Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment Tool for Coastal Habitats

Winnapaug Pond is a coastal salt pond subject to diurnal tidal fluctuation with tidal exchange occurring via a permanent breachway. The large (approximately 104 acre) salt marsh system at the southeast corner of the pond contains both high marsh zones (dominated by Spartina patens), and low marsh zones (dominated by Spartina alterniflora). Ditching and subsequent spoils from this activity form levees throughout the marsh that are responsible for significant degradation. The team assessed a time frame with an end period of 2050 to give an appropriate long-term view for making current and near-term management decisions regarding climate impact.