Pawtucket Advances Flood Resilience and Community Engagemen
City Receives Moshassuck River Grant, Improves FEMA CRS Rating, and Invites Community Flooding Input
Pawtucket, RI – The City of Pawtucket is excited to announce a major step forward in its efforts to address flooding and enhance resilience in natural spaces. The City has received grant funding for a planning effort focused on the Moshassuck River. Additionally, the City has completed FEMA’s Community Rating System (CRS) 5-year verification process, and is hosting a Community Flooding Conversation to gather further resident input.
Moshassuck River Urban Restoration Program
The grant-funded project will complete a watershed planning study focused on the Moshassuck River in Pawtucket to assess existing conditions, flood-prone areas, and invasive species, and to identify restoration and protection strategies. The study will recommend nature-based solutions to reduce flooding, improve ecological health, and remove invasive species, to increase watershed resilience while enhancing recreational and environmental benefits for nearby neighborhoods.
Community engagement is a central part of the project. Residents will be invited to neighborhood workshops to provide input and help ensure the plan reflects local priorities. Over the next 18 months, the City will use existing data and on-the-ground assessments to develop concept designs and an implementation plan. This plan will position Pawtucket to pursue additional state and federal funding for future river restoration and flood mitigation projects.
FEMA Community Rating System Update
The City also recently completed FEMA’s CRS 5-year verification process, which confirmed that Pawtucket is properly implementing its floodplain management activities, identified opportunities for additional credit, and ensured compliance with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). As a result of this review, Pawtucket improved its CRS rating from a Class 8 to a Class 7, increasing the NFIP premium discount for local policyholders to 15% (up from 10%). This achievement reflects the City’s ongoing commitment to proactive flood management and resilience planning.
The City also recently completed FEMA’s CRS 5-year verification process, which confirmed that Pawtucket is properly implementing its floodplain management activities, identified opportunities for additional credit, and ensured compliance with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). As a result of this review, Pawtucket improved its CRS rating from a Class 8 to a Class 7, increasing the NFIP premium discount for local policyholders to 15% (up from 10%). This achievement reflects the City’s ongoing commitment to proactive flood management and resilience planning.
Pawtucket to Host Community Flooding Conversation
The City is inviting residents and business owners to an informal community flooding conversation:
Date: Wednesday, January 28
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Location: Blackstone Valley Visitor Center
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Location: Blackstone Valley Visitor Center
The event will give community members the chance to share where flooding occurs during heavy rain. Local knowledge will help the City identify problem areas and inform future stormwater management strategies, mitigation projects, and investments.
Residents who are unable to attend in person can still contribute by completing a short online survey: https://arcg.is/5a0f40
“Together, these initiatives demonstrate Pawtucket’s commitment to resilience, sustainability, and community engagement,” said Mayor Donald Grebien, City of Pawtucket. “From planning along the Moshassuck River to improving flood insurance discounts and hearing directly from residents about local flooding, these efforts ensure a safer, stronger, and more connected city for all.”
For more information about the Moshassuck River project, the CRS program, or the Community Flooding Conversation, residents are encouraged to follow City communications or contact the City’s Urban Resiliency Manager, Kyle McElroy at kmcelroy@pawtucketri.gov or 401-728-0500 x 356.
