Local Government

Town of St. Michaels

Town of St. Michaels Sea Level Rise Strategies

The Town of St. Michaels is a small coastal town in Talbot County, Maryland with a population of approximately 1,000 people. Tourism and commercial fishing remain two of the town’s primary economic drivers. Flooding and future sea level rise concerns led to an infrastructure study that identified viable, cost-efficient strategies to increase the town’s resiliency. Consideration was given to both rainfall and tidal induced flooding as mitigation and resiliency strategies were identified. 

RAUCH, inc. is working on behalf of the Town of St. Michaels to implement those strategies. Our scope of work includes evaluating the use of tide gates versus culverts, installating nature-based solutions, and providing surveying and pre-design services for the reconstruction of low-lying streets. We have completed rehabilitation work on some of the most impacted streets and addressed stormwater issues by improving failing subgrade.

In May 2022, we completed stormwater modeling for the Mill Street Culvert. In 2023, we completed surveying of the Mill Street area and a Mill Street Civil Engineering Feasibility Study for raising the road to 5 feet over Mean Sea Level MSL.

During the course of our work, our team of professionals carefully evaluates impacts to neighboring property owners and opportunities to work with them. The properties of primary focus for these projects have included the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum complex, the existing Town Office, waterfront restaurants, bed and breakfasts, and nearby residential properties.

Town of St. Michaels Nature Trail

RAUCH inc. is working with the Town of St. Michaels on a multi-use extension of the St. Michaels Nature Trail. Our scope of work for Phase I and Phase II of the extension included site investigations, preliminary concept plans, structural assessments, and feasibility determinations. We also provided assessment of environmental impacts including wetlands, forest, and critical area determinations, erosion and sediment control planning, stormwater management, slopes and grading. The project focus includes accessibility and multi-use features to accommodate both walking and biking.

The Town recently contracted our firm for Phase II of the project which will extend the existing 1.3-mile nature trail by another 1.25 miles. In Phase III we are providing soil borings, civil engineering, stormwater plans (ESD to the MEP), erosion and sediment control plans, permitting services, construction specifications, and 100% construction documents. This project has been funded by the Maryland Department of Transportation.

San Domingo Creek Park

RAUCH inc. was retained by the Town of St. Michaels for planning, design, and construction drawings for a new 7.61-acre park on San Domingo Creek. Building on extensive community engagement and the San Domingo Creek Master Plan, our team is collaborating with the Town and its partners on civil engineering, landscape plans, stormwater, wetland plant design, soil science, and environmental design. Particular attention is being placed on various types of ecosystems that will be featured in the park for aesthetic and environmental education purposes. Given that a large portion of the property is located within the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area, our team is also focusing on regulatory compliance while evaluating base substrate soil, grading, drainage, and vegetation to ensure long-term survivability of the landscape design. A nature trail (rail trail) and another public park (Back Creek Park) are adjacent to the site requiring design that is cohesive, additive, and complimentary to these existing community attractions.

Our scope of work includes value engineering of future park amenities since the park will be developed in phases, allowing the Town to minimize park development costs.

In addition to local coordination, our team is working with the Maryland Department of Transportation (the rail trail owner), the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (funder), and other regulatory agencies.