What do buffers and wetlands mean to Sussex Countians?
For some farming families, wetlands are good-for-nothing wastelands; for environmentalists and birders, beautiful wildlife refuges; yet for others, gold mines waiting to be harvested — in the real estate market.
For me, the wetlands were bug-filled swamps I would have nothing to do with — that is until a few years ago, when I became educated about the relationship between the wetlands and Sussex County.
For a city girl who loved to travel, the beauty of rural and affordable Sussex was an incredible find. I was elated that I could live where others travel for a vacation. At the time, my husband and I wanted to avoid being too close to the ocean, knowing enough about beach erosion, flooding risks and salt damage.
It didn’t take long to find out that our house was pretty close to the inland bays and that Sussex County was flat and lying not far above sea level. We also learned that, within a few miles from anywhere in Sussex, is some sort of waterbody. That’s why many communities here come with touted water access.
Then, in March 2012, in some articles commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1962 storm, we learned that the higher flooding risks are in the bay area, rather than by the ocean. In October 2012, we watched for days the storm track of Hurricane Sandy, as it headed straight toward Sussex. An evacuation was ordered for areas near inland bays. Then, Sandy turned north and spared Sussex County.
Now, 10 years later, the 60th anniversary of the 1962 storm is right around the corner. According to survivors interviewed in a sobering documentary, “The ’62 Storm” (produced in 2007 by 302 Stories Inc.), the storm was a three-day event with five consecutive high tides. Each relentless high tide became more destructive.
What would happen if the same storm hit Sussex today? The Bay Bridge may close in a high storm, and we may all have to evacuate northbound on Coastal Highway, lining up behind Kent and New Castle residents.
Sussex County has been dodging the worst storms in recent years, but history reminds us that we are not immune to the storms and floods. We have seen in other areas that, once a big disaster hits, the insurance rates skyrocket, or, even worse, the insurance companies may leave the entire region.
By the way, various news media are reporting that the sea level rise will accelerate in the next 30 years. The Wall Street Journal article, “Sharper Sea-Level Rise Forecast in New Study” on Feb. 16, 2022, reads: “By 2050, coastal communities are likely to experience destructive flooding, the kind that destroys infrastructure and threatens life, more often than they do now.” So what are we to do?
We must preserve and enrich the wetlands with wide buffers that will save us in the days of severe flooding. Mature trees and forests not only retain a considerable amount of water and release the water slowly, but they also form robust networks of vastly intertwined root systems and stabilize the ground. We have seen this in California, where the wildfires’ destructions do not stop at the burnt homes and trees, but more significant damages often come later with flooding and landslides where the mature trees are gone.
So what is it going to be, Sussex?
The future of our children is in our hands. Make a better and stronger buffer/wetlands ordinance and protect and preserve the county our next generations will come back to and call home.
Eul Lee is a member of Sussex2030, a grassroots group working for the smart and responsible growth of Sussex County. She lives in Lewes.
