“Sea levels across the Northeast coast of the United States rose nearly 3.9 inches between 2009 and 2010, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Arizona and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The waters near Portland, Maine, saw an even greater rise — 5 inches — over the two-year period.
Sea Level Rise in B.C.
Global sea level is affected by melting of glaciers and ice caps, and warming (thermal expansion) of the upper ocean. Locally, sea level rise is also affected by vertical movements of the land (tectonic movements, rebound and subsidence).
Estimates of mean sea level rise by 2100 for the B.C. coast range from 80 cm at Nanaimo to 120 cm in the Fraser Delta (PDF 1.3MB). Potential impacts of sea level rise in British Columbia include:
- More frequent and extreme high water levels in coastal areas
- Increased erosion and flooding
- Increased risk to coastal infrastructure, as well as increased maintenance and repair costs
- Loss of property due to erosion
- Loss of habitat and reduced biodiversity
- Saltwater intrusion into coastal aquifers
- Loss of cultural and historical sites
Adapting to Sea Level Rise
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