Community Assistance Projects
Community Assistance Projects offer in-depth technical, financial and training assistance to municipalities, tribes and non-profits in the SNEP region. We solicit responses from SNEP communities that need in-depth assistance with established stormwater and restoration programs to advance their practice to the next level. Project tasks include stormwater planning and financing, climate resilience, low-impact development, green infrastructure, by-law review, and field assessments and engineering.
Project Description Tables:
- 2020 Community Assistance Projects (full list of projects here)
- 2021 Community Assistance Projects (full list of projects here).
- 2022 Community Assistance Projects (full list of projects here).
2022
Community Assistance Projects

Peacedale Village Green, South Kingstown, Rhode Island
The SNEP Network will assist the Burrillville Land Trust with identifying priority topics on which to develop a presentation, including land use planning, watershed protection, and ecosystem services protection and present to the Burrillville Planning Board. The SNEP Network will also assist developing a regional training on select topics to communities in the Blackstone Watershed.
The SNEP Network will assist Buzzards Bay Coalition with a GIS analysis for developing spatial hydrologic response units (HRU), a combination of land use type, soil infiltration capacity, and land cover slope, to characterize the watershed conditions. Using the GIS and climate data, the project team will configure a set of SWMM5 models using the local representative hourly rainfall and daily air temperature time series. The SWMM5 models will be based on the published calibrated Opti-Tool SWMM models.
Groundworks Southcoast with the City of New Bedford is participating in the SNEP Network’s Stormwater Planning Series for municipal officials, volunteer Board members, and/or NGO staff to develop conceptual design(s) for stormwater retrofits and green infrastructure solutions to address identified problems in the town selected drainage area or other area to be selected upon further
discussion with SNEP Network partners.
The SNEP Network is assisting the Mashpee Wampanoag and the Town of Mashpee with:
(1) Assistance with community engagement, communication, partnership
building, and facilitation for stormwater/watershed management and
ecological restoration
(2) Technical support for grant applications to leverage Town match for
additional funds (MVP, 319 NPS, 604b), and communications with
grant entities
(3) Finalization of Watershed Based Plan (on critical path for 319 NPS
funding)
(4) Analysis of baseline monitoring data and communication of results to
the public
The Town of Marion is participating in the SNEP Network’s Stormwater Planning Series for municipal officials, volunteer Board members, and/or NGO
staff to develop conceptual design(s) for stormwater retrofits and green
infrastructure solutions to address identified problems in the town selected drainage area or other area to be selected upon further
discussion with SNEP Network partners.
The SNEP Network is assisting the Town of Middletown with developing a 5-year climate resilience capital improvement plan (RCIP): The resulting RCIP would help Middletown prioritize resilience action items, including more detailed scoping of projects identified in Middletown’s Community Resilience Building report, as well as their Comprehensive Plan and Hazard Mitigation Plan. The SNEP Network will also provide recommendations on sustainable funding and financing
mechanisms and investment of climate resilience projects.
This project will also be part of an initiative to support and enhance Climate Leadership Collaboration on Aquidneck Island. This will involve working in close partnership with the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank and the Regional Resilience Coordinator, and compiling regional themes and findings from across the three island municipalities to efficiently move resilience projects forward on the regional scale.
The Town of North Kingstown is participating in the SNEP Network’s Stormwater Planning Series for municipal officials, volunteer Board members, and/or NGO
staff to develop conceptual design(s) for stormwater retrofits and green
infrastructure solutions to address identified problems in the town selected drainage area or other area to be selected upon further
discussion with SNEP Network partners.
The SNEP Network will assist the Town of Shrewsbury with revising the current Rules and Regulations Governing the Subdivision of Land, the Rules and Regulations Governing Special Permits and Site Plan Review, and the Shrewsbury Zoning Bylaw to integrate new low impact design and green infrastructure requirements.
The town is also participating in the SNEP Network’s Stormwater Planning Series. The training provides guidance to municipal officials, volunteer Board members, and/or NGO staff to develop conceptual design(s) for stormwater retrofits and green infrastructure solutions to address identified problems in the town selected drainage area.
The SNEP Network will assist the Town of South Kingstown with developing a buffer restoration plan including:
(1) Detailed planting plan laying out the location and vegetation type
(trees, shrubs, grasses, forbes, etc.) for the buffer area on both sides
of Indian Run Brook in Peacedale Village Green
(2) Conceptual designs for managing sheet flow surface runoff from the
parking lot at the South Kingstown Neighborhood Guild (including
design for a berm or other level spreading technique, and possibly
other green infrastructure techniques to be incorporated into the
restored buffer area adjacent to the parking lot)
(3) Order of magnitude cost estimates to implement the buffer
restoration plan
2021
Community Assistance Projects

Santuit Pond, Mashpee, Massachusetts
SNEP Network worked with the town to conduct a municipal organizational capacity assessment to address critical environmental needs and assess staffing requirements to fully build out the program overtime to support the planning, stormwater management and resiliency needs.
Reports/Deliverables:
Final Report: Making Space for Climate Resilience- A Capacity Assessment for the Town of Mansfield, MA
OCA Selectboard Presentation PDF September 2022
The SNEP Network is working jointly with the Mashpee Wampanoag and the Town of Mashpee to evaluate and implement interim measures to address nutrient pollution in Santuit Pond. The Network is also assisting with capacity building to plan and manage water quality issues related to stormwater on a watershed scale which includes participation in the the stormwater planning training series.
The technical assistance is ongoing into 2022-2023.
The SNEP Network assisted the City of Newport with developing a climate resilience strategy that included working with a core group of stakeholders to help assess and prioritize high priority projects and steps needed for implementation. The Network also provided recommendations on sustainable funding and financing mechanisms necessary for project implementation.
Reports/Deliverables:
Final Report: Newport, RI Climate Resilience and Financing Prioritization Report
The SNEP Network assisted Providence, RI with the development of a conceptual plan, pollutant tracking, and cost estimates for nature based stormwater retrofit options for York Pond watershed area. The assistance includes participation in the stormwater planning training series.
The SNEP Network is assisting with identifying best practices approaches and solutions to address future or existing clashes between street trees and infrastructure to further the comprehensive and equity focused strategic PVD tree plan.
This project is ongoing into 2022-2023.
The SNEP Network assisted South Kingtown, RI in the development of a conceptual plan, pollutant tracking, and cost estimates for nature based stormwater retrofit options for a selected drainage area within Saugatucket River watershed. The assistance includes participation in the stormwater planning training series.
South Kingstown was also awarded technical assistance in 2022-2023. See the 2022 Community Assistance Project List for the project description.
The SNEP Network assisted Warren, RI in the development of a conceptual plan, pollutant tracking, and cost estimates for nature based stormwater retrofit options for a selected drainage /sub watershed area. The assistance includes participation in the stormwater planning training series
The SNEP Network worked with the tribe to develop a Climate Resilience Strategy that prioritizes short-term, midterm and long term hazards and establishes a pathway toward funding and financing to address these hazards. The Network is also providing guidance for the for the restoration of Native Cranberry bogs and short-term issues related to flooding of a playground and housing development
The SNEP Network assisted Westerly, RI in the development of a conceptual plan, pollutant tracking, and cost estimates for nature based stormwater retrofit options for a selected drainage /sub watershed area. The assistance includes participation in the stormwater planning training series
2020
Community Assistance Projects

Flooding on Salt Marsh Lane during a 2020 moon tide storm event, Bourne, Massachusetts
The SNEP Network provided technical assistance to monitor, model, and map salt marsh migration, and supplied engineering guidance for infrastructure removal. The project was leveraged to secure additional funding.
SNEP Network partners and consultants worked with Bourne to develop a comprehensive coastal resilience action strategy and develop sustainable, scalable financing options to support long-term project implementation.
Reports/Deliverables:
- Network Narratives: Coastal Resilience and Climate Finance
- Planning to Action Climate Toolkit (Throwe Environmental)
- Coastal Resilience Financing Assessment (SNEP Network)
- Bourne Final Project Overview Slides
- “Bourne turns to Feds for help with Cleanup of Estuaries,” The Enterprise
- Bourne Phase II Final Report: Climate Resilience Investment System & Implementation Plan
The SNEP Network supported the creation of a Master Plan Concept Design to enhance park elements while addressing stormwater and erosion issues. The Master Plan was presented at a public meeting, and improvements will be installed by the town over time.
The Network supported the development of a conservation development ordinance for new subdivisions, and created training and educational material to support adoption. Network partners and consultants also participated in public hearings.
The SNEP Network developed the Town Hall Campus Green Infrastructure redesign, including concept-level site planning to incorporate environmentally-sensitive design and development of educational content. The Network also created a design, permitting, and implementation workflow, and a budget for grant applications.
The project expanded the collaborative capacity of Pleasant Bay Alliance communities (Brewer, Chatham, Harwich, & Orleans, MA) for stormwater management efficiencies, including an interjurisdictional approach to capital projects.
Reports/Deliverables:
Pleasant Bay Alliance Regional Stormwater Management Bylaw Review Report
Pleasant Bay Alliance Stormwater and Community Resilience Funding and Financing Strategy
SNEP Network assistance for climate resiliency planning and financing in Portsmouth included town council leadership development, prioritizing and estimating costs for capital needs, and creating a financing strategy including a 5-year Climate Resiliency Capital Improvement Plan.
Reports/Deliverables:
Portsmouth, RI Climate Resilience Planning and Financing Strategy Report
SNEP Network assistance facilitated the creation of non-proprietary, “plug-and-play” designs, including a tree filter (no storage) and a tree trench (with storage). Designs will be installed at Roger Williams Park, with plans for research, training, and education.
Reports/Deliverables:
The SNEP Network supported a hydrologic and hydraulic (H&H) study of the Upper Nemasket River Corridor, informed by 40 years of flood data and field assessments. The SNEP team will evaluate and model proposed interventions and community-driven restoration projects.
Reports/Deliverables:- SPREDD: Assawompset Ponds Complex and Nemasket River
The SNEP Network engaged Wareham in a pilot Leadership Exchange with other communities and experts to guide Wareham’s redevelopment process with a focus on climate resilience, stormwater management, green infrastructure, and economic development opportunities.
Reports/Deliverables:
The SNEP Network evaluated alternatives to mitigate inland flooding of the Warren Boulevard neighborhood using SWMM modeling, facilitated engagement with affected property owners, and presented recommended actions.
The Network created conceptual designs and renderings for church parking lot green infrastructure retrofits, and provided construction support to the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council (WRWC.) WRWC River Rangers will install the retrofits.
Reports/Deliverables: