Delaware Resilient Communities Partnership Program

Delaware’s Resilient Community Partnership program was established in 2016 and is administered by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) Delaware Coastal Management Program (DCMP), to help Delaware communities prepare for and respond to coastal hazards. Leveraging funding from NOAA, the Partnership helps improve planning capabilities at the local level by providing technical assistance, staffing, and funding. The Partnership provides support and guidance to help communities through the various stages of planning, including: 

  • Conducting vulnerability assessments; 
  • Identifying potential adaptation options; 
  • Identifying and outlining plans; and
  • Implementing plans. 

To date, the Resilient Community Partnership program has successfully partnered with eight local communities to plan for and reduce the impacts of coastal hazards related to climate change, coastal storms, and flooding from sea level rise. Partners include: 

  • 2024: Town of Milton 
  • 2024: Town of Little Creek 
  • 2023: Town of Fenwick Island 
  • 2021: City of Lewes 
  • 2020: City of New Castle Ecosystems 
  • 2018: Atlantic Coast Communities and Lewes 
  • 2017: City of New Castle
  • 2016: Town of Slaughter Beach

For example, in 2024 the Resilient Community Partnership program helped the Town of Milton create a preliminary shoreline stabilization design for Memorial Park and the shoreline of the Broadkill River. Although widely regarded as an economic, historic, and recreational asset, the Broadkill River poses serious flooding threats to the Town of Milton, subjecting the town center to frequent flooding. The design outlines a plan for improving the shoreline and stopping erosion to reduce overall impact of flooding from storm surges, heavy rainfall, and tides, while preserving public access. 

Publication Date: 2016

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