SPECIAL REPORT—With the current
trend of global oceanic warming and considerable melting being observed in the polar glaciers and ice sheets, the eastern
U.S. coastline could see dramatic changes in coming years. That is the synopsis of a collaborated report by the Environmental
Protection Agency and other supporting agencies.
According to a detailed report, North
Carolina—with approximately 2250 square miles of lowland areas at or near sea level—would suffer significant impact
from the affects of rising sea levels. Another 1500 square miles of land 5 to
11 feet over sea level could also be affected in variable degrees.
The effects would be felt in a number
of ecological and economical ways. These would include submergence of low-lying areas; eroding beaches; wetlands would become
open water; intensification of coastal flooding (especially during storms) and an increase in the salinity of estuaries and
freshwater aquifers. Some of these occurrences are already being observed along
the East Coast.
The report also makes another ominous
notation: Most coastal wetlands in the mid-Atlantic coastal regions would be lost completely if sea levels rose just one meter
(3.28 feet) in the next century. Some experts see this as a possible outcome with global warming and melting seemingly beginning
to accelerate.
Suggestions made by the report include:
seawalls, bulkheads, and other shoreline armoring; elevating buildings and land surfaces (including beaches and wetlands);
and allowing shorelines to change and moving structures out of harm’s way.
Some circumstances, however pose extraordinary
challenges for the future. Leaders of coastal resort communities such as Myrtle Beach, SC may inevitably face overwhelming
economic impact with high-rise hotels standing precariously on narrow beaches that are already eroding at an alarming rate.
The EPA states that the report’s
purpose is to draw attention to a problem that demands attention from state and local government agencies, organizations and
the general public. The threat is real and dire to coming generations, according to the findings. Preparation are needed to
reduce the eventual impacts of sea level rise that could carry with it a substantial toll on the environment and each state’s
economy.
Map originally published in Climate
Research (in press) 2000.
