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Sea level rise can exacerbate coastal flooding in low-lying areas
Author Information
* Name: David F. Muñoz, Ph.D.
* Affiliations: 1. Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, The University of Alabama; 2. Center for Complex Hydrosystems Research, The University of Alabama; 3. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech.
* Contact: dfmunoz1@ua.edu; davidmunozpauta@vt.edu
* Year contributed: 2022
Categories
- Grade Level: 9–12
- Alabama Course of Study:
- Scientific And Engineering Practices: Analyzing and Interpreting Data; Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information
- Crosscutting Concepts: Patterns; Systems and System Models; Energy and Matter
- Disciplinary Core Idea: Earth's Systems 15) Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to verify that weather (e.g., atmospheric pressure, precipitation, winds, wind velocity) is influenced by energy transfer within and among the atmosphere, lithosphere, biosphere, and hydrosphere. a. Analyze patterns in weather data to predict various systems, including fronts and severe storms. b. Use maps and other visualizations to analyze large data sets that illustrate the frequency, magnitude, and resulting damage from severe weather events in order to predict the likelihood and severity of future events.
- Alabama Alternate Achievement (AAS) Standard:SCI.AAS.ESS.HS.15-Identify weather conditions, including wind speed and severe weather events (e.g., hurricanes and floods).
Abstract
Glaciers and ice sheets are melting due to global warming and so adding water to the ocean. Melt water and thermal expansion of the ocean (as the water warms) have in turn risen global mean sea level about 21-24 cm since 1880. Roughly third of that increase has been observed in the last two and half decades, and it is expected that sea level will rise at least 30 cm by the end of the 21stcentury. SLR will increase water level in estuaries and bays around the world, and consequently it will inundate urban and natural landscapes in low-lying areas.SLR can exacerbate coastal flooding in the United States where almost 30 percent of the population lives in high population-density coastal areas.
