These Scary Maps Explain What Sea Level Rise Will Mean in Boston

[octoberlib]

Coastal cities are now living in what Brian Swett calls a “post-Sandy environment.” In this new reality, there is no more denying the specter of sea-level rise or punting on plans to prepare for it. And there is no more need to talk of climate change in abstract predictions and science-speak. We now know exactly what it could look like.
In this environment, The Boston Harbor Association is somewhat fortuitously releasing today a major scientific report, long in the works, on what coming sea-level rise could mean for the city. And if Sandy had any silver living, says Swett, Boston’s Environment and Energy Chief, it is that residents are now as ready as ever to listen.

"I have yet to see a scientific report on sea level rise or storm surge that makes me less concerned," Swett says of his own reaction to the dramatic picture portrayed in the new report, Preparing for the Rising Tide. "It seems like the more we know, the more onus and important pressure there is on taking action."

The report’s authors modeled two scenarios for the city: one in which flood levels rise to 5 feet above the average high tide today, and one in which flood waters rise 7½ feet above current high tide. The first scenario corresponds to the equivalent of a 100-year storm surge today (meaning the kind of storm that has a 1 percent likelihood of happening this year). This map from the report illustrates exactly what this would look like in the city:


On an individual building-by-building basis, the report suggests that every property in those flood zones will need to begin to think about adaptations today. The scale of such an undertaking seems overwhelming, but local businesses that have previewed the report no longer sound as if they're shirking the challenge. "None of them are saying 'oh this is never going to happen, forget it, you environmentalists are just overreacting,'" Li says. "But rather ‘how much time do we have?'

http://www.theatlanticcities.com/neighborhoods/2013/02/these-scary-maps-explain-what-sea-level-rise-will-mean-boston/4591/#

[chelsea0011]

1. Looks like the tank farms in Eastie and Everett will have to be moved

[Demeter]

2. Looking at that map, I have several observations

1) no wonder I was always getting lost

2) what an opportunity for

a) urban renewal
b)swimming lessons
c) island retreats

[CRH]

3. If they are hoping any storm mitigation, ...

can be effective for long and be worth the huge investment, they must be assuming a 2*C rise in global mean temperatures is still realistic. That the World Bank, Price Waterhouse Coopers, UNEP, and presentations at the World Economic Forum suggest we should be now be trying to contain the damage of a 4*C rise means Greenland and much of West Antarctica will be contributing to the rises centuries earlier than predicted.

Once again this study appears to obsolete upon completion. Everyone is trying to protect lower real estate from flooding rather than preparing new infrastructure at higher elevations. I think there will be much wasted resource if planners refuse to accept realistic scenarios for future sea levels.

[limpyhobbler]

4. Yeah they should probably just move Boston.

Oh well they had a good run!

[northoftheborder]

5. I wonder what other major cities have done studies such as this.