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The CfA Space Geodesy Homepage Sea Level Hazards: Increased flood and storm damage Increased salinity of estuaries and aquifers This webpage was created by Stacey Archfield |
Inundation of land
A 50-cm rise in sea level will inundate 8500 to 19000 km2 of dry land [IPCC, 1998]. In the US, the lowest forests and farms are in the mid-Atlantic region and the Southeast. Large port cities such as Boston, New York City, Charleston, Miami and New Orleans are located in lowland areas [IPCC, 1998].
There are two types of inundation that will be caused by sea level rise: 1-permanent inundation and 2-episodic inundation. The effect that permanent inundation will have on areas is dependent on the local gradient [Gornitz, 1991]. Areas that have low gradients at a coast are beach ridges, chenier plains, deltas, mudflats, estuaries, lagoons, and bays [Gornitz, 1991]. Episodic inundation is a result of storm surges [Gornitz, 1991]. As sea level rises, episodic inundation will be more frequent for these low-lying areas.