program that works to preserve, protect, develop, enhance, and resolve conflicts related to the state’s coastal resources. The Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) of 1972

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Green Eggs and Sand

Green Eggs and Sand is an innovative workshop experience and set of curriculum modules designed to explore the Atlantic Coast horseshoe crab (HSC)/shorebird phenomenon and management controversy. Laurel Sullivan Education Coordinator, DNERR 302-735-3412 Karen Byrne

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St. Jones Reserve

The St. Jones Reserve component of the Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve (DNERR) is located on the north shore of the St. Jones River, off Kitts Hummock Road, south of Dover in Kent County and includes a portion of Delaware Bay. The St. Jones Reserve is on the Delaware Bayshore Byway and includes a Visitor

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Blackbird Creek Reserve

The Blackbird Creek Reserve component of the Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve (DNERR) is located upstream from Delaware Route 9 at Taylors Bridge in Townsend, New Castle County. The Blackbird Creek Reserve is on the Delaware Bayshore Byway and includes trails, pavilion and canoe/kayak launch.

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Blackbird Creek Fall Festival

The Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve (DNERR) offers a day of free family fun at the Blackbird Creek Fall Festival every October.

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Delaware Bay Horseshoe Crab Spawning Survey

Citizen scientists and state researchers have surveyed the horseshoe crabs spawning along Delaware Bay beaches since 1990. The data they have collected has been key for scientists in monitoring changes in numbers of spawning crabs in the Bay.

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Delaware Sea Level Rise Advisory Committee

The Delaware Sea Level Rise Advisory Committee was created in 2010 to bring together to investigate the state’s vulnerability to sea level rise and to provide recommendations about how to best prepare for higher sea levels. Adapting to Sea Level Rise Delaware Sea Level Rise Advisory

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Climate Change and Sea Level Rise Perceptions

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) has initiated a series of public perception surveys to measure the Delaware public’s knowledge of, and interest in, the issues of climate change and sea level rise. The latest survey was conducted in November and December 2019. Surveys were also conducted in 2009 and 2014.

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Adapting to Sea Level Rise

Sea level rise affects more than beaches and oceanfront land owners. Sea level rise can increase the height of storm waves, making more areas vulnerable to storm damage. Sea level rise can inundate and flood low lying areas, causing losses to tidal wetlands, habitat, and agricultural areas. Sea level rise also can cause higher water tables and salt

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Nature-Based Solutions for Coastal Hazards

This course, from the NOAA Office of Coastal Management, prepares planners and communities for planning and implementing green or natural infrastructure projects to reduce coastal natural hazards. Nature-based solutions, sometimes called “green infrastructure,” incorporate the natural environment and constructed systems that mimic natural processes in

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Facilitation Basics for Coastal Managers

This two-day instructor-led course from the NOAA Office of Coastal Management is designed to increase participants’ ability to plan and facilitate a meeting (or a series of meetings) that minimize conflict and enhance problem solving. Collaboration is often cited as a good way to address coastal resource management issues, but the collaborative process is

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Creating a Flood Ready Community

This course, presented with the University of Delaware Institute for Public Administration, reviews the multiple sources of flood risks to Delaware communities that can be addressed and mitigated through planning, codes, and ordinances. This training covers floodplain requirements for municipalities. It presents

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Register for Coastal Training

Coastal training and education programs are open to all, but registration is required. Registration is through the Delaware Learning Center, unless otherwise noted. Please login (see below) to the Learning Center then select the training from the My Training widget on the Welcome Page and follow the registration process. Or search for the course title in

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Slaughter Beach Resilient Community Events

The public participation portion of the Slaughter Beach Resilient Community Partnership included a series of three public meetings at which residents and stakeholders were able to brainstorm and contribute their input to the partnership. July 22, 2017 Resilient Community Day Public Workshop Town of Slaughter Beach residents and stakeholders were invited

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Resilient Community Partnership: New Castle

The City of New Castle, like other low-lying Delaware communities, is vulnerable to natural hazards from multiple sources. New Castle is particularly at risk due to its location along the Delaware River, which makes it susceptible to upstream flooding, downstream tidal surge, and combinations of the two. A significant portion of the City is

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Resilient Community Partnership: Slaughter Beach

The Town of Slaughter Beach, like other low-lying Delaware Bayfront communities, is vulnerable to natural hazards from multiple sources. Slaughter Beach currently experiences frequent flooding of streets and property during high tide. The town is also at risk for less frequent, but more extreme flooding events from storm surges during

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For Kids and Families

The Reserve offers a variety of fun and educational activities for children and adults on Reserve property and along the Delaware Bayshore. All activities are free. Most require pre-registration.

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School Programs

Are you looking for a great field trip opportunity or possibly a visit from a naturalist into your classroom? Have you thought about the Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve? The Reserve provides wonderful field trip and classroom outreach opportunities for you and your students! [panel type=”success” heading=”Information

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Resources for Teachers

The Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve offers a variety of Teacher Professional Development opportunities every year. These training sessions give teachers from around the Delaware Bay an opportunity to grow and expand their skills. Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve

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Get Involved

You can get involved in your community and your estuary when you volunteer with DNREC’s Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve (DNERR). The Reserve offers a variety of volunteer opportunities for adults and high school students throughout each year at each of its two locations. The Delaware National Estuarine

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Alvin G. Wilson Conservation Demonstration Area

The Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve actively promotes installation of conservation and restoration projects. As part of an educational outreach effort, 12 acres of poorly-drained farmland located within the St. Jones Reserve were converted in 2003 to demonstration plots to highlight wetland and grass conservation options. [panel type=”success”

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Conservation and Stewardship

Delaware Coastal Programs works with partners at the state, regional and national level to promote better stewardship of coastal habitats. Stewardship involves a wide range of activities including land acquisition, habitat mapping, ecological restoration, invasive species monitoring, resource inventories, demonstration areas, and more.

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The Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve

The Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve (DNERR) is one of 30 National Estuarine Research Reserves across the country whose goal is to establish, protect, and manage natural estuarine habitats for research, education, and coastal stewardship. Come out for a day of free family fun at the Blackbird Creek Fall

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Coastal Monitoring

DNREC’s Delaware Coastal Programs conducts long-term monitoring to help understand the coastal environment. The data collected provide insights into complex estuarine ecosystems. They help local and national leaders understand the vulnerability and resilience of our coast — and the effects of a changing climate. [panel type=”success”

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Coastal Training Program

Delaware Coastal Programs offers training and assistance to local governments through the Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve. The Coastal Training Program offers resources to help communities make informed decisions. Lynne Pusey Coastal Training Program Coordinator 302-735-3417

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Resilient Communities

Communities throughout Delaware are threatened by inland flooding, coastal storms, sea level rise, and changing climate conditions. The Resilient Community Partnership helps communities prepare to respond to coastal hazards.

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Education and Outreach

Delaware Coastal Programs offers a variety of volunteer, educational, and recreational opportunities at the two research reserve sites that make up the Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve (DNERR).

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Ocean Planning

Delaware Coastal Programs supports the long-term economic and ecological health of the Mid-Atlantic through regional ocean planning efforts. Delaware Ocean and Bay Plan DNREC’s Delaware Coastal Programs is developing an Ocean and Bay Plan to protect Delaware’s marine resources, ecological functions and ocean and bay uses. The Delaware Ocean and Bay Plan

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Applied Coastal Science

An extensive and dynamic applied coastal science and monitoring program provides scientific data to inform management strategies for the conservation of critical coastal resources. The current focus areas include looking at issues related to climate change and sea level rise, water quality, animal and plant life, the interface between humans and the coastal ecosystem, and more.

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Planning, Training, and Technical Resources

DNREC’s Delaware Coastal Programs encourages stewardship of Delaware’s coastal and ocean resources by promoting informed, science-based decision making. This is achieved through the development of tools and resources, local and regional planning, training workshops, conferences, field demonstrations, and providing technical assistance to coastal decision makers.

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Federal Consistency

Federal agencies are required to follow state coastal management policies when conducting projects or issuing permits that could affect coastal resources. [modal

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Contact Us

Delaware Coastal Programs 100 W. Water Street, Suite 7B Dover, DE 19904 302-739-9283 Administrator Kimberly Cole kimberly.cole@state.de.us   Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve Components Blackbird Creek Reserve 801 Blackbird Landing Road Townsend, DE 19734 302-378-5734

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Delaware Coastal Programs

The Coastal Programs Section of the Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy serves as the Department’s research, education, and policy lead for coastal and ocean issues. It helps manage Delaware’s federal coastal zone and balance the use and protection of its resources through the integrated efforts of the Delaware Coastal Management Program and Delaware National Estuarine Research

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