Living in a coastal city, the dreams of the people of Charleston Sc are inextricably linked to the stability of our Ocean. Current climate models for this century predict an average sea level rise of at least four feet. In South Carolina, there are over 800 square miles of land less than four feet above the high tide line. This insecurity is concentrated in Charleston and Beaufort Counties, accounting for ~$24 billion in property value and 54,000 homes.[1] If these predictions hold true, one in six homes in the City of Charleston will be under water. To preserve our dreams for the future of our city three main contributing issues must be considered: the rise of global sea level, the sinking of the peninsula, and flooding in the river delta. …show more content…
Core samples, tide gauge readings, and satellite measurements tell us that over the past century the Global Mean Sea Level (GMSL) has risen by 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters). [5] However, the annual rate of rise over the past 20 years has been 0.13 inches (3.2 millimeters) a year, roughly twice the average speed of the preceding 80 years. According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), "This is a significantly larger rate than the sea-level rise averaged over the last several thousand years" [2]; and the rate is increasing. The rise in sea levels is linked to three independent factors creating synergistic effects, all induced by anthropogenic global climate change: Ocean Acidification, Thermal expansion, and the Melting of glaciers and polar ice caps in Greenland, West Antarctica, and …show more content…
Beach erosion will need more remediation, and there will be tax implications for landowners who lose property to rising seas. All development along the coast will become endangered by hurricane storm surges made more severe by higher sea levels. Costs to modify roadways to withstand sea level rise could mount up to $3 million per lane mile. [7]
Beachfront and marsh erosion has long been a problem near Charleston, and despite efforts to renourish beaches and stabilize beachfront homes, it is a losing battle with nature and a rising Atlantic. When sea levels rise rapidly, as they have been doing, even a small increase can have devastating effects on coastal habitats. As seawater reaches farther inland, it can cause destructive erosion, flooding of wetlands, contamination of aquifers and agricultural soils, and lost habitat for fish, birds, and plants. When large storms hit land, higher sea levels mean bigger, more powerful storm surges that can strip away everything in their path. In addition, hundreds of millions of people live in areas that will become increasingly vulnerable to flooding. [3] Higher sea levels would force many families to abandon their homes and relocate. Low-lying islands on the coast could be submerged completely unless water is diverted or the land is built