Lake Erie and its surrounding communities are vulnerable to increased flooding, erosion, fluctuating lake levels, and degraded water quality. Conneaut, Ohio has experienced these impacts for years, particularly near their port, harbor, and beaches. As a result, the Conneaut Port Authority (CPA) hired ECT to develop a holistic master plan that integrates resiliency, natural resources, socioeconomics, and recreation.

ECT led an interdisciplinary team including Priority Engineering to produce a master plan aimed to protect vital coastal resources through resiliency strategies. The plan anticipates future climate change impacts and addresses ecological needs consistent with regional, state, and Federal regulations. Adopted in 2023, the plan identifies five areas for potential climate resilience restoration projects: the sandbar, marina drive extension, Canadian National Lakefront, shoreline east of the port, and the lagoon. Nature-based solutions in these areas may ultimately include coastal wetland restoration, living shorelines, beach nourishment, and estuary restoration.

Building upon the master plan effort, ECT is currently leading CPA’s Coastal Resilience Plan which is focused on community driven nature-based designs. CPA understands that regional and local collaboration and a participatory process are critical components of coastal resilience planning. The process includes extensive stakeholder and community engagement, incorporation of additional restoration opportunities, and feasibility analysis of each project. Additionally, conceptual designs will be prepared along with budgets and human and wildlife benefits associated with each potential project area.

The final plan will be a living document with adaptive management strategies, to ensure that each resilience project is ready to advance to engineering and implementation once funds are in place.